Quit

• POS: Adjective, Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Quit, n. 

 Any one of numerous species of small passerine birds native of tropical America. See Banana quit, under Banana, and Guitguit.  [1913 Webster]

Quit, a. [OE. quite, OF. quite, F. quitte. See Quit, v., Quiet.].

 Released from obligation, charge, penalty, etc.; free; clear; absolved; acquitted.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]
" This word is sometimes used in the form quits, colloquially; as, to be quits with one, that is, to have made mutual satisfaction of demands with him; to be even with him; hence, as an exclamation: Quits! we are even, or on equal terms. “To cry quits with the commons in their complaints.”"  Fuller.  [1913 Webster]
"The owner of the ox shall be quit."  [1913 Webster]

Quit, v. t. [OE. quiten, OF. quiter, quitier, cuitier, F. quitter, to acquit, quit, LL. quietare, fr. L. quietare to calm, to quiet, fr. quietus quiet. See Quiet, a., and cf. Quit, a., Quite, Acquit, Requite.].

•  To set at rest; to free, as from anything harmful or oppressive; to relieve; to clear; to liberate.  [1913 Webster]

  "To quit you of this fear, you have already looked Death in the face; what have you found so terrible in it?"  [1913 Webster]
•  To release from obligation, accusation, penalty, or the like; to absolve; to acquit.  [1913 Webster]

  "There may no gold them quyte."  [1913 Webster]

  "God will relent, and quit thee all his debt."  [1913 Webster]
•  To discharge, as an obligation or duty; to meet and satisfy, as a claim or debt; to make payment for or of; to requite; to repay.  [1913 Webster]

  "The blissful martyr quyte you your meed."  [1913 Webster]

  "Enkindle all the sparks of nature
  To quit this horrid act."  [1913 Webster]

  "Before that judge that quits each soul his hire."  [1913 Webster]
•  To meet the claims upon, or expectations entertained of; to conduct; to acquit; -- used reflexively.  [1913 Webster]

  "Be strong, and quit yourselves like men."  [1913 Webster]

  "Samson hath quit himself
  Like Samson."  [1913 Webster]
•  To carry through; to go through to the end.  [1913 Webster]

  "Never worthy prince a day did quit
  With greater hazard and with more renown."  [1913 Webster]
•  To have done with; to cease from; to stop; hence, to depart from; to leave; to forsake; as, to quit work; to quit the place; to quit jesting.  [1913 Webster]

  "Such a superficial way of examining is to quit truth for appearance."  [1913 Webster]

  "Does not the earth quit scores with all the elements in the noble fruits that issue from it?"  [1913 Webster]

To quit cost, to pay; to reimburse. -- To quit scores, to make even; to clear mutually from demands.

Syn. -- To leave; relinquish; resign; abandon; forsake; surrender; discharge; requite.

Quit, v. i. 

 To go away; to depart; to stop doing a thing; to cease.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Quit, v. & adj.
--v.tr. (quitting; past and past part. quitted or quit)
1 (also absol.) give up; let go; abandon (a task etc.).
2 US cease; stop (quit grumbling).
3 a leave or depart from (a place, person, etc.). b (absol.) (of a tenant) leave occupied premises ( esp. notice to quit).
4 (refl.) acquit; behave ( quit oneself well).
--predic.adj. (foll. by of) rid (glad to be quit of the problem).

Idiom

quit hold of loose.

