| 释义 |
▪ I. quit, n.1|kwɪt|
[Perh. imitative; but Gosse suggests that it may be African.]
The popular name of many small Jamaican birds.
1847Gosse Birds Jamaica 254 The name of Quit is applied without much discrimination by the negroes of Jamaica, to several small birds, such as the Banana Quit, which is a Creeper, and the Blue Quit, and Grass Quits which are finches. 1882–in Ogilvie and later Dicts. 1894Newton Dict. Birds 761.
▪ II. quit, n.2|kwɪt|
[f. quit v.]
1. A point of departure. rare.
1892H. A. Newton in Astronomy & Astrophysics Jan. 15 Of the 839 comets..267..will have quits less than 45° from Jupiter's quit, while 38 of them will have quits less than 45° from Jupiter's goal.
2. a. U.S. The act or an instance of quitting; one who quits.
1923J. D. Hackett Labor Terms in Managem. Engineering May, Quit, a voluntary separation from work by an individual worker, usually without notice of intention. 1976Billings (Montana) Gaz. 6 July 8-a/4 The scope of the ‘voluntary quits’, persons who leave their jobs for any reason is not precisely tabulated. Ibid. 8-a/5 Barrett was reluctant to estimate the impact of voluntary quits on the state.
b. attrib. and Comb., as quit-form, quit notice; quit rate, the proportion of people in a section of society who voluntarily leave their jobs.
1966‘A. Hall’ 9th Directive xxii. 209 The hospital superintendent.. didn't want to release me..but I forced a personal responsibility quit-form out of him and signed it and left.
1976K. Thackeray Crownbird vi. 111 If..he got a quit notice from the Kenyans, he'd wind up being stateless.
1970Women Speaking Apr. 10/2 For both men and women workers, the lowest quit rates occur among skilled workers and professional and managerial workers. 1973N.Y. Law Jrnl. 26 July 5/3, 41 per cent of married mothers do work; women's ‘quit-rate’ is lower than men's, making them most dependable workers. 1975Sci. Amer. Jan. 21/1 Let us consider the indicator called the quit rate, which measures the number of people in manufacturing industries (per 100 employed) who voluntarily leave their jobs.
▪ III. quit, † quite, a.|kwɪt|
Forms: α. 3 cwite, 3–6 quyt, (4 qw-), 4–6 quyte, (4–5 qw-), 6 quight, 3–7 quite. β. 4 kuytte, 5 quytt(e, qwytt, qw(h)itte, 6 quitt, 6–7 quitte, 3– quit.
[(1) In the α-forms (ME. types quīte, quīt), a. OF. quite = Pr. quiti, Sp. quito, med.L. quitus, unmolested, free, clear, etc., ad. L. quiētus quiet. Hence also OFris. quyt, qwyt (mod. quijt), MDu. quite, quijt (Du. kwijt), MLG. and MHG. quît (obs. G. queit). (2) In the β-forms (ME. types quĭtte, quĭt), orig. a. OF. quitte, later form of quite: cf. med.L. quittus, MHG. quit (G. quitt), ON. kvittr (Sw. qvitt, Da. kvit). The pa. pple. of quite v. may also have contributed to the use of quĭt.
Although there appears to be sufficient evidence for the existence in ME. of forms with a short vowel, clear instances are somewhat rare, as the spelling is often ambiguous or misleading, and the rimes usually show quīte, quīt. The exact range of quĭt is therefore uncertain until the 16th c., when its gradual supersession of quite is prob. connected with the similar change in the verb.]
