quit 
Their judicious king 
Begins at home; i/uilx tlrst his royal palace 
O/ Mattering sycophants. 
Webster, Duchess of Main, i. 1. 
4. To meet the claims upon, or expectal ions 
entertained of; conduct; acquit: used reflex- 
ively. 
Be strong, and quit yourselves like men. 1 Sam. iv. 9. 
Samson hath quit him*-tf 
Like Samson. Milton, S. A., 1. 1709. 
5f. To complete ; spend : said of time. 
Never a worthy prince a day did quit 
With greater hazard, and with more renown. 
Daniel. 
6. To depart from ; go away from; leave. 
Avaunt ! and quit my sight ! Shak., Macbeth, iii. 4. 93. 
She ought to play her part in haste, when she considers 
that she is suddenly to quit the stage, and make room for 
others. Addison, Spectator, No. 89. 
7. To resign ; give up ; let go. 
The other he held in his sight 
A drawen dirk to his breast, 
And said, "False carl, quit thy staff." 
Jtobin Hood and the Beggar (Child's Ballads, V. 197). 
I had never quitted the lady's hand all this time. 
Sterne, Sentimental Journey, p. 23. 
8. To forsake ; abandon. 
Quit thy fear ; 
All danger is blown over. 
Fletcher (and another), Love's Cure, i. 3. 
Episcopacy he bids the Queen be confident he will never 
quitt. Milton, Eikonoklaates, xviii. 
9. In archery, to discharge ; shoot. 
Quit or discharge the arrow by allowing the string to 
pass smoothly over the finger-points without jerking. 
Eneyc. Brit., II. 377. 
10. To extract; get rid of. Sportsman's Gazet- 
teer. 11. To remove by force. Halliwell. 
[Obsolete or prov. Eng.] 
He strove his combred clubbe to quight 
Out of the earth. Spenser, F. Q., I. viii. 10. 
12. To cease; stop; give over. [Now chiefly 
colloq.] 
Quit ! quit, for shame ! this will not move, 
This cannot take her. 
Suckling (Arber's Eng. Garner, I. 24). 
Notice to quit, in law, notice to a tenant of real property 
that he must surrender possession. Where notice to quit 
is required, as in the case of a tenant at will or by suffer- 
ance, it should be in writing, and should state accurately 
the time for leaving, which, however, varies according to 
the nature of the tenancy and the relation of the parties. 
To quit cost, to pay expenses ; be remunerative. 
Who say I care not, those I give for lost ; 
And to instruct them, 'twill not quit the cost. 
0. Herbert, The Temple, the Church-Porch. 
To quit scores, to make even ; balance accounts. 
Are you sure you do nothing to quit scores with them ? 
Sheridan, St. Patrick's Day, i. 1. 
=Syn. 6 and 8. Desert, Abandon, etc. See forsake. 
quit 2 , . Same as queet%. 
quit 3 (kwit), n. [Prob. imitative.] The popular 
name of numerous small birds of Jamaica, be- 
longing to different genera and families. Ba- 
nana-quits are species of Certhiola, as C. flaveola; grass- 
quits are various small sparrow-like birds, as Spermophila 
olivacea; the blue quit is a tanager. Euphonia Jamaica; 
the orange quit is another tanager, Tanagrella ruficollis. 
qui tam (kwi tam). [L.: qui, who; torn, as well, 
as much as, equally.] In law, an action on a 
penal statute, brought partly at the suit of the 
people or state and partly at that of an inform- 
er: so called from the words of the old com- 
mon-law wi'it, " Qui tam pro domino rege quam 
pro se ipso," etc. 
quitasolt (ke'ta-sol), n. [Sp., < quitar, quit, + 
sol, sun. Cf . parasol.J A parasol. 
Then did he incask his pate in his hat, which was so 
broad as it might serve him excellently for a quitasol. 
