n. & v.
—n.
1 a a usu. large deep hole in the ground. b a hole made in digging for industrial purposes, esp. for coal (chalk pit; gravel pit). c a covered hole as a trap for esp. wild animals.
2 a an indentation left after smallpox, acne, etc. b a hollow in a plant or animal body or on any surface.
3 Brit. Theatr. a = orchestra pit. b usu. hist. seating at the back of the stalls. c the people in the pit.
4 a (the pit or bottomless pit) hell. b (the pits) sl. a wretched or the worst imaginable place, situation, person, etc.
5 a an area at the side of a track where racing cars are serviced and refuelled. b a sunken area in a workshop floor for access to a car's underside.
6 US the part of the floor of an exchange allotted to special trading (wheat-pit).
7 = COCKPIT.
8 Brit. sl. a bed.
—v. (pitted, pitting)
1 tr. (usu. foll. by against) a set (one's wits, strength, etc.) in opposition or rivalry. b set (a cock, dog, etc.) to fight, orig. in a pit, against another.
2 tr. (usu. as pitted adj.) make pits, esp. scars, in.
3 intr. (of the flesh etc.) retain the impression of a finger etc. when touched.
4 tr. Hort. put (esp. vegetables etc. for storage) into a pit.
Phrases and idioms:
dig a pit for try to ensnare. pit-head 1 the top of a mineshaft.
2 the area surrounding this.
pit of the stomach
1 the floor of the stomach.
2 the depression below the bottom of the breastbone. pit pony hist. a pony kept underground for haulage in coal-mines. pit-prop a balk of wood used to support the roof of a coal mine. pit-saw a large saw for use in a saw-pit. pit viper any US snake of the family Crotalidae with a pit between the eye and the nostril.
Etymology: OE pytt ult. f. L puteus well
2.
n. & v. US
—n. the stone of a fruit.
—v.tr. (pitted, pitting) remove pits from (fruit).
Etymology: perh. Du., rel. to PITH
Useful english dictionary. 2012.