I. In predicative use.
1. Free, clear. († Occas. quite and clear, quite and free.) to be quit for, to get off with, suffer nothing more than.
a1225Ancr. R. 6 Sum..mei ful wel beo cwite & paie god mid lesse. c1275Pass. Lord 310 in O.E. Misc. 46 Ye nelleþ..lete me gon quite. Ibid. 370 Hit is eur kustume to habbe quyt enne. c1290Beket 812 in S. Eng. Leg. I. 129 Þo was þis guode Man quit I-nov. c1330R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 1224 Þys were our most profit, Wiþ loue & leue he queþe vs quyt. c1400Ywaine & Gaw. 685 Bot so he wend have passed quite. 1470–85Malory Arthur xiv. vi, Yf thow be ouercome thou shalt not be quyte for losyng of ony of thy membrys. 1509Barclay Shyp of Folys (1570) 72 The great fishe are taken..Where as the small escape quite and free. 1577J. Northbrooke Dicing (1843) 77 What faultes great men alwayes committe Are pardoned still, and goeth quitte. 1609Skene Reg. Maj. 22 Gif the persewer compeirs nocht..the defender sall passe quite. 1671Milton P.R. i. 476, I..must submiss endure Check or reproof, and glad to scape so quit. 1768Gray in Corr. w. Nicholls (1843) 72 We..are quit for the fright except the damage above-mentioned. 1817W. Selwyn Law Nisi Prius (ed. 4) II. 761 The judgment shall be against him only..and the other shall go quit. 1852Thackeray Esmond i. xiii, Harry Esmond was quit for a fall on the grass. 1866Rogers Agric. & Prices I. v. 124 When the book was restored the borrower [was] declared quit.
b. Free, clear, rid of (a thing or person). † Also with omission of prep. (quot. 1630).
a1225Ancr. R. 90 Ase quite ase ᵹe beoð of swuch. a1300Cursor M. 6287 Godd..had mad þam quite Of al þair soru and al þair site. 1340Ayenb. 41 Of these zennes ne byeþ [they] naȝt kuytte. c1375Sc. Leg. Saints xxxiv. (Pelagia) 136 Haffand rycht gret delyte Of þare synnis to be quyte. c1450Mirour Saluacioun 1511 Who is qwitte of one temptacionne happily. 1470–85Malory Arthur x. xxiv, Now my moder is quyte of the. 1596Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. ii. 141 Throuch desyre..to be quyte of the glore of a king. c1630Milton On Time 20 Then all this Earthy grosnes quit,..we shall for ever sit [etc.]. 1741Chesterfield Lett. (1792) I. 208 Aukwardnesses, which many people contract..and cannot get quit of them. 1840Miss Mitford in L'Estrange Life (1870) III. vii. 108 To me..it would be a great release to be quit of the trouble and expense. 1875J. Croll Climate & T. v. 91 In order that the sea may get quit of its heat.
c. Const. from. Now rare.
1471Ripley Comp. Alch. iii. in Ashm. (1652) 140 Fro feculent feces when hyt ys quytt. c1586C'tess Pembroke Ps. cxix. i, Quitt and cleere from doing wrong. 1591Spenser Ruins of Rome viii, Nought from the Romane Empire might be quight. 1660H. More Myst. Godl. v. xvii. 209 Nor shall we ever be quit from the crime of slaying the Witnesses. 1845Economy 154 It is the doctor's duty to see you quit from all this.
†d. to make quit (of), to do away with, dispose of; to make a clearance. Sc. Obs. rare.
c1470Henry Wallace vii. 504 The formast sone hym selff sesyt in hand, Maid quyt off hym. 15..Droichis Part of Play 108 in Dunbar's Poems (1893) 318 Thair is nocht thair bot tak and slae, Cut throppillis and mak quyte.
†2. Destitute, deprived of (from). Obs.
c1290S. Eng. Leg. I. 399/242 Of ore leoue sones quite we beoth, alas! c1330R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 319 Me and many mo, fro our wages ȝede quite. a1352Minot Poems vii. 124 Now haue þai made þi biging bare, Of all þi catell ertou quite. c1430Hymns Virg. (1867) 35 Of þi blis y were ful qwytt If y hadde aftir þat y haue do. 1573Satir. Poems Reform. xlii. 911 It wald mak vs quyte Of Christis Euangell, our delyte. 1596Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. iv. 232 Ethelfred is maid quyt of ane eye.