Shelton, tr. of Don Quixote, I. i. 13. (Richardson, under 
[incask. ) 
quitch 1 * (kwich), v. [Also quick, queach, queatch 
(also quinch, simulating winch), more prop. 
quetch; < ME. quicchen, quycchen, quytchen, qu.ec- 
ehen, < AS. cweccan (pret. cweahte, cwehte), shake, 
causative of cwacian, shake, quake: see quake.] 
1. trans. To shake; stir; move. LiiyaniHii. 
II. intrans. 1. To stir; move. Prompt. Parv., 
p. 421 ; Palsgrave. 
An huge great Lyon lay, . . . like captived thrall 
With a strong yron chaine and coller bound. 
That once he could not move, nor quich at all. 
Spenser, V. Q., V. ix. 33. 
2. To flinch ; shrink. 
He laid him down upon the wood-stack, covered his face, 
nor never stirred hand nor foote nor quitched when the fire 
took him. North, tr. of Plutarch, p. 687. 
quitch'- (kwich), H. [Also quickens; an assihi- 
lated form of quick (= Norw. krika, krikii, 
kvikre, kuku, quitch-grass), < quick, a. Cf. 
quitch-grass.] Same as qititeli-ijrii.tx. 
I, Flowering Plant of 
y uitch - grass ( Agropy- 
rum (3'ritifum) re- 
fens'] ; 2, the spike on a 
larger scale ; a, a spike- 
let ; b, the flowering 
glume ; < , the palet. 
4919 
Full seldom does n man repent, or use 
Both grace and will to pick the vicious quitch 
of Iii 1 :uiil custom wholly out of him, 
And make all clean, and plant himself afresh. 
Tennyson, (Jeraint. 
Black quitch, mostly the slender foxtail grass, Alnpe- 
cunis agrestte, a weedy grass with dark-purple flowers. 
Also black bent, Mack couch-grass, black squitch. 
quitch-grass (kwich'gras), 
i/niKX, cooeli-nrass ; assibi- 
lated form of quick-urn** : 
see quick-grass, quitch'^.] A 
weed-grass somewhat re- 
sembling wheat, though 
smaller, formerly regarded 
as belonging to the wheat 
fenus, TrUicum, but now 
nown as Agropyrum re- 
pens. Also quick-, quack-, 
cutch-, and couch-grass. See 
especially couch-grass. 
The thoroughfares were overrun 
with weed 
Docks, quitchgrass, loathy mal- 
lows no man plants. 
Brou'mng, Bordello, iv. 
quitclaim (kwit'klam), n. 
[< ME. quiteclayme, < OF. 
quiteclame, a giving up, 
abandonment, release, < 
quiter, quit, + dame, claim : 
see claim 1 .] In2aw:(a)A 
deed of release ; an instru- 
ment by which some claim, 
right, or title to an estate 
is relinquished to another. 
(b) A conveyance without 
any covenant or warranty, expressed or implied. 
Sin ye wyll do so, 
Of vs shal he haue a quite-clayme fully. 
Rom. of Partenay (E. E. T. S.), 1. 1885. 
quitclaim (kwit'klam), v. t. [Early mod. E. also 
quiteclaim; < ME. quitclaymen, quiteclaymen, 
quytecteymen, < OF. quiteclamer, qititeclaimer, 
give up, release, < quiteclame, a quitclaim: see 
quitclaim, n.'] 1. To quit or give up claim to ; 
relinquish ; release ; acquit, as of an obligation. 
The quene qvyte cleymed the x knyghtes that were pris- 
oners that hir knyghtes hadde her sent. 
Merlin (E. E. T. S.), iii. 502. 
Fram henne to Ynde that cite 
Quiteclaym thai schul go fre. 
Gy of Wa.nii.ke, p. 310. (Hallimll.) 
Wee haue quite claimed, ami for vs and our heires re- 
leased, our welbeloued the Citizens of Colen and their mar- 
chandise from the payment of those two shillings which 
they were wont to pay. HaMuyt's Voyages, I. 131. 
