pit

I UK [pɪt] / US noun [countable]
Word forms "pit":
singular pit plural pits
**

1) a hole that you dig in the ground to put something in it

a barbecue pit

a) a mine under the ground, especially a coal mine

My father worked down the pit.

b) a very large hole dug in the ground in order to obtain a particular substance or type of stone

a gravel pit

c) a hole in the ground where you can lie to look underneath cars

2) the place in front of a stage where an orchestra sits

a) the place where people buy and sell shares in a stock exchange

b) the place where people gamble in a casino

3) informal an extremely untidy place

Her room was an absolute pit.

4) the pits

informal something that is very bad

Having to work on Saturday night is the pits.

5) mainly literary a state in which you have very strong unpleasant feelings or in which something bad is happening

pit of:

Dimitri was in a pit of despair.

Many politicians have fallen into the pit of corruption.

6) a small mark or hole in a surface

His skin was full of pits.

7) the pits

[plural] British the area beside a race track where cars are repaired or get more petrol during a race

8) British very informal a bed

9) American a stone in a piece of fruit

10) mainly American informal an armpit 1)

•

- the pit of your stomach

II UK [pɪt] / US verb [transitive]
Word forms "pit":
present tense I/you/we/they pit he/she/it pits present participle pitting past tense pitted past participle pitted

1) to make small marks or holes in a surface

2) American to stone a piece of fruit

Phrasal verbs:

- pit against

See:

pitted