†3. = quits 2. double or quit: see double adv. 4. Obs.
c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon x. 268, I have yelde you agen that ye had gyven me; we be now quyte. 1596Shakes. Tam. Shr. iii. i. 92 If once I finde thee ranging, Hortensio will be quit with thee by changing. 1607― Cor. iv. v. 89 To be full quit of those my Banishers Stand I before thee heere. 1687Prior Epigr., ‘To John I ow'd’, Sure John and I are more than quit. 1757E. Griffith Lett. Henry & Frances (1767) I. 21 But we are now quit; and your generosity is equal to mine.
†b. to cry quit (with one), cry one quit (cf. quittance 4). Obs.
1626–7in Crt. & Times Chas. I, I. 205 If it would please God..to prosper what we undertake, we might, ere long, cry them quit. 1641Smectymnuus Vind. Answ. i. 5 If we would cry quit with the Remonstrant..wee could tell him a Tale.
II. Attributive.
†4. Clean, complete. Obs. rare.
1583Babington Commandm. viii. (1637) 73 To..the quite marring of all her musicke. 1604Rudd in Consid. Peace & Goodw. Prot. 7 If..there cannot be obtained a quite removall of the Premises. 1607Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1673) 487 [This will] make a quit riddance of all their hurts.
▪ IV. quit, † quite, v.|kwɪt|
Forms: α. inf. 3–5 quiten, quyten, (5 -yn), 4 quyty, 4–7 quyte, quite, 5 qwite, qwyt(e, qw-, queyt, 5–6 quyt; 5 qu-, qwyght, 6 quight; also north. 5 whyte, 6 -tte, 5, 7–9 white, 9 wheyte. pa. tense 4–5 quitte, quyt, 4–6 quit(t, quytte, 5 qwit, 5–6 quyte; 5–6 quyted, 6 quited, quighted. pa. pple. 4–5 iquytt, i-, yquyt(te, yquit; 4 quite, 4–5 quitte, 4–6 quit, quyt, 5 qwit(t(e, Sc. quet, 5–6 quyte, qwytt, 6 quitt, Sc. quyite; 4 i-quited, 5–7 quited, 6 quyted. β. 4, 7 quitte, 5 quytte, 6 quitt, 4– quit. γ. See quat v.2
[(1) In α-forms (ME. type quīten), a. OF. quiter = Sp., Pg. quitar, It. quitare, med.L. quitare, ad. med.L. quiētāre to make quiet, put in quiet, set free, absolve, etc., f. quiētus quiet (cf. quit a.). (2) In β-forms (ME. type quitten), a. later OF. quitter (cf. ON. kvitta, Sw. qvitta, Da. kvitte). The origin of this F. form is obscure; it apparently became common in the 14th c., but med.L. quittare is found in documents of the 13th (Du Cange).
The exact range of ME. quĭtte(n is difficult to determine (cf. quit a.); the usual form was undoubtedly quīte(n. The pa. tense and pa. pple. of this were usually quitte, quit (less commonly quited), and this fact may have assisted in the general substitution of quit for quite which began in the latter part of the 16th c., and was practically complete by 1650. During the first half of the 17th c. the pa. tense and pple. vary between quit and quitted, the former being freq. employed even by writers who use quit in the inf. and pres.; in later use quitted is the standard form, quit being now chiefly dial. and U.S. colloquial.]
I.
†1.
a. trans. To set free, release, deliver, redeem (usually a person; also absol.). Const. from, out of, and occas. with out adv. Obs.
a1300Cursor M. 6680 Dei þai sal wit-vten lite, Wit-vten raunscun for to quitte. 1303R. Brunne Handl. Synne 9582 Quyte þe weyl oute of borghegang. c1374Chaucer Troylus iv. 177 (205) Allas! they quitte him out to rathe. c1450Mirour Saluacioun 1352 Crist borne to qwite man out of infernale disese. 1483Caxton Gold. Leg. 143 b/2 But for al that was not he quyte fro the pryson of helle. a1569A. Kingsmill Man's Est. xi. (1580) 74 They counselled the people to quite Barabbas. 1579Spenser Sheph. Cal. Feb. 213 For nought mought they quitten him from decay. 1616R. C. Times Whistle vi. 2537 A litle mony from the law will quite thee. 1642Rogers Naaman 557 Arise therefore, quite thy cause, deliver thy people. 1652Gataker Antinom. 4 My intent..was..to qit one passage of Scripture from their abuse thereof.
