Definition of "fit"

Is it fit to say a king, Thou art wicked?

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Job 34:18

He had drunk more than was fit for him, and he was singing some light song, when he saw approaching, as he said, the pale horse mentioned in the Revelation, with Death seated as the rider.

1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide

The rest we'll leave to be examined later, if we think fit;

2005, Lesley Brown, Sophist, translation of original by Plato, 243d

That which ordinary men are fit for, I am qualified in.

c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act I, scene iv]

I think you are really fit / You're fit but my gosh don't you know it.

2004, Mike Skinner (lyrics and music), “Fit but You Know It”, in A Grand Don't Come for Free, performed by The Streets

I said I'd rather be with your friends, mate, cos they are much fitter.

2007, “Foundations”, in Kate Nash, Paul Eppworth (lyrics), Made of Bricks, performed by Kate Nash

So fit to shoot, she singled forth among her foes who first her quarry's strength should feel.

1600, [Torquato Tasso], “(please specify |book=1 to 20)”, in Edward Fairefax [i.e., Edward Fairfax], transl., Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Ierusalem. […], London: […] Ar[nold] Hatfield, for I[saac] Iaggard and M[atthew] Lownes

The speaker should be certain that his subject fits the occasion.

1918, Richard Dennis Teall Hollister, Speech-making, publ. George Wahr, pg. 81

Even though in a way you let him freeze to death in the water, because the way I see it...I agree. Y'know, I think he actually could have fitted on that bit of door.There was plenty of room on the raft.I know. I know, I know.

2016 February 2, Kate Winslet et al., Jimmy Kimmel Live!‎

Type D half-lines ending in words of this type are analysed by Hutcheson as ending in two completely unstressed syllables. That analysis must be descriptively correct for, say, the 10th cent.; whether it would have fitted the facts in the 8th cent. is much less clear.

2004 October 14, Don Ringe, “Old English maþelian, mæþlan, mǣlan”, in J. H. W. Penney, editor, Indo-European Perspectives: Studies in Honour of Anna Morpurgo Davies‎, Oxford University Press, page 427

Williams had a problem fitting his left rear tyre and that left Alonso only 3.1secs adrift when he rejoined from his final stop three laps later.

2012 May 13, Andrew Benson, “Williams's Pastor Maldonado takes landmark Spanish Grand Prix win”, in BBC Sport‎

Thirty years ago, if a girl wished for training, there was none to be had. I can truly say there was no training to be had to fit a woman thoroughly for any life whatever.

1871, Florence Nightingale, Una and the Lion, page 12

Nor fits it to prolong the heav'nly feast.

1725, Homer, “Book III”, in [Alexander Pope], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume I, London: […] Bernard Lintot

Dr. Percy has written a long ballad in many fits.

1771, Samuel Johnson, "Letter to Bennet Langton, Esq. (March 20)," in James Boswell, Life of Samuel Johnson (1791), vol 2

A fit of spring-cleaning led Eric Brooks to a box of old newspaper clips from 1997.

2007 July 9, Ryan J. Foley, “Wisconsin city^s largest employer threatens to leave over ethanol”, in Associated Press

A spokesman said: "It is believed they (the dogs) got into the lake and drank from it. They came out and started fitting. Shortly after that three of them died and vets are attempting to resuscitate the other one."

2016 May 18, “Three dogs die and seven more ill after drinking from the same Kent lake amid contamination fears”, in The Telegraph

There wonst was two cats in Kilkenny; And aich thought there was one cat too many. So they quarrelled and fit; And they scratched, and they bit; Till, excepting their tails And some scraps of their nails, Instead of two cats there wan't any.

1867 November, unknown author, The Galaxy, volume 4, New York: W.C. & F.P. Church, retrieved 2023-10-27, page 883

Joshua fit the battle of Jericho and the walls came tumbling down

c. 19th century, unknown author, Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho

He didn't just set around and try to out sweettalk[sic] somebody; he got out and out-fit somebody. He wouldn't be blowing when he told his boys how he fit for the woman he got.

a. 1940, Mildred Haun, “Shin-Bone Rocks”, in The Hawk's Done Gone, page 218