pit

¹pit

noun \ˈpit\

Definition of PIT

1

a (1) : a hole, shaft, or cavity in the ground (2) : mine (3) : a scooped-out place used for burning something (as charcoal)

b : an area often sunken or depressed below the adjacent floor area: as (1) : an enclosure in which animals are made to fight each other (2) : a space at the front of a theater for the orchestra (3) : an area in a securities or commodities exchange in which members trade (as stocks)

2

a : hell 1a —used with the

b : a place or situation of futility, misery, or degradation

c plural : worst <it's the pits>

3

: a hollow or indentation especially in the surface of an organism: as

a : a natural hollow in the surface of the body

b : one of the indented scars left in the skin by a pustular disease : pockmark

c : a minute depression in the secondary wall of a plant cell functioning in the intercellular movement of water and dissolved material

4

: any of the areas alongside an auto racecourse used for refueling and repairing the cars during a race —often used in plural with the

Origin of PIT

Middle English, from Old English pytt (akin to Old High German pfuzzi well), from Latin puteus well, pit

First Known Use: before 12th century

Rhymes with PIT

bit, bitt, brit, Brit, chit, dit, fit, flit, frit, git, grit, hit, it, kit, knit, lit, mitt, nit, quit, sit, skit, slit, snit, spit, split, Split, sprit, teat, tit, twit, whit, wit, writ, zit

²pit

verb

pit·tedpit·ting

Definition of PIT

transitive verb

1

a : to place, cast, bury, or store in a pit

b : to make pits in; especially : to scar or mark with pits

2

a : to set (as gamecocks) into or as if into a pit to fight

b : to set into opposition or rivalry —usually used with against

intransitive verb

1

: to become marked with pits; especially : to preserve for a time an indentation made by pressure

2

: to make a pit stop

First Known Use of PIT

15th century

³pit

noun

Definition of PIT

: the stone of a drupaceous fruit

Origin of PIT

Dutch, from Middle Dutch — more at pith

First Known Use: 1841

Other Botany Terms

annual, burgeon, chloroplast, nomenclature, succulent, sylvan, xylem

⁴pit

transitive verb

pit·tedpit·ting

Definition of PIT

: to remove the pit from (a fruit)

First Known Use of PIT

1906

Other Agriculture/Gardening Terms

fallow, graft, heirloom, loam, potash, soilage, swath, tilth, windfall

Pit

geographical name \ˈpit\

Definition of PIT

river N California flowing SW into the Sacramento