Etymology Possibly from Middle English fit (“an adversary of equal power”), of uncertain further origin. The original sense appears to have been "to marshal or deploy troops", which shifted to "to suit (troops to a certain location" > "suitable", and may be further related to Icelandic fitja (“to web, knit, cast on”).
1
Suitable; proper
You have nothing to say about it. I'll do exactly as I see fit.
Is it fit to say a king, Thou art wicked?1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Job 34:18:
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He had drunk more than was fit for him, and he was singing some light song, when he saw approaching, as he said, the pale horse mentioned in the Revelation, with Death seated as the rider.1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide:
The rest we'll leave to be examined later, if we think fit;2005, Lesley Brown, Sophist, translation of original by Plato, 243d:
Sergeant Schlock has no horse, no armor, and no sword, but even the mightiest Mongol horse-warrior would see in him a fit heir.2015 February 1, Howard Tayler, Schlock Mercenary, archived from the original on 14 May 2024:
2
Adapted to a purpose or environment.
survival of the fittest
That which ordinary men are fit for, I am qualified in.c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv]:
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Wading through history, he noted that some eugenicists believed that the “distinction between the fit and the unfit could be drawn along racial lines,” and others would define a person as “feeble-minded.”2019 May 28, Ariane de Vogue, “Why Clarence Thomas wrote over a dozen pages on eugenics”, in CNN:
3
In good shape; physically well.
You don't have to be a good climber for Kilimanjaro, but you do have to be fit.
Even the fittest among us may have problems, because hypertension can be genetic or stem from kidney problems or sleep apnea, and the risk typically increases with age.2026, Ginny Graves, “The Most Important Health Metric You're Not Tracking”, in Men's Health, volume 41, number 2, page 19:
Got my hands down her jeans and I nearly lost half my arm / But after ten pints, she looked quite fit1985, “Sweaty Betty”, in Beer & Sex & Chips n Gravy, performed by Macc Lads:
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I think you are really fit / You're fit but my gosh don't you know it.2004, Mike Skinner, “Fit but You Know It”, in A Grand Don't Come for Free, performed by The Streets:
I said I'd rather be with your friends, mate, cos they are much fitter.2007, “Foundations”, in Kate Nash, Paul Eppworth (lyrics), Made of Bricks, performed by Kate Nash:
So fit to shoot, she singled forth among her foes who first her quarry's strength should feel.1600, [Torquato Tasso], “(please specify |book=1 to 20)”, in Edward Fairefax [i.e., Edward Fairfax], transl., Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Ierusalem. […], London: […] Ar[nold] Hatfield, for I[saac] Iaggard and M[atthew] Lownes, →OCLC:
Etymology Possibly from Middle English fit (“an adversary of equal power”), of uncertain further origin. The original sense appears to have been "to marshal or deploy troops", which shifted to "to suit (troops to a certain location" > "suitable", and may be further related to Icelandic fitja (“to web, knit, cast on”).
The speaker should be certain that his subject fits the occasion.1918, Richard Dennis Teall Hollister, Speech-making, publ. George Wahr, pg. 81
2
To have sufficient space available at some location to be able to be there.
Ten clowns fit in the car, but not a hundred.
The elevator can fit up to 10 people.
3
To conform to in size and shape.
The small shirt doesn't fit me, so I'll buy the medium size.
If I lose a few kilos, the gorgeous wedding dress might fit me.
4
To be of the right size and shape
She's changed the lock on our front door / My door key don't fit no more1947, “Move It On Over”, performed by Hank Williams:
I know the pieces fit / 'Cause I watched them fall away2001, “Schism”, in Maynard James Keenan (lyrics), Adam Jones, Danny Carey, Maynard James Keenan, and Justin Chancellor (music), Lateralus, performed by Tool, track 5:
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Even though in a way you let him freeze to death in the water, because the way I see it... / I agree. Y'know, I think he actually could have fitted on that bit of door. / There was plenty of room on the raft. / I know. I know, I know.2016 February 2, Kate Winslet et al., Jimmy Kimmel Live!:
I wanted to borrow my little sister's jeans, but they didn't fit.
That plug fit into the other socket, but it won't go in this one.
5
With to To make conform in size and shape.
I want to fit the drapes to the windows.
6
With to To tailor; to change to the appropriate size.
I had a suit fitted by the tailor.
7
To be in agreement with.
These definitions fit most of the usage.