Etymology

ME f. OF quitte, quitter f. med.L quittus f. L quietus QUIET

THESAURUS

Quit

abandon, abdicate, abjure, abort, abscond, acquit, act, atone, back out, be pensioned, be superannuated, bear, beat a retreat, beat it, beg off, belay, blow, bow out, cancel, carry, cease, chuck, clear, clear of, clear off, come off, compensate, comport, conduct, cry off, cut it out, cut out, decamp, demean, demit, depart, depart from, deport, desert, desist, desist from, disappear, discard, discharge, discharged, discontinue, disuse, drop, drop it, drop out, end, evacuate, exempt from, exit, flee, forsake, free, free of, get away, get away from, get off, get satisfaction, give notice, give over, give up, go, go back on, go on, halt, have done with, hold, indemnify, jettison, jilt, kick back, knock it off, knock off, lay off, leave, leave behind, leave flat, leave off, let go, liquidate, make amends, make good, make reparation, make requital, make restitution, make retribution, make up for, make up to, maroon, nol-pros, not pursue with, pay, pay back, pay in kind, pay off, pay up, pension off, pull out, put behind one, quit cold, quit of, recompense, recoup, redress, refrain, refund, reimburse, relinquish, remove, renege, renounce, renounce the throne, repay, requite, resign, retire, retire from office, retreat, reward, rid, rid of, satisfy, say goodbye to, scrub, secede, settle, shed of, shut of, skip, square, stand aside, stand down, stay, step aside, stop, superannuate, surcease, surrender, take leave of, take off, terminate, throw over, vacate, vanish, waive, withdraw, withdraw from

ROGET THESAURUS

Quit

Relinquishment

VB relinquish, give up, abandon, desert, forsake, leave in the lurch, go back on, depart from, secede from, withdraw from, back out of, leave, quit, take leave of, bid a long farewell, vacate, renounce, forego, have done with, drop, disuse, discard, wash one's hands of, drop all idea of, break off, leave off, desist, stop, hold one's hand, stay one's hand, quit one's hold, give over, shut up shop, throw up the game, throw up the cards, give up the point, give up the argument, pass to the order of the day, move to the previous question, relinquish, give up, surrender, yield, cede, let go, let slip, spare, drop, resign, forego, renounce, abandon, expropriate, give away, dispose of, part with, lay aside, lay apart, lay down, lay on the shelf, set aside, put aside, put away, make away with, cast behind, maroon, give notice to quit, give warning, supersede, be rid of, get rid of, be quit of, get quit of, eject, rid oneself of, disburden oneself of, divest oneself of, dispossess oneself of, wash one's hands of, discard, cast off, dismiss, cast away, throw away, pitch away, fling away, cast aside, cast overboard, cast to the dogs, throw aside, throw overboard, throw to the dogs, pitch aside, pitch overboard, pitch to the dogs, fling aside, fling overboard, fling to the dogs, cast to the winds, throw to the winds, sweep to the winds, put away, turn away, sweep away, jettison, reject, quit one's hold, quitclaim.

Payment

VB pay, defray, make payment, paydown, pay on the nail, pay ready money, pay at sight, pay in advance, cash, honor a bill, acknowledge, redeem, pay in kind, pay one's way, pay one's shot, pay one's footing, pay the piper, pay sauce for all, pay costs, do the needful, shell out, fork out, cough up, fork over, come down with, come down with the dust, tickle the palm, grease the palm, expend, put down, lay down, discharge, settle, quit, acquit oneself of, foot the bill, account with, reckon with, settle with, be even with, be quits with, strike a balance, settle accounts with, balance accounts with, square accounts with, quit scores, wipe off old scores, clear off old scores, satisfy, pay in full, satisfy all demands, pay in full of all demands, clear, liquidate, pay up, pay old debts, disgorge, make repayment, repay, refund, reimburse, retribute, make compensation, pay by credit card, put it on the plastic.

Departure

VB depart, go away, take one's departure, set out, set off, march off, put off, start off, be off, move off, get off, whip off, pack off, go off, take oneself off, start, issue, march out, debouch, go forth, sally forth, sally, set forward, be gone, hail from, leave a place, quit, vacate, evacuate, abandon, go off the stage, make one's exit, retire, withdraw, remove, vamoose, vamose, go one's way, go along, go from home, take flight, take wing, spring, fly, flit, wing one's flight, fly away, whip away, embark, go on board, go aboard, set sail' put to sea, go to sea, sail, take ship, hoist blue Peter, get under way, weigh anchor, strike tents, decamp, walk one's chalks, cut one's stick, take leave, say good bye, bid goodbye, disappear, abscond, entrain, inspan.