†b. To free, clear, rid of. Obs.
1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VI. 317 He delyvered and quitte alle þe cherches..of alle manere kynges tribute. 1530Palsgr. 677/1, I wyll quyte hym for a grote of all the dettes he oweth. 1593Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, iii. ii. 218, I should rob the Deaths-man of his Fee, Quitting thee thereby of ten thousand shames. 1606G. W[oodcocke] Lives Emperors in Hist. Ivstine I i 5 He quited Ancona and Dalmatia of the Saracens. 1668Pepys Diary 5 Mar., She..made me resolve to quit my hands of this office. 1715Rowe Lady Jane Gray iv. i, That Mercy, Which quits me of the vast unequal Task. 1798Geraldina II. 201 Two thousand guineas will not quit Revel of the expence.
c. refl. To rid (oneself) of.
c1340Cursor M. 11198 (Fairf.) He did alle mennys namys wryte That of this yeld shuld none hem quyte. 1606G. W[oodcocke] Lives Emperors in Hist. Ivstine I i 5 He quitted himselfe of further trouble. c1665Mrs. Hutchinson Mem. Col. Hutchinson 10 He quitted himself of his employment abroad. a1703Burkitt On N.T., Luke iv. 30 It was an easy thing for him..to quit himself of any mortal enemies. 1857Ruskin Pol. Econ. Art 4 It requires some boldness to quit ourselves of these feelings.
†2.
a. To clear (a suspected or accused person) from a charge; to prove (one) innocent of. Chiefly refl. Obs.
a1300Cursor M. 14857 If it war sli maner wite Þat he þar-of ne moght him quite. c1320Seuyn Sag. (W.) 2898 If he haue this day respite, Tomorn he sal himseluen quite. 1533J. Heywood Merry Play (1830) 18, I thought..That he had lovyd my wyfe, for to deseyve me, And now he quytyth hymself. 1590Spenser F.Q. ii. i. 20 He..shall againe be tryde, And fairely quit him of th' imputed blame. 1683Apol. Prot. France iii. 11 Do not conclude before you have quitted the Subjects from that suspicion. 1715Bentley Serm. x. 350 Their known Poverty and perpetual Austerities wholly quit them of that suspicion.
†b. To absolve, acquit (of, from). Obs.
1303R. Brunne Handl. Synne 1337 Þys fals men, þat beyn sysours, Þat..wyl..a þefe for syluer quyte. 1451Paston Lett. I. 208 We undirstand he shall not be quyte but before the Justice. 1509Barclay Shyp of Folys (1570) 4 There shall be no delayes vntill another Sise, But either quit, or to infernall Gayle. 1584Peele Arraignm. Paris iv. iv, The man must quited be by heav'ns laws. 1609Bible (Douay) 2 Macc. iv. 47 Menelaus certes being guiltie of al the evil was quitted of the crimes. 1677W. Hubbard Narrative (1865) I. 96 Upon Tryal the said Prisoners were all of them quitted from the Fact. 1755Monitor No. 11. I. 84 It will be difficult to quit the advisers of such a misapplication, from a crime.
absol.1549Coverdale, etc. Erasm. Par. 1 Cor. 4 Menne maye peraduenture vnrighteously condemne or quyte. 1560Rolland Crt. Venus i. 927, I creat ȝow to condampne or to quite, My Iuge deput.
