Etymology From Middle English schit, schyt, from Old English *sċite (“dung”) and sċitte (“diarrhoea”), from Proto-West Germanic *skiti and *skittjā, from Proto-Germanic *skitiz, from Proto-Indo-European *skeyd- (“to split, divide, separate”). Related to Saterland Frisian Skiete, West Frisian skyte, skyt, Dutch schijt, German Low German Schiet, German Scheiße, Danish skidt, Swedish and Norwegian Nynorsk skit, Norwegian Bokmål skitt, Icelandic skítur. Compare shite. Doublet of scheisse.
Colloquial, Literally, Usually, Vulgar Usually solid excretory product evacuated from the bowels; feces.
The practice in most African and some Asian cities is for private lorries to suck up human waste and dump it in rivers. [...] In tackling the shit problem, economics could well be a clincher.2011 July 30, “Cholera and the super-loo”, in The Economist:
He also decided that Belters wouldn’t use the term “bullshit,” because there would be no bulls in the Belt. Instead, they would come up with a uniquely Belter curse, “kaka felota,” a term for what happens when your toilet backs up in low gravity and shit floats all over the place. (“Kata felota” literally means “floating shit.”)2019 December 22, Annalee Newitz and Cyrus Farivar, “Nick Farmer knows dozens of languages, so he invented one for The Expanse”, in Ars Technica, archived from the original on 25 Feb 2021:
JAMES CARTER: You put your own shit in the back; I'm not a skycap.1998, Jim Kouf, Ross LaManna, Rush Hour, California: New Line Cinema:
Don't know why I put up with this shit / When you don't put out and Zip City's so far away2001, “Zip City”, performed by Mike Cooley:
He’s physical and monosyllabic. He does all sorts of cool shit, and he subtly rediscovers his own heroism without making a big thing out of it. But he’s a supporting character, and he knows it.2017 December 1, Tom Breihan, “Mad Max: Fury Road might already be the best action movie ever made”, in The Onion AV Club, archived from the original on 07 Mar 2022:
Colloquial, Usually, Vulgar A nasty, despicable person, used particularly of men.
Her son has been a real shit to her.
I am a shit and a rotter.
3 more examples
Get the fuck out of here you little shit!
…I hate you back, you little shit!1979, Robert Benton, Kramer vs. Kramer, spoken by Ted Kramer (Dustin Hoffman):
(Admittedly, the fact that Steve Mnuchin, Trump’s vampiric treasury secretary, was a Fury Road executive producer complicates this whole parallel. I don’t know what to do with that. Even pieces of shit can, I suppose, be involved with great things from time to time.)2017 December 1, Tom Breihan, “Mad Max: Fury Road might already be the best action movie ever made”, in The Onion AV Club, archived from the original on 07 Mar 2022:
I gave him shit for being three hours late twice in one week.
13
Colloquial, Usually, Vulgar Any recreational drug (e.g. cannabis, heroin, etc.).
‘Now,’ he said, ‘if someone would close the curtains and light a joss-stick, I have here for your delight some twenty-four-carat black Nepalese cannabis resin which should be smoked immediately on account of it being seriously good shit.’1991 September, Stephen Fry, chapter 1, in The Liar, London: Heinemann, →ISBN, section I, page 20:
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Slang, Usually, Vulgar Anything exceptional or remarkable.
I heard Bobby escaped from the police by jumping off a bridge into the river. Ain't that some shit?
shit
adj
Etymology From Middle English schit, schyt, from Old English *sċite (“dung”) and sċitte (“diarrhoea”), from Proto-West Germanic *skiti and *skittjā, from Proto-Germanic *skitiz, from Proto-Indo-European *skeyd- (“to split, divide, separate”). Related to Saterland Frisian Skiete, West Frisian skyte, skyt, Dutch schijt, German Low German Schiet, German Scheiße, Danish skidt, Swedish and Norwegian Nynorsk skit, Norwegian Bokmål skitt, Icelandic skítur. Compare shite. Doublet of scheisse.
Etymology From Middle English schiten, shiten, from Old English sċītan, from Proto-West Germanic *skītan, from Proto-Germanic *skītaną, from Proto-Indo-European *skéydt, from *skeyd-, *skeh₁i-d (“to cut”) (compare *skey-). Cognate with West Frisian skite, Low German schieten, Dutch schijten, German scheißen, Danish skide. More at shed.
Of course, the farter does not dislike the smell of his own doing, but anybody else's fart, "Katey, bar the doors" and shouting, "Who shit?"2008, Norman A. Richards, What Do Women Gossip About?, page 35:
Ken Anker broke the silence and spoke through the bars. "Whoever is shitting their pants, please stop.” "Sorry," Sysco replied." It must be the food they serve here.”2016, R.J. Torbert, No Mercy: A Powers and Johnson Novel, page 316:
2 more examples
'You should have seen her, Rosie. I think Gordy got such a fright, it was him who shat it.' Nikki chortled. 'I nearly lost it,' Julie said.2016, Anna Smith, Rough Cut: Rosie Gilmour 6:
I hate that guy. He needs to lay off the cheese or something because he's always shitting farts so hard I'm surprised he doesn't blow out the back of his pants.2020, St John Karp, Quake City:
5
Colloquial, Vulgar To fool or try to fool someone; to be deceitful.
I saw red and smashed a plate and a bowl. […] I swept up the mess. I bawled a lot as I swept […] I also thought, I am about to get my period. It absolutely shits me that this should explain anything.1983, Helen Garner, Yellow Notebook: Diaries Volume I, Text Publishing, published 2022, page 70:
Etymology From Middle English schiten, shiten, from Old English sċītan, from Proto-West Germanic *skītan, from Proto-Germanic *skītaną, from Proto-Indo-European *skéydt, from *skeyd-, *skeh₁i-d (“to cut”) (compare *skey-). Cognate with West Frisian skite, Low German schieten, Dutch schijten, German scheißen, Danish skide. More at shed.
1
Colloquial, Mildly, Slang, Vulgar Expression of worry, failure, shock, etc., often at something seen for the first time or remembered immediately before using this term.
Shit! I think that I forgot to pack my sleeping bag last night!