2. In law, to quit or abandon a claim or title to 
by deed ; convey without covenants of warranty 
against adverse titles or claims : as, to quitc/iiiin 
a certain parcel of ground. 
If any freke be so felle to fonde that I telle, 
Lepe lystly me to, & lach this weppen, 
I quit clayme hit for euer, kepe hit as his auen. 
Sir Uawayne and the Green Knight (E. E. T. S.), 1. 293. 
quitclaimance (kwit'kla/mans), n. [< ME. 
quitc-clamance,( OF. quiteclamance (ML. quieta 
clamantia), < quiteclamer, quitclaim: see quit- 
claim.'] Same as quitclaim. 
Of that Philip, for he suld haf grantise, 
Mad Richard: a quite clamance fro him & alle hise, 
& neuer thorgh no distresse suld Clayme ther of no right. 
Jtob. ofBrunne, tr. of Langtoft's Chron. (ed. Heame), p. 186. 
quite 1 !, a. An obsolete form of quit 1 . 
quite 1 (kwit), adv. [Early mod. E. also, errone- 
ously, quight; < ME. quite, quyte, adv., < quite 1 , 
n.] 1. Completely; wholly; entirely; totally; 
fully; perfectly. 
Generydes hym sette so vppon the hede 
That his helme flew quyte in to the feld. 
Generydes (E. E. T. S.), 1. 2636. 
No gate so strong, no locke so flrme and fast, 
But with that percing noise flew open quite, or brast. 
Spenser, F. Q., I. viii. 4. 
Shut me nightly in a charnel-house, 
O'er-covered quite with dead men's rattling bones. 
Shalt., R. and J., iv. 1. 82. 
Something much more to our concern, 
And quite a scandal not to learn. 
Pope, Imit. of Horace, II. vi. 146. 
Books quite worthless are quite harmless. 
Macaulay, Machiavelli. 
2. To a considerable extent or degree ; notice- 
ably: as, quite warm ; quite pretty; quite clever; 
quite an artist : in this sense now chiefly collo- 
quial and American. 
Billings . . . was but three months old, but, as the 
Americans say, was quite a town. 
W. Shepherd, Prairie Experiences, p. 76. 
The lithographer has done his work quite, though hard- 
ly very, well. Science, VII. 403. 
quitter 
Quite a few. Sec .few. Quite a little, considerable : as, 
quite a little business; quite a little curiosity. [Colloq.J 
Quite SO, a form of assi-nt in conversation. 
quite 1 !, <' t. An obsolete form of quit 1 . 
quite a t, " An obsolete dialectal form of while. 
Ther cam on in a qwyte surpli 
And pryvely toke him be the slefe. 
MS. Cantab. Ff. v. 48, f. 67. (HallimU.) 
quitelyt, adv. [ME., also qnit/y; < quite 1 , quit 1 , 
a., + -ly' 2 .] 1. Completely; entirely; quite. 
3our ancestres conquered all France quitely. 
Rob. of Brunne, p. 115. 
2. Freely; unconditionally. 
Ther fore, jif godes wille were i wold haue al the payne, 
To mede ge were fro this quarrere quitly a-schapeu. 
William of Palerne (E. E. T. S.), 1. 2341. 
Qui tollis (kwi tol'is). [So called from the first 
words : L. qui, who ; tollis, 2d pers. sing. pres. 
ind. act. of tollere, raise, take away.] In the 
Horn. Cath. and Anglican liturgy: (a) A part of 
the Gloria in Excelsis. (6) A musical setting 
of the words of the above. 
Quito orange. See orange 1 . 
