quit S3 /kwɪt/ BrE AmE verb ( past tense and past participle quit , also quitted British English , present participle quitting )
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: quiter , from quite 'at rest, free of' , from Latin quietus ; ⇨ ↑ quiet 1 ]
1 . [intransitive and transitive] informal to leave a job, school etc, especially without finishing it completely:
He quit his job after an argument with a colleague.
I quit school at 16.
She has decided to quit show business.
People are now calling on the chairman to quit.
2 . [intransitive and transitive] especially American English to stop doing something, especially something that is bad or annoying ⇨ give up :
The majority of smokers say that they would like to quit the habit.
Quit it, Robby, or I’ll tell mom!
We’ve done what we can. Let’s quit.
quit doing something
He’s been given six months to live if he doesn’t quit drinking.
I wish you’d all quit complaining.
3 . [intransitive and transitive] British English law to leave a house or apartment that you have been renting:
The landlord gave them notice to quit the premises within seven days.
4 . be quit of something British English formal to no longer have to suffer or be involved with something bad:
The people now long to be quit of war.
5 . [transitive] formal to leave a place:
It was ten years since he had quit Russia.