quit

Etymology 1

From Middle English quiten, quyten, from Anglo-Norman quitter, Old French quitter, from quitte (“acquitted, quit”), ultimately from Latin quietus. Compare Dutch kwijten (“to quit”), German Low German quitten (“to quit”), German quitten, quittieren, Danish kvitte, Swedish qvitta, kvitta (“to quit, leave, set off”), Icelandic kvitta.

adj

1. (usually followed by of) Released from obligation, penalty, etc; free, clear, or rid.
   With mounting anger the King denounced the pair, both father and son, and was about to condemn them to death when his strength gave out. Faint and trembling he was unable to walk and the sword fell from his hands as he murmured: 'May the Protector of the Buddhist Faith grant me but seven more days grace of life to be quit of this disloyal couple, father and son'. 1990, Claude de Bèze, translated by E. W. Hutchinson, 1688 revolution in Siam: the memoir of Father de Bèze, s.j, University Press, page 153

verb

1. (transitive, archaic) To pay (a debt, fine etc.).
   Enkindle all the sparks of nature To quit this horrid act. 1605, William Shakespeare, (Please provide the book title or journal name)
2. (transitive, obsolete) To repay (someone) for (something).
   But if that I knewe what his name hight, For clatering of me I would him ſone quight; For his falſe lying, of that I ſpake never, I could make him ſhortly repent him forever: […] c. 1515–1516, published 1568, John Skelton, Againſt venemous tongues enpoyſoned with ſclaunder and falſe detractions &c.
3. (transitive, obsolete) To repay, pay back (a good deed, injury etc.).
   Forgive me, Rogero: 'tis my fate To love thy friend and quit thy love with hate. 1613, John Marston, William Barksted, The Insatiate Countess, III.2
4. (reflexive, archaic) To conduct or acquit (oneself); to behave (in a specified way).
5. (transitive, archaic) To carry through; to go through to the end.
   1595-1609, Samuel Daniel, Civil Wars Never worthy prince a day did quit With greater hazard and with more renown.
6. (transitive) To set at rest; to free, as from anything harmful or oppressive; to relieve; to clear; to liberate.
   To quit you […] of this fear, […]you have already lookt Death in the face; what have you found so terrible in it? 1688, William Wake, Preparation for Death
7. (transitive) To release from obligation, accusation, penalty, etc.; to absolve; to acquit.
8. (transitive) To abandon, renounce (a thing).
9. (transitive) To leave (a place).
   He quitted the lake on the 23rd of September, and on the 4th of October arrived at Queenstown, on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, having succeded in finding a transitable route. 1865, Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society, page 33
   At Malta the chief engineer of the ship, who always had been a good friend of mine, urged me to quit the sea; "otherwise," he said, "if you stay too long, you may, like myself, be condemned to wander about the world all your life and see your home only occasionally." 1943 January and February, Chas. S. Lake, “Some C.M.Es. I Have Known: IV—H. A. Ivatt”, in Railway Magazine, page 32
10. (transitive, intransitive) To resign from (a job, office, position, etc.).
    After having to work overtime without being paid, I quit my job.
11. (transitive, intransitive) To stop, give up (an activity) (usually + gerund or verbal noun).
    John is planning to quit smoking.
12. (transitive, computing) To close (an application).

Etymology 2

Probably of imitative origin.

noun

1. Any of numerous species of small passerine birds native to tropical America.