fit

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fit¹ / fit/ • adj. (fit·ter , fit·test ) 1. (of a thing) of a suitable quality, standard, or type to meet the required purpose: the meat is fit for human consumption is the water clean and fit to drink? ∎  (of a person) having the requisite qualities or skills to undertake something competently: he felt himself quite fit for battle Ted was ghastly pale and fit to do no more than switch channels. ∎ Biol. possessing or conferring the ability to survive and reproduce in a particular environment: survival of the fittest. ∎  suitable and correct according to accepted social standards: a fit subject on which to correspond. ∎  inf. (of a person or thing) having reached such an extreme condition as to be on the point of doing the thing specified: he baited even his close companions until they were fit to kill him. ∎ inf. ready: well, are you fit? 2. in good health, esp. because of regular physical exercise: I swim regularly to keep fit fig. the measures would ensure a leaner, fitter company. • v. (fit·ted or fit / fit/ , fit·ting ) [tr.] 1. be of the right shape and size for: those jeans still fit me [intr.] the shoes fit better after being stretched. ∎  (usu. be fitted for) try clothing on (someone) in order to make or alter it to the correct size: she was about to be fitted for her costume. ∎  [intr.] be of the right size, shape, or number to occupy a particular position or place: Angela says we can all fit in her car. 2. fix or put (something) into place: they fitted smoke alarms to their home. ∎  (often be fitted with) provide (something) with a particular component or article: most tools can be fitted with a new handle. ∎  join or cause to join together to form a whole: [intr.] it took a while to figure out how the confounded things fit together [tr.] many physicists tried to fit together the various pieces of the puzzle. 3. be in agreement or harmony with; match: the punishment should fit the crime. ∎  (of an attribute, qualification, or skill) make (someone) suitable to fulfill a particular role or undertake a particular task: an MS fits the student for a professional career. • n. the particular way in which something, esp. a garment or component, fits around or into something: the dress was a perfect fit. ∎  the particular way in which a thing matches something else: a close fit between teachers' qualifications and their teaching responsibilities. ∎ Statistics the correspondence between observed data and the values expected by theory. PHRASES: (as) fit as a fiddlesee fiddle. fit like a glovesee glove. fit to be tied inf. very angry: Daddy was fit to be tied when I separated from Hugh. see (or think) fit consider it correct or acceptable to do something: why did the company see fit to give you the job?PHRASAL VERBS: fit in (of a person) be socially compatible with other members of a group: he feels he should become tough to fit in with his friends. ∎  (of a thing) be in harmony with other things within a larger structure: produce ideas that fit in with an established approach. ∎  (also fit into) (of a person or thing) constitute part of a particular situation or larger structure: where do your sisters fit in? fit someone/something in (or into) find room or have sufficient space for someone or something: can you fit any more books into the box? ∎  succeed in finding time in a busy schedule to see someone or do something: you're never too busy to fit exercise into your life. fit someone/something out (or up) provide with the necessary equipment, supplies, clothes, or other items for a particular situation: the cabin had been fitted out to a high standard.DERIVATIVES: fit·ly / ˈfitlē/ adv. fit² • n. a sudden uncontrollable outbreak of intense emotion, laughter, coughing, or other action or activity: in a fit of temper he got coughing fits. ∎  a sudden attack of convulsions and/or loss of consciousness, typical of epilepsy and some other medical conditions: he thought she was having a fit. PHRASES: have (or throw) a fit inf. be very surprised or angry: my mother would have a fit if she heard that. in fits (of laughter) inf. highly amused: he had us all in fits. in (or by) fits and starts with irregular bursts of activity: the machine tends to go forward in fits and starts. fit³ (also fytte) • n. archaic a section of a poem.

fit3 be or make proper or suitable; supply, equip. XVI. In these senses not recorded before late XVI, but a verb fitte marshal forces (XIV) may point to a ME. vb. with the gen. sense ‘arrange, adjust, match’; cf. (rare) ME. fitte person's match (XIII).
Hence sb. XVII.

fit1 †dangerous position or experience XIV; paroxysm, sudden state of activity XVI. OE. fitt (once) prob. ‘conflict’. of unkn. orig.
Hence fitful XVII.

fit (fit) n. a sudden attack. The term is commonly used specifically for the seizures of epilepsy but it is also used more generally, e.g. a fit of coughing.

fit2 well suited, proper XIV; qualified, prepared XVI. perh. pp. of next.

fit •acquit, admit, backlit, bedsit, befit, bit, Brit, Britt, chit, commit, demit, dit, emit, fit, flit, frit, git, grit, hit, intermit, it, kit, knit, legit, lickety-split, lit, manumit, mishit, mitt, nit, omit, outsit, outwit, permit, pit, Pitt, pretermit, quit, remit, retrofit, shit, sit, skit, slit, snit, spit, split, sprit, squit, submit, tit, transmit, twit, whit, wit, writ, zit •albeit, howbeit •poet •bluet, cruet, intuit, suet, Yuit •Inuit • floruit • Jesuit •Babbitt, cohabit, habit, rabbet, rabbit •ambit, gambit •jackrabbit • barbet • Nesbit • rarebit •adhibit, exhibit, gibbet, inhibit, prohibit •titbit (US tidbit) • flibbertigibbet •Cobbett, gobbet, hobbit, obit, probit •orbit • Tobit •cubit, two-bit •hatchet, latchet, ratchet •Pritchett •crotchet, rochet