quit

alternative quight

1. not comparableusuallyReleased from obligation, penalty, etc; free, clear, or rid.

   1 more example

   With mounting anger the King denounced the pair, both father and son, and was about to condemn them to death when his strength gave out. Faint and trembling he was unable to walk and the sword fell from his hands as he murmured: 'May the Protector of the Buddhist Faith grant me but seven more days grace of life to be quit of this disloyal couple, father and son'.

   1990, Claude de Bèze, translated by E. W. Hutchinson, 1688 revolution in Siam: the memoir of Father de Bèze, s.j, University Press, page 153

present singular third person quits · participle present quitting · participle past quitted · past quitted · first person past singular quitted · archaic present second person singular quittest · past second person singular quitted · archaic past second person singular quittedst · present singular third person quits · archaic present singular third person quitteth · past singular third person quitted · past plural quitted · past subjunctive quitted · participle present quitting · participle past quitted · alternative quight

1. transitiveTo leave (a place).

   The British quit India in the 1940s.

   5 more examples

   Jones had no sooner quitted the room, than the petty-fogger, in a whispering tone, asked Mrs Whitefield, “If she knew who that fine spark was?”

   1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC

   He quitted the lake on the 23rd of September, and on the 4th of October arrived at Queenstown, on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, having succeded in finding a transitable route.

   1865, Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society, page 33

   ... to cause the tenants to quit and give the plaintiff possession of the cottages, &c., ...

   1865, Great Britain. Courts, Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the English Courts of Common Law: With Tables of the Cases and Principal Matters, page 635

   The lions, if they left not the forest, would capture no prey; and the arrow, if it quitted not the bow, would not strike the mark.

   1912, Edward Stanley Poole, transl., The Thousand and One Nights

   At Malta the chief engineer of the ship, who always had been a good friend of mine, urged me to quit the sea; "otherwise," he said, "if you stay too long, you may, like myself, be condemned to wander about the world all your life and see your home only occasionally."

   1943 January and February, Chas. S. Lake, “Some C.M.Es. I Have Known: IV—H. A. Ivatt”, in Railway Magazine, page 32

2. transitiveTo set at rest; to free, as from anything harmful or oppressive; to relieve; to clear; to liberate.

   To quit you […] of this fear, […]you have already lookt Death in the face; what have you found so terrible in it?

   1688, William Wake, Preparation for Death

3. transitiveTo release from obligation, accusation, penalty, etc.; to absolve; to acquit.

   God will relent, and quit thee all his debt;

   1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 36, line 510

4. transitiveTo abandon, renounce (a thing).
5. ambitransitiveTo resign from (a job, office, position, etc.).

   After having to work overtime without being paid, I quit my job.

6. ambitransitiveTo stop, give up (an activity).

   John is planning to quit smoking.

7. transitivecomputingTo close (an application).
8. archaictransitiveTo pay (a debt, fine etc.).

   that judge that quits each soul his hire

   1600, [Torquato Tasso], “(please specify |book=1 to 20)”, in Edward Fairefax [i.e., Edward Fairfax], transl., Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Ierusalem. […], London: […] Ar[nold] Hatfield, for I[saac] Iaggard and M[atthew] Lownes, →OCLC

   1 more example

   Edmund, enkindle all the sparkes of Nature To quit this horrid acte.

   1605, William Shakespeare, (Please provide the book title or journal name)

9. archaicreflexiveTo conduct or acquit (oneself); to behave (in a specified way).

   Samſon hath quit himſelf Like Samſon,

   1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 98, lines 1710–1711

   1 more example

   Be strong and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Samuel 4:9

10. archaictransitiveTo carry through; to go through to the end.

    Never worthy prince a day did quit With greater hazard and with more renown.

    1595–1609, Samuel Daniel, Civil Wars

11. obsoletetransitiveTo repay, pay back (a good deed, injury etc.).

    Forgive me, Rogero: 'tis my fate To love thy friend and quit thy love with hate.

    1613, John Marston, William Barksted, The Insatiate Countess, III.2

    1 more example

    Vnthankfull wretch (said he) is this the meed, With which her soueraigne mercy thou doest quight?

    1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto V”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC

12. obsoletetransitiveTo repay (someone) for (something).

    But if that I knewe what his name hight, For clatering of me I would him ſone quight; For his falſe lying, of that I ſpake never, I could make him ſhortly repent him forever:[…]

    1515–c. 1516, John Skelton, Againſt venemous tongues enpoyſoned with ſclaunder and falſe detractions &c., published 1568

    1 more example

    I was but late att a Iustynge and there I Iusted with a knyghte that is broder vnto kynge Pellam and twyes smote I hym doune & thenne he promysed to quyte me on my best frynde and so he wounded my sone that can not be hole tyll I haue of that knyghtes blood

    1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter XIV, in Le Morte Darthur, book II

plural quits · alternative quight

1. Any of numerous species of small passerine birds native to tropical America.First known use 19th c.