I. ex ‧ it 1 S3 /ˈeɡzət, ˈeɡzɪt, ˈeksət/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: exitus , from the past participle of exire 'to go out' ]
1 . a door or space through which you can leave a public room, building etc:
We made for the nearest exit.
an exit door
Two men were blocking her exit.
emergency/fire exit (=a special door used only when there is a fire etc)
2 . [usually singular] when you leave a room or building:
They made a quick exit when they saw the police approaching.
3 . a place where vehicles can leave a road such as a ↑ motorway , and join another road:
Take the next exit for Lynchburg.
4 . [usually singular] when someone stops being involved in a competition or business, especially because they have not been successful SYN departure :
France’s early exit from the World Cup
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 1)
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + exit
▪ a fire/emergency exit (=a special door, used if there is an emergency or a fire)
Fire crews discovered that the club’s fire exit door had been locked.
▪ the front/rear/side exit
When the lights dimmed, she slipped out by the rear exit.
▪ the nearest exit
Please leave the building in an orderly fashion, using the nearest exit.
■ verbs
▪ head for/make for the exit (=go to the exit)
Disappointed fans began heading for the exits.
▪ use an exit
In the event of a fire, please use the emergency exit nearest to you.
■ exit + NOUN
▪ an exit door
Exit doors shouldn’t be blocked at any time.
▪ an exit route (=a way out of a building, plane etc, used in an emergency or a fire)
Staff must become familiar with the building’s exit routes.
▪ an exit sign (=one showing where an exit is)
There was a red glowing exit sign over the door.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ verbs
▪ make your exit (=to leave)
And then, kissing them both goodbye, he made his exit.
▪ make a quick/hurried etc exit
I chatted to a few people, then made a quick exit.
■ adjectives
▪ a quick/fast exit (=done more quickly than usual)
I made a quick exit before the speeches began.
▪ a hurried/swift exit (=very quick)
The family made a hurried exit, leaving many of their belongings behind.
▪ a dignified exit (=when someone leaves in a way that makes people respect them)
Marco did his best to make a dignified exit, but with the amount he’d drunk, it proved difficult.
▪ an undignified exit (=when someone leaves in a way that is embarrassing or makes them look silly)
She made a rather undignified exit, tripping down the step.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 3)
■ verbs
▪ take an exit/turn off at an exit
Take the next exit, junction 15.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + exit
▪ the northbound/southbound etc exit
The northbound exit to the A139 will be closed until 6 a.m. on Monday.
▪ a motorway exit British English , a highway/freeway exit AmE:
He signalled a right as he came to his freeway exit.
■ exit + NOUN
▪ an exit sign (=one showing the names of places or roads near an exit)
Stay on the same road until you see an exit sign for Rhode Island.
II. exit 2 BrE AmE verb [intransitive and transitive]
1 . formal to leave a place
exit from/through
I exited through a side window.
He exited the courtroom in a fury.
2 . to stop using a computer program:
Press F3 to exit.
3 . used in the instructions of a play to tell an actor to leave the stage:
Exit Hamlet, bearing the body of Polonius.