Type D half-lines ending in words of this type are analysed by Hutcheson as ending in two completely unstressed syllables. That analysis must be descriptively correct for, say, the 10th cent.; whether it would have fitted the facts in the 8th cent. is much less clear.2004 October 14, Don Ringe, “Old English maþelian, mæþlan, mǣlan”, in J. H. W. Penney, editor, Indo-European Perspectives: Studies in Honour of Anna Morpurgo Davies, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 427:
8
To adjust.
The regression program fit a line to the data.
9
To attach, especially when requiring exact positioning or sizing.
Williams had a problem fitting his left rear tyre and that left Alonso only 3.1secs adrift when he rejoined from his final stop three laps later.2012 May 13, Andrew Benson, “Williams's Pastor Maldonado takes landmark Spanish Grand Prix win”, in BBC Sport:
10
To equip or supply.
The chandler will fit us with provisions for a month.
11
To make ready.
I’m fitting the ship for a summer sail home.
I’m fitting to go home and sleep.
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'I am fitting to go to South Hadley Seminary [as Mount Holyoke was known], and expect if my health is good to enter that institution a year from next fall', she confided to Abiah.1846, Lyndall Gordon, quoting Emily Dickinson, letter, quoted in Lives Like Loaded Guns: Emily Dickinson and Her Family's Feuds, published 2010:
Thirty years ago, if a girl wished for training, there was none to be had. I can truly say there was no training to be had to fit a woman thoroughly for any life whatever.1871, Florence Nightingale, Una and the Lion, page 12:
Nor fits it to prolong the heav'nly feast.1725, Homer, “Book III”, in [Alexander Pope], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume I, London: […] Bernard Lintot, →OCLC:
Etymology Possibly from Middle English fit (“an adversary of equal power”), of uncertain further origin. The original sense appears to have been "to marshal or deploy troops", which shifted to "to suit (troops to a certain location" > "suitable", and may be further related to Icelandic fitja (“to web, knit, cast on”).
1
The degree to which something fits.
This shirt is a bad fit.
Since he put on weight, his jeans have been a tight fit.
2
Conformity of elements one to another.
It's hard to get a good fit using second-hand parts.
3
The part of an object upon which anything fits tightly.
4
Advertising, Business, Marketing Measure of how well a particular commercial execution captures the character or values of a brand.
The Wonder Bread advertising research results showed the “White Picket Fence” commercial had strong fit ratings.
Etymology Unknown, possibly from Old English fitt (“song”), or from the sense of fitted to length. Compare Old Saxon *fittea (attested in the borrowed Latin vittea).
Dr. Percy has written a long ballad in many fits.1771, Samuel Johnson, "Letter to Bennet Langton, Esq. (March 20)," in James Boswell, Life of Samuel Johnson (1791), vol 2
fit
verb
Etymology Unknown. From Middle English fit (“hardship, danger”), possibly from Old English fitt (“conflict”)—a word only attested once. Compare Cornish fit (“game match, bout”); or else, maybe cognate with Italian fitta (“sudden and stabbing pain”) (see further at Latin fīgere).
A spokesman said: "It is believed they (the dogs) got into the lake and drank from it. They came out and started fitting. Shortly after that three of them died and vets are attempting to resuscitate the other one."2016 May 18, “Three dogs die and seven more ill after drinking from the same Kent lake amid contamination fears”, in The Telegraph:
fit
noun
Etymology Unknown. From Middle English fit (“hardship, danger”), possibly from Old English fitt (“conflict”)—a word only attested once. Compare Cornish fit (“game match, bout”); or else, maybe cognate with Italian fitta (“sudden and stabbing pain”) (see further at Latin fīgere).
1
A seizure or convulsion.
My grandfather died after having a fit.
2
Medicine, Sciences A sudden and vigorous appearance of a symptom over a short period of time.
3
A sudden outburst of emotion.
He had a laughing fit which lasted more than ten minutes.
She had a fit and threw all of his clothes out through the window.
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He threw a fit (of temper) when his car broke down.
4
A sudden burst (of an activity).
A fit of spring-cleaning led Eric Brooks to a box of old newspaper clips from 1997.2007 July 9, Ryan J. Foley, “Wisconsin city's largest employer threatens to leave over ethanol”, in Associated Press:
Piker had already shown off his “cozy-ass ’fit” (sweatpants with kitschy bald eagles, a custom pair of platform Crocs), and recounted his experience the previous night at the Streamer Awards, a red-carpet event honoring A-listers on Twitch—the popular live-streaming site where he is one of the biggest stars, and the only prominent leftist.2025 March 17, Andrew Marantz, “The Battle for the Bros”, in The New Yorker, →ISSN: