quit
kwiht
Quit (verb) means to resign from a job or position. Example: “She quit her job to start her own business.”
verb
1
To resign from a job or position.
"She quit her job to start her own business."
"He threatened to quit if the schedule didn't change."
"After many years in the office, he quit and became a gardener."
2
To stop doing something, especially a habit.
"He finally quit smoking after years of trying."
"I'm trying to quit biting my nails before the wedding."
"She quit eating sweets for a month to improve her health."
3
To leave a place.
"They quit the building as soon as the alarm sounded."
"The guests quit the hall quietly once the speeches had finished."
"Passengers were told to quit the train at the next stop."
adj
1
Free from an obligation, debt, or penalty.
"Once the loan was repaid, he was quit of the debt."
"At last the family was quit of the noisy neighbours."
"He paid the fine and felt glad to be quit of the whole matter."
How to use quit
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo stop doing something, resign, or leave.
Common mistake
In American English, "quit" stays the same in past tense ("I quit yesterday"); British English sometimes uses "quitted," though "quit" is now common there too.
Common pairings
quit smoking
quit a job
quit cold turkey
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Word forms
- Plural
- quits
- Third person singular
- quits
- Past tense
- quitted
- Archaic forms
- quittest, quittedst, quitteth
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She _____ her job to start her own business.
Etymology
From Old French quitte, "free, discharged," ultimately from the same Latin root as "quiet" and "quite" — the idea of being at rest or settled.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for quit
See all rhymes for quit →Frequently asked questions
What does “quit” mean?
The word “quit” means to resign from a job or position. In plain terms, to stop doing something, resign, or leave.
How do you pronounce “quit”?
“Quit” is pronounced kwiht (/kwɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “quit” in a sentence?
Here is “quit” used in a sentence: “She quit her job to start her own business.”
What is another word for “quit”?
Words with a similar meaning to “quit” include call it quits, conclude and finish.
What is the opposite of “quit”?
The opposite of “quit” — its antonyms — are begin, initiate, persevere and start.
What part of speech is “quit”?
Depending on how it is used, “quit” can be a verb and an adjective.
Where does the word “quit” come from?
The word “quit” comes from Latin. From Old French quitte, "free, discharged," ultimately from the same Latin root as "quiet" and "quite" — the idea of being at rest or settled.
Is “quit” a common word?
“Quit” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
What is the difference between quit and resign?
Both mean to leave a job voluntarily. 'Resign' is the formal term, used in official and professional settings — she resigned as director. 'Quit' is more informal and everyday, and it can also mean stopping any activity, such as quitting smoking. To resign is essentially the polite, formal way to quit.
What is the past tense of quit?
In modern usage, 'quit' stays the same in the past tense and past participle — she quit her job last year, he had quit by then. 'Quitted' does exist but is now rare and mostly old-fashioned. 'Quit' is the standard, accepted form for all three tenses today.
Does 'quit' only mean leaving a job?
No. Beyond resigning, 'quit' widely means to stop doing something — quit smoking, quit complaining — or to exit, as in quitting an app or program. Its core idea is stopping or leaving, whether that is a job, a habit, an activity, or a piece of software.
What is the opposite of quit?
It depends on the sense. For a job, the opposite of quitting is to stay, remain, or continue working. For an activity or habit, the opposite is to continue, persist, or carry on. 'Quit' always implies stopping, so its antonyms centre on continuing, remaining, or keeping going.
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