3. refl.
a. To do one's part, behave, bear oneself, (usually in a specified way). Now arch.
c1386Chaucer Frankl. T. Prol. 1 In feith, Squier, thow hast thee wel yquit. 1455Paston Lett. I. 329 To quyte us lyke men in this querell. 1480Caxton Chron. Eng. ccxliii. (1482) 291 Manly and knyghtly he quytte hym in al maner poyntes. 1589Marprel. Epit. D ij b, Iohn of London..could haue quited himselfe no better then this. 1611Bible 1 Sam. iv. 9 Quit your selues like men, and fight. 1642Rogers Naaman 188 Labour to quite our selves well in our sufferings. a1716South Serm. (1744) X. 302–3 This is the fourth means to enable us to quit ourselves in the great duty of peaceableness. 1868Browning Ring & Bk. v. 278, I rode, danced and gamed, Quitted me like a courtier.
†b. To acquit oneself (well, etc.) of a task or duty. Obs.
1413Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton 1483) v. xi. 103 Of these..seuen [signes] ye haue quyte yow well. c1450Robin Hood & Monk lxxvii. in Child Ballads III. 100/2, I haue done þe a gode turne for an euyll, Quyte þe whan þou may. 1600Hakluyt Voy. (1810) III. 383 One which knewe so well to quite himselfe of his charge, that all rancour..ceased.
†c. To use (the hands); to play (one's part).
1596Harington Metam. Ajax (1814) 35 That I were as likely to quit my hands in the fray as well as any man. 1603Shakes. Meas. for M. ii. iv. 28 The generall subiect to a wel-wisht King Quit their owne part.
†4. To remit (a debt, etc.). Obs. rare.
c1400Rom. Rose 6032 They shall quyte your oth al free. 1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. xviii. 22 The lordes dyd quyt me my ransom and prison. 1596Shakes. Merch. V. iv. i. 381 To quit the fine for one halfe of his goods, I am content. 1671Milton Samson 509 Perhaps God will relent, and quit thee all his debt. 1693Dryden's Juvenal vii. (1697) 178 For that Revenge I'll quit the whole Arrear.
5. a. To give up, let go, renounce, etc.; to cease to have, use, enjoy, be engaged in or occupied with. (Freq. with implication of sense 7.)
c1440Generydes 3608 As for the land of Perce..My lord and fader quyte it in his dayes. 1560Rolland Crt. Venus i. 900 The copie clene I quite it is sa skant. 1612Selden To Rdr. in Drayton Poly-olb., The Capricious faction will..neuer quit their Beliefe of wrong. a1661Fuller Worthies (1840) II. 434 It seems that the Christian Britons at the font quitted their native names as barbarous. 1671True Nonconformist 2 That Nonconformists think they may quite the communion of the church, if [etc.]. 1729Butler Serm. Resentm. Wks. 1874 II. 100 Resentment has taken possession of the temper,..and will not quit its hold. 1788Franklin Autobiog. Wks. 1840 I. 156 Choosing rather to quit their power than their principle. 1828D'Israeli Chas. I, II. ii. 47 Richelieu, once resolved, never quitted his object, till it became his own. 1851Helps Comp. Solit. xiii. (1874) 236 There are very few men who know how to quit any great office.
b. To give up, yield, hand over to another. Now rare or Obs.
a1450Knt. de la Tour (1868) 101, I have leuer to quytte yow and gyue yow my parte. 1559Kennedy Lett. to Willock in Wodrow Misc. (1844) 273, I quyte ȝou the haill cause without farther disputatioun. 1627Hakewill Apol. (1630) 106 As God had quitted unto them, all dominion over his creatures. 1647Clarendon Hist. Reb. iii. §138 He might wisely quit his Mastership of the Wards to the Lord Say. 1769Robertson Chas. V, xii. Wks. 1826 III. 371 Every argument which..could induce him to quit the Imperial throne to Philip. 1824J. Johnson Typogr. I. 551 His father seems to have quitted the trade to him in 1576.
c. To let go (something held or grasped).
1633G. Herbert Temple 122 Love unknown 11 The servant instantly Quitting the fruit, seiz'd on my heart alone. 1711Addison Spect. No. 102 ⁋7 This teaches a Lady to quit her Fan gracefully when she throws it aside. 1808J. Barlow Columb. viii. 82 The weak moment when she quits her shield. 1841Elphinstone Hist. Ind. II. 145 A horseman..sprung from his horse, and, without quitting the bridle, rushed into the tent.