Qui transtulit sustinet (kwi trans'tu-lit sus'- 
ti-net). [L.: qui, who; transtulit, 3d pers. sing, 
perf.ind.of transferre, transfer; sustinet, 3d pers. 
sing. pres. ind. of sustinere, sustain.] He who 
transplanted still sustains: the motto of the 
State of Connecticut. 
quit-rent (kwit'rent), . [< ME. quiterent; < 
quit 1 + rent 2 .'] Kent paid by the freeholders 
and copyholders of a manor in discharge or ac- 
quittance of other services. Also called chief- 
rent. 
Consydre what seruyce longyth ther-to, 
And the quyterent that there-of owte shalle goo. 
Political Poems, etc. (ed. Furnivall), p. 24. 
There was nothing before him but contests for quitrenU 
with settlers resolved on governing themselves. 
Bancroft, Hist. U. S., II. 355. 
quits (kwits). See quit, a. 
quit-shillingt (k\vit'shil"ing), H. A gratuity 
given by a prisoner on his acquittal. 
Were any one lucky enough to be acquitted, he had to 
spend a Quit Shilling for their delight. 
J. Athlon, Social Life in Reign of Queen Anne, II. 245. 
quittable (kwit'a-bl), a. [< quit 1 + -We.] 
Capable of being quitted or vacated. 
quittalt (kwit'al), . [< quit 1 + -al. Cf. acquit- 
tal, requital."] Requital; return; repayment. 
As in revenge or quittal of such strife. 
Shak., Lucrece, 1. 236. 
Let him unbind thee that is bound to death, 
To make a quital for thy discontent. 
Kytl, Spanish Tragedy, iii. 
quittance (kwit'ans), . [< ME. quytance, < 
F. quittance (= >p. quitanza = Pg. </(tawca = 
It. quitanza), a release, receipt, < quitter, quit, 
release: see quit 1 , v.~] 1. Acquittance; dis- 
charge from a debt or obligation ; a receipt. 
Hauing paid the custome, it behoueth to haue a quit- 
tance or cocket sealed and firmed. 
HaMuyt's Voyages, II. 272. 
Who writes himself "Armigero" in any bill, warrant, 
quittance, or obligation. Shak., M. W. of W., i. 1. 10. 
Gurth . . . folded the quittance, and put it under his 
cap. Scott, Ivanhoe, x. 
2. Recompense; requital; return; repayment. 
But these mine eyes saw him in bloody state, 
Rendering faint quittance, wearied and outbreathed, 
To Harry Monmouth. Shak., 2 Hen. IV., i. 1. 108. 
In quittance of your loving, honest counsel 
I would not have you build an airy castle. 
Shirley, Hyde Park, i. 1. 
To cry quittance, to get even. 
Cry quittance, madam, then, and love not him. 
Marlowe, Edward II., i. 4. 
Against whom [certain ladies of the bed-chamber], at 
their first being appointed, the French shut the doors, 
. . . whereas now ours have cried quittance with them. 
Court and Times of Charles /., L 122. 
quittancet (kwit'aus), r. t. [< quittance, w.] 
To repay ; make requital or return for. 
Hate calls on me to quittance all my ills. 
Greene, Orlando FurioBO. 
We dread not death to quittance injuries. 
Tourneur, Revenger's Tragedy, iii. 5. 
quitter 1 (kwit'er), . [< quit 1 + -er 1 .] 1. One 
who quits. 2t. A deliverer. 
quitter 2 (kwit'er), n. [Also quittor, and for- 
merly quitture; < ME. quiter, quitere, quitoure, 
i/iiiture, quytur, whitour; cf. LG. kwater, kwa- 
dcr, rottenness.] It. Matter flowing from a 
sore or wound. 
Qicytur or rotunnes, putredo. 
Xominale MS. (Hallimll.) 
Still drink thou wine, and eat, 
Till fair-hair'd Hecamed hath giv'n a little water-heat 
To cleanse the quitture from thy wound. 
Chapman, Iliad, xiv. 7. (Danes.) 
2. In farriery, a fist ulous wound upon the quar- 
ters or the heel of the coronet, caused by treads, 
