fit

1
[ fit ]
See synonyms for fit on Thesaurus.com
adjective,fit·ter, fit·test.
  1. adapted or suited; appropriate: This water isn't fit for drinking.A long-necked giraffe is fit for browsing treetops.

  2. proper or becoming: This is not fit behavior for a funeral service.

  1. qualified or competent, as for an office or function: It took several interviews to find a fit candidate for the position.

  2. prepared or ready: Constant updating of methods and equipment will ensure that we're fit for the future.

  3. in good physical condition; in good health: He's fit for the race.

  4. Biology.

    • being adapted to the prevailing conditions and producing offspring that survive to reproductive age.

    • contributing genetic information to the gene pool of the next generation.

    • (of a population) maintaining or increasing the group's numbers in the environment.

verb (used with object),fit·ted or fit, fit·ting.
  1. to be adapted to or suitable for (a purpose, object, occasion, etc.).

  2. to be proper or becoming for.

  1. to be of the right size or shape for: The dress fitted her perfectly.

  2. to adjust or make conform: She had the jeweler fit the ring to her finger.

  3. to make qualified or competent: Courage and patience are among the qualities that fit a person for leadership.

  4. to prepare: This school fits students for college.

  5. to put with precise placement or adjustment: He fitted the picture into the frame.

  6. to provide; furnish; equip: I fitted the cabinet door with a new handle.

  7. Statistics. to predict, calculate, or project (values) according to a model based on existing data.

verb (used without object),fit·ted or fit, fit·ting.
  1. to be suitable or proper.

  2. to be of the right size or shape, as a garment for the wearer or any object or part for a thing to which it is applied: The shoes fit.

noun
  1. the manner in which a thing fits: The fit was perfect.

  2. something that fits: The coat is a poor fit.

  1. the process of fitting.

Verb Phrases
  1. fit out / up to furnish with supplies, equipment, clothing, furniture, or other requisites; supply; equip: In Kathmandu they found a supplier to fit out the trekking expedition.

Idioms about fit

  1. fit the bill. bill1 (def. 16):

  2. fit to be tied, Informal. extremely annoyed or angry: He was fit to be tied when I told him I'd wrecked the car.

  1. fit to kill, Informal. to the limit; exceedingly: She was dressed up fit to kill.

Origin of fit

1
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English fitten, fetten “to marshal or deploy troops; to be fitting, befit;” possibly from Old Norse fitja “to web, knit;” akin to Middle Dutch vitten “to befit”

usage note For fit

Both fit and fitted are standard as past tense and past participle of fit1 : The new door fit (or fitted ) the old frame perfectly. The suit had fitted (or fit ) well last year. Fitted is somewhat more common than fit in the sense “to adjust, make conform”: The tailor fitted the suit with a minimum of fuss. In the passive voice, fitted is the more common past participle: The door was fitted with a new handle.

Other words for fit

Other words from fit

  • fit·ta·ble, adjective
  • un·fit·ta·ble, adjective

Words that may be confused with fit

  • fit , fitted (see usage note at the current entry)

Words Nearby fit

Other definitions for fit (2 of 5)

fit2
[ fit ]

noun
  1. a sudden, acute attack or manifestation of a disease, especially one marked by convulsions or unconsciousness: a fit of epilepsy.

  2. an onset, spell, or period of emotion, feeling, inclination, activity, etc.: a fit of anger;a fit of weeping.

Origin of fit

2
First recordedbefore 1000; Middle English; Old English fitt “round of fighting”; see fit3

Other definitions for fit (3 of 5)

fit3
[ fit ]

nounArchaic.
  1. a song, ballad, or story.

  2. a division of a song, ballad, or story.

Origin of fit

3
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English fitt “round of singing, canto, song, speech”

Other definitions for fit (4 of 5)

fit4
[ fit ]

verbNonstandard (chiefly Older Use).
  1. simple past tense of fight.

Origin of fit

4
First recorded in 1805–10

Other definitions for FIT (5 of 5)

FIT

  1. Banking. Federal Insurance Tax.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use fit in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for fit (1 of 3)

fit1

/ (fɪt) /


verbfits, fitting or fitted or US fit
  1. to be appropriate or suitable for (a situation, etc)

  2. to be of the correct size or shape for (a connection, container, etc)

  1. (tr) to adjust in order to render appropriate: they had to fit the idea to their philosophy

  2. (tr) to supply with that which is needed

  3. (tr) to try clothes on (someone) in order to make adjustments if necessary

  4. (tr) to make competent or ready: the experience helped to fit him for the task

  5. (tr) to locate with care

  6. (intr) to correspond with the facts or circumstances

adjectivefitter or fittest
  1. suitable to a purpose or design; appropriate

  2. having the right qualifications; qualifying

  1. in good health

  2. worthy or deserving: a book fit to be read

  3. (foll by an infinitive) in such an extreme condition that a specified consequence is likely: she was fit to scream; you look fit to drop

  4. mainly British informal (of a person) sexually attractive

noun
  1. the manner in which something fits

  2. the act or process of fitting

  1. statistics the correspondence between observed and predicted characteristics of a distribution or model: See goodness of fit

Origin of fit

1
C14: probably from Middle Dutch vitten; related to Old Norse fitja to knit

Derived forms of fit

  • fittable, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for fit (2 of 3)

fit2

/ (fɪt) /


noun
  1. pathol a sudden attack or convulsion, such as an epileptic seizure

  2. a sudden spell of emotion: a fit of anger

  1. an impulsive period of activity or lack of activity; mood: a fit of laziness

  2. give a person a fit to surprise a person in an outrageous manner

  3. have a fit or throw a fit informal to become very angry or excited

  4. in fits and starts or by fits and starts in spasmodic spells; irregularly

verbfits, fitting or fitted
  1. (intr) informal to have a sudden attack or convulsion, such as an epileptic seizure

Origin of fit

2
Old English fitt conflict; see fit ³

British Dictionary definitions for fit (3 of 3)

fit3

/ (fɪt) /


noun
  1. archaic a story or song or a section of a story or song

Origin of fit

3
Old English fitt; related to Old Norse fit hem, Old High German fizza yarn

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with fit

fit

In addition to the idioms beginning with fit

  • fit as a fiddle
  • fit in
  • fit like a glove
  • fit out
  • fits and starts, by
  • fit to be tied
  • fit to kill

also see:

  • give someone fits
  • have a fit
  • if the shoe fits
  • see fit to
  • survival of the fittest

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.