quit1
- to stop, cease, or discontinue: She quit what she was doing to help me paint the house.
- to depart from; leave (a place or person): They quit the city for the seashore every summer.
- to give up or resign; let go; relinquish: He quit his claim to the throne. She quit her job.
- to release one's hold of (something grasped).
- to acquit or conduct (oneself).
- to free or rid (oneself): to quit oneself of doubts.
- to clear (a debt); repay.
- to cease from doing something; stop.
- to give up or resign one's job or position: He keeps threatening to quit.
- to depart or leave.
- to stop trying, struggling, or the like; accept or acknowledge defeat.
- released from obligation, penalty, etc.; free, clear, or rid (usually followed by of): quit of all further responsibilities.
Origin of quit1
Synonyms
See more synonyms for quit on Thesaurus.comAntonyms
Examples from the Web for quitting
Contemporary Examples
Editors were apoplectic, and they showed it by quitting en masse, leaving Mays to pick up the pieces.
It Was All a Dream: Drama, Bullshit, and the Rebirth of The Source MagazineAlex Suskind
October 14, 2014
Back in 2005, those two factors contributed to him quitting his television program and leaving behind $50 million.
Old times, where Ramirez was often accused of quitting on his team, sulking and not putting out his full effort, were forgotten.
Yet five years ago, Herman reveals, he had had enough and thought about quitting.
Robinson sat down with The Daily Beast on Thursday for his first major interview since quitting the EDL.
Historical Examples
I felt more, in quitting this ship, than I did in quitting Halifax.
Ned MyersJames Fenimore Cooper
After quitting the light, we made the best of our way for the town.
Ned MyersJames Fenimore Cooper
The idea of remaining in the brig was unpleasant to me, and I had thought of quitting her for some days.
Ned MyersJames Fenimore Cooper
I cannot give any reason but caprice for quitting this ship.
Ned MyersJames Fenimore Cooper
The men did not relish the idea of quitting the spot; but, after some talk, they came into my plan.
Ned MyersJames Fenimore Cooper
quit
- (tr) to depart from; leavehe quitted the place hastily
- to resign; give up (a job)he quitted his job today
- (intr) (of a tenant) to give up occupancy of premises and leave themthey received notice to quit
- to desist or cease from (something or doing something); break offquit laughing
- (tr) to pay off (a debt); discharge or settle
- (tr) archaic to conduct or acquit (oneself); comport (oneself)he quits himself with great dignity
- (usually predicative foll by of) free (from); released (from)he was quit of all responsibility for their safety
Word Origin
Word Origin and History for quitting
quit
adj.
c.1200, "free, clear" (of debt, etc.), from Old French quite, quitte "free, clear, entire, at liberty; discharged; unmarried," from Medieval Latin quitus, quittus, from Latin quietus "free" (in Medieval Latin "free from war, debts, etc."), also "calm, resting" (see quiet (adj.)).
quit
v.
c.1200, "to repay, discharge" (a debt, etc.), from Old French quiter "clear, establish one's innocence;" also transitive, "release, let go, relinquish, abandon" (12c.), from quite (see quit (adj.)).
Meaning "to reward, give reward" is mid-13c., that of "take revenge; to answer, retort" and "to acquit oneself" are late 14c. From c.1300 as "to acquit (of a charge), declare not guilty." Sense of "leave, depart" is attested from c.1400; that of "stop" (doing something) is from 1640s. Meaning "to give up, relinquish" is from mid-15c. Related: Quitted; quitting. Quitting time is from 1835.
Idioms and Phrases with quitting
quit
In addition to the idiom beginning with quit
- quite a bit
- quit while one's ahead
also see:
- call it quits