6. a. To cease, stop, discontinue (doing something). Now chiefly U.S.
1754in Picton L'pool Munic. Rec. (1886) II. 166 Persons who rent seats..after they quitt sitting in them [etc.]. 1837W. Irving Capt. Bonneville II. 165 They followed on his trail, nor quit hovering about him..until [etc.]. 1882A. E. Sweet Sk. Texas Siftings 62 The dog-catchers have quit going their rounds. 1892A. C. Gunter Miss Dividends ii. xiv. 208 Quit calling him bishop. He has repented and become a Christian like us! 1917R. L. Alsaker Eating for Health iii. xvii. 237 Quit lunching. Quit taking eggs and milk and olive oil between meals. 1931T. H. Rynning Gun Notches xviii. 130 So the Judge opened court with the usual formalities, throwing out a couple of drunks who wouldn't quit snoring during the proceedings. 1948M. Laski Tory Heaven xii. 162 For God's sake, quit arguing politics. 1958‘A. Bridge’ Portuguese Escape xv. 256 In her anger the Countess's voice took on the rasping accents of the Middle West, and she reverted to her native idiom. ‘Quit stalling, Monsignor, and tell me where my daughter is?’ 1967N.Y. Times (Internat. Ed.) 11 Feb. 4/8 Dr. Higginson quit smoking cigarettes some time ago for, he says, ‘the obvious reasons’.
b. absol. esp., to give up, renounce, or cease to be engaged in one's employment, or other specified activity. Also U.S. with off. Now chiefly N. Amer.
a1641Suckling Why so pale and wan 11 Quit! quit for shame! this will not move. 1752H. Walpole Lett. (1833) III. 25 It is I, that will not act with such fellows..if they are kept, I will quit; and if the Bishop is dismissed, I will quit too. 1773P. V. Fithian Jrnl. 27 Nov. (1900) I. 54, I was introduced to one Mr Walker..lately a School-master but has quit. 1807Deb. Congress U.S. (1852) 10th Congress 1 Sess., App. 478 [Robert A. New] inquired of them whether they would stand by Colonel Burr and go on, or quit. 1843,1889[see day n. 20 b]. 1868Morning Star 10 Mar., The good old maxim for speech-makers, ‘Quit when you've done’. 1894Chicago Advance 1 Mar., I don't see how you ever made up your mind to quit off [from study]. 1932Atlantic Monthly Mar. 316/2 The..farmer.. let the place run down to almost a raw land value before he quit. 1961New Yorker 12 Aug. 34/3, I came over to tell you I was quitting, Mr Sherman. 1968Globe & Mail (Toronto) 3 Feb. b4/1 It's fine by me; I quit a couple of years ago. 1976H. Nielsen Brink of Murder xii. 105 Reardon dug out a package of cigarettes..and offered them to Simon. ‘I'm quitting,’ Simon said... ‘I've quit seventeen times this year... Right now I need a smoke.’ 1977News of the World 17 Apr. 2/3 He has already quit as chairman of the firm.
7. a. To leave, go away or depart from (a place or person); to part or separate from (a thing).
1603Florio Montaigne ii. ii. (1897) III. 29 Our minde cannot out of her place attaine so high. She must quit it and raise her selfe aloft. 1623Massinger Dk. Milan iv. ii, We know our duty, And quit the room. 1653H. Cogan tr. Pinto's Trav. vii. 19 Having quit the river he marched somewhat faster than ordinary. 1732Pope Ess. Man ii. 274 Hope travels thro', nor quits us when we die. 1787Winter Syst. Husb. 306 When the earth is sufficiently dry, so as to quit the hoe. 1805Scott Last Minstr. i. iv, They quitted not their harness bright, Neither by day, nor yet by night. 1833H. Martineau Briery Creek v. 100 It is a serious matter to quit country and family and friends. 1874Green Short Hist. v. 242 The labourer was forbidden to quit the parish where he lived.
b. absol. To leave the premises which one occupies as a tenant.
