I. fit 1 S1 W2 /fɪt/ BrE AmE verb ( past tense and past participle fitted also fit American English , present participle fitting )
1 . CLOTHES
a) [intransitive, transitive not in progressive] if a piece of clothing fits you, it is the right size for your body:
His clothes did not fit him very well.
The uniform fitted her perfectly.
The jacket’s fine, but the trousers don’t fit.
I know this dress is going to fit you like a glove (=fit you very well) .
► Use fit to say that clothes are not too big or too small. Use suit to say that clothes look attractive on someone : The dress fits, but it doesn’t suit me.
b) [transitive usually passive] to try a piece of clothing on someone to see if it is the right size for them, or to make sure a special piece of equipment is right for them
fit somebody for something
I’m being fitted for a new suit tomorrow.
fit somebody with something
He may need to be fitted with a hearing aid.
2 . RIGHT SIZE/SHAPE
a) [intransitive and transitive] if something fits in a place, it is the right size or shape to go there:
I couldn’t find a key which fitted the lock.
Most cookers are designed to fit level with your work tops.
fit in/into/under etc
The plastic cover fits neatly over the frame.
b) [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to put something carefully into a place that is the right size or shape for it:
She fitted the last piece into the jigsaw puzzle.
3 . ENOUGH SPACE [intransitive and transitive] if something fits into a place, there is enough space for it:
I wanted to put the wardrobe behind the door, but I don’t think it’ll fit.
You might be able to fit some small flowering plants between the larger bushes.
fit somebody/something in/into something
I don’t think we’ll be able to fit any more people into the car.
We should be able to fit one more in.
4 . EQUIPMENT/PART [transitive] to put a piece of equipment into a place, or a new part onto a machine, so that it is ready to be used
fit something on/to etc something
I need to fit a lock on the door.
Anti-theft devices are fitted to all our cars.
be fitted with something
The windows are all fitted with security locks.
5 . MATCH/BE SUITABLE [intransitive and transitive] if something fits another thing, it is similar to it or suitable for it:
The punishment should fit the crime.
Police said the car fits the description of the stolen vehicle.
Scientists often select facts to fit their theories.
He didn’t fit the conventional image of a banker.
fit with
The rhythm should fit with the meaning of a poem.
6 . fit somebody for something formal to make someone suitable for something or able to do something:
His natural authority fitted him for a senior position.
7 . fit the bill to be the type of person or thing that you want:
We wanted an experienced sportscaster, and Waggoner fit the bill.
8 . if the cap fits (, wear it) British English , if the shoe fits (, wear it) American English spoken used to tell someone that you think a criticism of them is true:
‘So you think I’m a liar.’ ‘Well, if the cap fits ...’
⇨ sb’s face doesn’t fit at ↑ face 1 (20)
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ install to put a piece of equipment somewhere and connect it so that it is ready to be used:
The company is installing a new computer system.
|
How much does it cost to install central heating?
▪ put in to install something. Put in is more common in everyday English than install and is used especially about things that are not very complicated to install:
The workmen are coming to put the new windows in today.
|
They removed the bath and put in a shower instead.
▪ fit to put a new part or piece of equipment into or onto something:
I had to fit new locks after the burglary.
|
All vehicles must have seatbelts fitted.
▪ lay to put cables or a ↑ carpet in the correct place on the ground:
Work on laying the telephone cables has not yet begun.
|
Two workmen were laying carpet tiles in the kitchen.
fit in phrasal verb
1 . if someone fits in, they are accepted by the other people in a group:
I never really fitted in at school.
fit in with
I wasn’t sure if she would fit in with my friends.
2 . fit something/somebody ↔ in to manage to do something or see someone, even though you have a lot of other things to do SYN squeeze something/somebody ↔ in :
The doctor said he can fit me in at 4:30.
I wanted to fit in a swim before breakfast.
3 . if something fits in with other things, it is similar to them or goes well with them:
I don’t know quite how this new course will fit in.
fit in with
A new building must fit in with its surroundings.
You can’t expect a baby to fit in with your existing routine.
fit into something phrasal verb
1 . to be part of a group or system:
Some of the patients we see do not fit neatly into any of the existing categories.
How does this fit into the company’s overall marketing strategy?
2 . to be accepted by the people in a group or organization:
She fitted into the team very well.
fit somebody/something ↔ out phrasal verb British English
to provide a person or place with the equipment, furniture, or clothes that they need:
The office had been fitted out in style.
fit somebody/something ↔ out with
The new recruits were fitted out with uniforms and weapons.
fit together phrasal verb
1 . if something fits together or you fit it together, different pieces can be joined to make something:
Look, the tubes fit together like this.
fit something together
The pictures show you how to fit it together.
2 . if a story, set of facts, set of ideas etc fit together, they make sense when considered together:
Telecom and computer businesses fit together well.
fit somebody/something ↔ up phrasal verb British English
1 . to provide a place with the furniture or equipment that it needs SYN fit somebody/something ↔ out
fit somebody/something ↔ up with
The rooms are now fitted up with electric lights.
2 . informal to make someone seem guilty of a crime when they are really not guilty:
I knew that I had been fitted up.
