chit n : the bill in a restaurant; "he asked the waiter for the check" [syn: check, tab]

English

Pronunciation

• Rhymes with: -ɪt

Etymology 1

Possibly from chitte 'kitten, cub'.

Noun

1. A child or babe; as, a forward chit; also, a young, small, or insignificant person or animal.
2. A pert young woman
3. The embryo or the growing bud of a plant; a shoot; a sprout.

   the chits of Indian corn or of potatoes

4. A slip of paper used for messages or data; a note on a small piece of paper; a scrip.
5. An excrescence on the body, as a wart.

Verb

1. To sprout; to shoot, as a seed or plant.
2. To damage the outer layers of a seed such as Lupinus or Sophora to assist germination.

Etymology 2

From chitty from chitthi "letter", "note" from .

Noun

1. In the context of "US|and|UK|_|slang": A small piece, or a hand-written note on paper with a reminder; from Hindi 'chit' - a small piece or note.
2. In the context of "India|China": A signed voucher or memorandum of a small debt, as for food and drinks at a club.
3. In the context of "US|slang": A personal favor owed by one person to another.

Quotations

*2007, New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/13/us/politics/13bill.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

• And he is cashing in chits for her that Mr. Gore, post-impeachment, never asked him to do.

Etymology 3

Noun

1. A small tool used in cleaving laths.

Etymology 4

Euphemistic variation of shit.

Noun

1. In the context of "US|slang|euphemism": Alternative to using the curse, shit.

Interjection

1. In the context of "US|slang|euphemism": Alternative to using the curse, shit.

References

Chit can refer to:

• Satchitananda, in Yoga and other schools of Indian philosophy
• Chit (board wargames), a type of wargame counter
• Chit Fund, a kind of savings scheme practiced in India
• Voucher, a certificate with monetary value
• Chit (note) or chitty (note), a small note such as a sickness note, from Hindi 'small piece'
• Chit (child), a small child or girl (probably from above)
• Chit (potato seeds), a method of crop preparation

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