1768[see quitting vbl. n.]. 1818Cruise Digest (ed. 2) IV. 74 A lease..determinable..on giving reasonable notice to quit. 1831Lamb Elia Ser. ii. To the Shade of Elliston, Thou..had notice to quit, I fear, before thou wert quite ready to abandon this fleshly tenement.
c. absol. To go away. dial. and U.S.
1839Marryat Diary Amer. Ser. i. II. 231 Clear out, quit, and put—all mean ‘be off’. 1850Lyell 2nd Visit U.S. II. 99 No sooner was I engaged..than all the other workmen quitted. 1883Stevenson Silverado Sq. 146 He rose at once, and said..he reckoned he would quit. 1977I. Shaw Beggarman, Thief i. v. 59 ‘Has it ever occurred to you to just pull out?’ ‘What do you mean?’ ‘I mean quit... Just pick up and leave.’
8. intr. to quit with, to part with or from. rare.
1635Shirley Traitor i. i, If You can find dispensation to quit with Amidea,..be confident Oriana may be won. 1816Scott Old Mort. viii, Ye hae preached twenty punds out o' the Laird's pocket that he likes as ill to quit wi'.
9. trans. To remove; to put, take, or send away (also with dat. of person); to dismiss. Now rare.
1575Turberv. Faulconrie 364 This medicine..cureth and quitteth the mangie. 1598Barret Theor. Warres 116 Having quited and depriued them the preheminence to elect Captaines. 1625Massinger New Way ii. iii, I'll quit you From my employments. 1649Evelyn Mem. (1857) III. 45 The small intelligence come to us..would have quitted you this trouble. 1755J. Shebbeare Lydia (1769) I. 361 Miss Arabella..took it out again, without quitting her hand from it. 1847Infantry Man. (1854) 38 Quit the left hand smartly to the left side.
II.
10. To repay, reward, requite (a person with some return for something done). Obs. exc. north. dial. (in phr. God etc. quite, white, twite).
13..E.E. Allit. P. A. 595 Þou quyteȝ vchon as hys desserte. c1384Chaucer H. Fame iii. 524 We han well deserued hyt, Therfore is ryght that we ben quyt. c1440Generydes 6975 Thus quyte he them that were to hym so kynd. c1530Ld. Berners Arth. Lyt. Bryt. (1814) 178 Syth he had done me one displeasure, I shall quite him agayne with two. 1576J. Woolton Chr. Manual C i, Let vs not with like thanks quite almightye God for his greate benefyts bestowed vppon vs. 1599Massinger, etc. Old Law ii. ii, When I visit, I come comfortably, And look to be so quited. 1664Butler Hud. ii. i. 448, I understand..how to quit you your own way. 1691Ray N.C. Words, White, to requite; as, ‘God white you’. 1790Mrs. Wheeler Westmld. Dial. (1839) 16 Odd white..Iustice an king teea, for meaakin sic laas.
†11.
a. To make a return to (a person) for (something done, a benefit or injury received, etc.). Obs.
a1300Cursor M. 4422 Ill es þe quit þi god seruis! c1320Sir Tristr. 2258 Ȝe quite him iuel his swink. c1386Chaucer Manciple's T. 189 O false theef!.. I wol thee quite anon thy false tale! c1440Partonope 1554 His kyndenes so he wole hym quyte. 1509Barclay Shyp of Folys (1570) 171 God shall thee heare, and quite thee thy trauayle. 1548W. Patten Exped. Scot. Pref. a ij, Since we soo quyt theym their kyndnes, and departed so litle in their det.
b. With omission of personal object: To repay, make a return for (something done to or for one).
c1350Will. Palerne 325 Alle þi frendes fordedes faire schalstow quite. c1420Chron. Vilod. 1187 His trauelle shalle be ryȝt welle y-quytte. c1470Gol. & Gaw. 1101 As I am cristynit perfite, I sall thi kyndnes quyte. a1533Ld. Berners Huon liv. 183, I shall quyte your mockes. c1586C'tess Pembroke Ps. cxxxvii. iv, Thou, O Lord, will not forgett To quit the paines of Edoms race. 1607Tourneur Rev. Trag. v. iii, The rape of your good Lady has been quited. a1632T. Taylor God's Judgem. i. i. ix. (1642) 199 On this manner was the Duke of Orleance death quitted. 1850Blackie æschylus I. 137 Like quit with like, and harm with harm repay. 1879E. Arnold Lt. Asia v. xxvii, If I attain I will return and quit thy love.