II. fit 2 S2 W3 BrE AmE adjective ( comparative fitter , superlative fittest )
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ fit , ↑ fitting , ↑ fitness , ↑ fitter , ↑ misfit ; adjective : ↑ fitted , ↑ fitting , ↑ fit ≠ ↑ unfit ; verb : fit; adverb : fittingly]
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Origin: Perhaps from ↑ fit 1 ]
1 . STRONG someone who is fit is strong and healthy, especially because they exercise regularly OPP unfit :
You must be very fit if you do so much running.
He was young, good-looking, and physically fit.
I swim twice a week to try and keep fit.
fit for
He may not be fit for Saturday’s match.
fit to do something
I don’t know if I’ll be fit enough to take part in the race.
Psychiatrists said he was fit to stand trial (=he was mentally healthy enough) .
She’s over eighty now, but still as fit as a fiddle (=very fit) .
fighting fit British English (=very fit)
I had just come back from holiday and was fighting fit.
2 . SUITABLE suitable or good enough for something OPP unfit
fit for
We made sure the land was fit for drilling.
The food was not fit for human consumption.
This book is not fit for publication!
fit to do something
He is not fit to govern this country!
This room is not fit to be seen!
3 . see/think fit (to do something) to decide that something is the best thing to do, especially when other people do not agree with you:
The government saw fit to ignore our advice.
Sort out the problem in any way you think fit.
4 . in a fit state (to do something) especially British English healthy enough or in good enough condition for something:
I was still very shocked and in no fit state to work.
We’ll have to make sure the house is in a fit state to receive visitors.
5 . fit for a king of very good quality:
The meal they provided was fit for a king.
6 . ATTRACTIVE British English sexually attractive
7 . fit to drop British English informal extremely tired SYN exhausted :
It was getting late and most of us were fit to drop.
8 . fit to burst British English informal if you are laughing, shouting etc fit to burst, you are doing it a lot:
The girls were laughing fit to burst.
9 . fit to be tied American English very angry, anxious, or upset:
I was fit to be tied when she didn’t come home until 2 a.m.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ healthy having good health:
A good diet keeps you healthy.
|
They tested the drug on healthy volunteers.
▪ well used especially when describing or asking about how someone feels or looks:
I don’t feel well.
|
How was James – did he look well?
▪ fine spoken used in a reply to a question about your health, or when talking about someone else’s health. Use fine only in replies, not in questions or statements:
‘Hi, Tom, how are you?’ ‘Fine, thanks.’
|
She had a bad cold, but she’s fine now.
▪ all right/OK spoken not ill or injured. These expressions are very commonly used in everyday spoken English:
You look pale – are you feeling all right?
|
He’s had an accident but he’s OK.
▪ better less ill than you were, or no longer ill:
I’m feeling a lot better now.
|
Don’t come back to school until you’re better.
▪ fit healthy, especially because you exercise regularly:
She keeps fit by cycling everywhere.
|
Police officers have to be physically fit and have good eyesight.
▪ in (good) shape healthy and fit:
Jogging keeps me in pretty good shape.
▪ robust literary healthy and strong, and not likely to become ill:
He had a robust constitution (=a strong and healthy body) .
|
robust plants
|
a robust girl, wearing a thick woollen sweater
▪ be/look a picture of health to look very healthy:
She looked a picture of health as she posed for the cameras.
III. fit 3 BrE AmE noun
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ fit , ↑ fitting , ↑ fitness , ↑ fitter , ↑ misfit ; adjective : ↑ fitted , ↑ fitting , ↑ fit ≠ ↑ unfit ; verb : fit; adverb : fittingly]
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: fitt 'disagreement, opposition, fighting' ]
1 . EMOTION [countable] a time when you feel an emotion very strongly and cannot control your behaviour
fit of
She killed him in a fit of temper.
He quit his job in a fit of drunken depression.
2 . LOSE CONSCIOUSNESS [countable] a short period of time when someone loses consciousness and cannot control their body because their brain is not working properly:
She used to have fits as a baby.
people who suffer from epileptic fits
3 . LAUGH/COUGH [countable] a short time during which you laugh or cough a lot in a way that you cannot control:
He had a violent coughing fit.
fit of
The girls collapsed into a fit of the giggles.
We were all in fits of laughter trying to clear up the mess.
Carl had us all in fits (=made us laugh a lot) with his stories.
4 . have/throw a fit informal to be very angry or shocked:
If your mother finds out about this, she’ll have a fit.
5 . RIGHT SIZE [singular] the way in which something fits on your body or fits into a space:
The dress was a perfect fit.
I managed to get everything into the suitcase, but it was a tight fit.
6 . SUITABLE [singular] formal if there is a fit between two things, they are similar to each other or are suitable for each other
fit between
We must be sure that there’s a fit between the needs of the children and the education they receive.
7 . in/by fits and starts if something happens in fits and starts, it does not happen smoothly, but keeps starting and then stopping again:
Technology advances by fits and starts.
He spoke in fits and starts.
IV. fit 4 BrE AmE verb ( past tense and past participle fitted , present participle fitting ) [intransitive] British English
to have a ↑ seizure (=a sudden condition in which someone cannot control the movements of their body) :
The patient was fitting.