Quit

/kwɪt/

verbBeginner🔥Very CommonAction
2 meanings1 idiom/phrase3 questions

Definitions

2 meanings
1

To stop doing something; to abandon or give up.

/kwɪt/

verbneutralBeginner
Action

To stop or cease doing something.

She decided to quit smoking.

💡 Simply: Like when you're playing a game and you get frustrated and say, "I quit!" It means you're not going to play anymore or do that thing.

👶 For kids: To stop doing something, like if you're playing a game and you don't want to play anymore.

More Examples

2

He quit his job to pursue his dream.

3

The engine quit in the middle of the highway.

How It's Used

General conversation

"I quit my job because I was unhappy."

Sports

"The player decided to quit the team due to injury."

2

To leave or depart from a place, organization, or activity.

/kwɪt/

verbneutralBeginner
Action

To leave a place or activity.

She quit the gym after a month.

💡 Simply: It's like when you leave a party or a meeting. You're quitting that activity.

👶 For kids: To go away from a place or stop doing something.

More Examples

2

He quit school at sixteen.

3

They quit the game after an hour.

How It's Used

Social situations

"I'm going to quit the party early tonight."

Work

"He quit the company after the merger."

Tip:Think of 'quitting' as leaving something behind.

Idioms & expressions

quit cold turkey

To abruptly stop a habit or addiction without gradually reducing it.

"He quit smoking cold turkey."

From Old French *quiter* (to leave, abandon), from Latin *quietare* (to make quiet, free, release), from *quies* (rest, quiet).

Historically, "quit" was used with a broader range of meanings related to freeing or releasing. In the past it could mean to acquit, as in to clear from a crime.

Memory tip

Imagine you're finally fed up and shout 'Quit!' as you stop whatever you're doing.

Word Origin

LanguageLatin
Original meaning

"quiet"

quit smokingquit a jobquit schoolquit cold turkeyquit on someone

Common misspellings

quittquitedquit'd

Usage

70%Spoken
30%Written