fit2

[fit] /fɪt/
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.
Idioms
3.
by / in fits and starts, at irregular intervals; intermittently:
This radio works by fits and starts.
4.
throw a fit, to become extremely excited or angry:
Your father will throw a fit when he hears what you have done.
Origin
before 1000; Middle English; Old English fitt round of fighting. See fit3
British Dictionary definitions for throw a fit

fit1

/fɪt/
verb fits, fitting, fitted (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)
3.
(transitive) to adjust in order to render appropriate: they had to fit the idea to their philosophy
4.
(transitive) to supply with that which is needed
5.
(transitive) to try clothes on (someone) in order to make adjustments if necessary
6.
(transitive) to make competent or ready: the experience helped to fit him for the task
7.
(transitive) to locate with care
8.
(intransitive) to correspond with the facts or circumstances
adjective fitter, fittest
9.
suitable to a purpose or design; appropriate
10.
having the right qualifications; qualifying
11.
in good health
12.
worthy or deserving: a book fit to be read
13.
(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
14.
(mainly Brit, informal) (of a person) sexually attractive
noun
15.
the manner in which something fits
16.
the act or process of fitting
17.
(statistics) the correspondence between observed and predicted characteristics of a distribution or model See goodness of fit
See also fit in, fit out, fit up
Derived Forms
fittable, adjective
Word Origin
C14: probably from Middle Dutch vitten; related to Old Norse fitja to knit

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
3.
an impulsive period of activity or lack of activity; mood: a fit of laziness
4.
give a person a fit, to surprise a person in an outrageous manner
5.
(informal) have a fit, throw a fit, to become very angry or excited
6.
in fits and starts, by fits and starts, in spasmodic spells; irregularly
verb fits, fitting, fitted
7.
(intransitive) (informal) to have a sudden attack or convulsion, such as an epileptic seizure
Word Origin
Old English fitt conflict; see fit³

fit3

/fɪt/
noun
1.
(archaic) a story or song or a section of a story or song
Word Origin
Old English fitt; related to Old Norse fit hem, Old High German fizza yarn
Word Origin and History for throw a fit

fit

n.

1823, "the fitting of one thing to another," later (1831) "the way something fits." Originally "an adversary of equal power" (mid-13c.), obscure, possibly from Old English fitt "a conflict, a struggle" (see fit (n.2)).

"paroxysm, sudden attack" (as of anger), 1540s, probably via Middle English sense of "painful, exciting experience" (early 14c.), from Old English fitt "conflict, struggle," of uncertain origin, with no clear cognates outside English. Perhaps ultimately cognate with fit (n.1) on notion of "to meet." Phrase by fits and starts first attested 1610s.

part of a poem, Old English fitt, of unknown origin.

adj.

"suited to the circumstances, proper," mid-15c., of unknown origin, perhaps from Middle English noun fit "an adversary of equal power" (mid-13c.), which is perhaps connected to fit (n.1). Related: Fitter; fittest. Survival of the fittest (1867) coined by H. Spencer.

v.

"be suitable," probably from early 15c.; "to be the right shape," 1580s, from fit (adj.). Related: Fitted; fitting. Fitted sheets is attested from 1963.

throw a fit in Medicine

fit 1 (fĭt)
v. fit·ted or fit, fit·ted, fit·ting, fits
To be the proper size and shape. adj. fit·ter, fit·test
Physically sound; healthy. n.
The degree of precision with which surfaces are adjusted or adapted to each other in a machine, device, or collection of parts.

fit 2 (fĭt)
n.

  1. A seizure or a convulsion, especially one caused by epilepsy.

  2. The sudden appearance of a symptom such as coughing or sneezing.

Slang definitions & phrases for throw a fit

throw a fit

verb phrase

To behave or react very angrily; have kittens: She just about threw a fit when I told her we weren't going/ Well, they threw a spaz and said I can't see him or have him over (entry form 1896+, variant 1990s+)


fit

noun

The devices used for injecting narcotics; drug paraphernalia; works

Related Terms

duck-fit, have a shit fit, throw a fit

[1950s+ Narcotics; probably a shortening of outfit]


Related Abbreviations for throw a fit

FIT

frequent international traveler
Idioms and Phrases with throw a fit

throw a fit

see: have a fit

fit

also see:
Encyclopedia Article for throw a fit

fit

in literature, a division of a poem or song, a canto, or a similar division. The word, which is archaic, is of Old English date and has an exact correspondent in Old Saxon fittea, an example of which occurs in the Latin preface of the Heliand. It probably represents figurative use of a common Germanic noun referring to the unraveled edge of a fabric. Lewis Carroll revived this archaic poetic division (perhaps to lend gravity) in the composition of his 132-verse nonsense poem The Hunting of the Snark (1876), beginning with "Fit the First: The Landing" and ending with "Fit the Eighth: The Vanishing."

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