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FIT

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Originally appearing in Volume V10, Page 438 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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FIT , a word with several meanings. (I) A portion or See also:

division of a poem, a See also:canto, in this sense often spelled " fytte." (2) A sudden but temporary seizure or attack of illness, particularly one with convulsive paroxysms accompanied by unconsciousness, especially an attack of See also:apoplexy or See also:epilepsy, but also applied to a transitory attack of See also:gout, of coughing, fainting, &c., also of an outburst of tears, of merriment or of See also:temper. In a transferred sense, the word is also used of any temporary or irregular periods of See also:action or inaction, and hence in such expressions as " by fits and starts." (3) As an See also:adjective, meaning suitable, proper, becoming, often with the See also:idea of having necessary qualifications for a specific purpose, " a fit and proper See also:person "; and also as prepared for, or in a See also:good See also:condition for, any enterprise. The verb " to fit " is thus used intransitively and transitively, to be adapted for, to suit, particularly to be of the right measurement or shape, of a See also:dress, of parts of a mechanism, &c., and to make or render a thing in such a condition. Hence the word is used as a substantive. The See also:etymology of the word is difficult; the word may be one in origin, or may be a homonymous See also:term, one in See also:sound and spelling but with different origin in each different meaning. In See also:Skeat's Etymological See also:Dictionary (ed. 1898) (I) and (2) are connected and derived from the See also:root of " See also:foot," which appears in See also:Lat. pes, pedis. The See also:evolution of the word is: step, a See also:part of a poem, a struggle, a seizure. (3) A word of Scandinavian origin, with the idea of " knitted together " (cf. See also:Ice. fitja, to knit together, Goth. fetjan, to adorn); the ultimate origin is a See also:Teutonic root meaning to seize (cf. " fetch ").

The New See also:

English Dictionary suggests that this last root may be the origin of all the words, and that the underlying meaning is junction, See also:meeting; the See also:early use of " fit " (2) is that of conflict. It is also pointed out that the meanings of " fit," suitable, proper, have been modified by " feat," which comes through Fr. fait, from Lat. factum, facere, to do, make.

End of Article: FIT

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FITCH, JOHN (1743–1798)

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