/ ˈeksɪt; NAmE ; ˈegzɪt/ noun , verb
■ noun
1.
a way out of a public building or vehicle :
Where's the exit?
There is a fire exit on each floor of the building.
The emergency exit is at the back of the bus.
—compare entrance
2.
an act of leaving, especially of an actor from the stage :
The heroine made her exit to great applause.
He made a quick exit to avoid meeting her.
an exit visa (= a stamp in a passport giving sb permission to leave a particular country)
3.
a place where vehicles can leave a road to join another road :
Leave the roundabout at the second exit.
Take the exit for Trento.
■ verb
1.
( formal ) to go out; to leave a building, stage, vehicle, etc. :
[ v ]
The bullet entered her back and exited through her chest.
We exited via a fire door.
[ vn ]
As the actors exited the stage the lights went on.
2.
to finish using a computer program :
[ v ]
To exit from this page, press the return key.
[ vn ]
I exited the database and switched off the computer.
3.
[ v ] exit ... used in the instructions printed in a play to say that an actor must leave the stage
—compare exeunt
••
WORD ORIGIN
mid 16th cent. (as a stage direction): from Latin exit he or she goes out, third person singular present tense of exire , from ex- out + ire go. The noun (late 16th cent.) is from Latin exitus going out, from the verb exire , and the other verb uses (early 17th cent.) derive from it.