†c. To be a return or equivalent for, to balance; esp. in phr. to quit (the) cost. Obs.
c1420Pallad. on Husb. i. 185 A litel tiled wel wul quyte expence. c1440Generydes 5700 On good turne another quytith. 1523Fitzherb. Husb. §14 The roughe otes be the worste, and it quiteth not the coste to sowe them. 1608–11Bp. Hall Epist. i. viii. Wks. (1627) 288 Nothing can quite the cose and labour of trauell but the gaine of wisdome. 1646J. Gregory Notes & Obs. (1650) 63 The strangeness hath been quitted by an Experience of later daies. 1659Brome Eng. Moor i. i. Wks. 1873 II. 4 It is not grief can quit a father's blood. 1787Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 106 Nor would that country quit the cost of being retained against the will of the inhabitants.
III. 12. a. To pay, pay up, clear off (a debt, etc.).
a1300Cursor M. 28428, I wit-halden ha my tende, and has it quitte til oþer men. 1340Hampole Pr. Consc. 3920 He may þan In purgatory qwyte alle þe dett. c1386Chaucer Wife's T. 152 Koude ye me wisse, I wolde wel quite youre hire. a1450Myrc 1978 Ȝef hys godes to luyte be For to quyte þat oweth he. 1590Shakes. Com. Err. i. i. 23 A thousand markes..To quit the penalty, and to ransome him. 1649G. Daniel Trinarch., Rich. II, clvii, Hee meant To quit all scores, after the Parliament. 1677A. Yarranton Eng. Impr. 110 I'le pay the reckoning, and quit this honest Countrey-mans Charge. a1800Cowper Ep. to R. Lloyd 22 That I may fairly quit The debt which justly became due. 1854in Whately Cautions for Times 131 The souls in Purgatory..only quit the score of punishment which they have not yet paid in this life.
absol.1393Langl. P. Pl. C. xvii. 32 Operis satisfactio that..for alle synnes soueraynliche quiteth.
†b. With dat. of person, esp. in phr. to quite one his meed, hire, etc. Obs.
13..Coer de L. 1420, I schal quyten hym hys mede. a1352Minot Poems vii. 66 Inglis men..quit þam þaire hire. c1400Gamelyn 512 Ther was non of hem alle..That he ne..quitte him his dette. 1550Crowley Last Trumpet 446 Let me take vengeance, saith the Lord, And I wyll quyte them all theyr hyre. 1567Satir. Poems Reform. xiv. 99 All Faithfull hartis quyte thair meid.
†13.
a. To pay, or give, back; to give in return.
a1300Cursor M. 27867 (Fairf.) He gas to paine, til wrange tane þing be quite againe. c1380Wyclif Wks. (1880) 173 Þes worldly prestis..quiten not aȝen but stynkynge preiere bifore god. Ibid. 215 For o schrewed word a man mot quyte anoþer or moo. 14..Good Counsel in King's Quair (S.T.S.) 51 For ilk ynch he wyll the quyte a spane.
†b. absol. To make return or repayment. Obs.
a1340Hampole Psalter xxxvi. 22 Þe synful sall borow and he sall noght quyte. c1460Towneley Myst. xiii. 294 Eft whyte when I may Bot this will I borow.
†14. To pay for (a thing). Obs. rare.
c1250Soth Sermun 77 in O.E. Misc. 190 Robin wule Gilot leden to þen ale..He mai quiten hire ale. a1300Cursor M. 6685 Þe smiter sal quite his lechyng. c1330R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 11852 Alle oure scaþes schul þey quyte.
▪ V. quit
variant of coot n.2; obs. form of white. |