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Relinquish vs Quit - What's the difference?

relinquish | quit |

Quit is a synonym of relinquish.



In transitive terms the difference between relinquish and quit

is that relinquish is to accept to give up, withdraw etc while quit is to leave (a place).

As a noun quit is

any of numerous species of small passerine birds native to tropical America.

relinquish

English

Verb

(es)
  • To give up, abandon or retire from something.
  • to relinquish a title
    to relinquish property
    to relinquish rights
    to relinquish citizenship or nationality
  • To let go (free, away), physically release.
  • To metaphorically surrender, yield control or possession.
  • * 2011 , Tom Fordyce, Rugby World Cup 2011: England 12-19 France [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/15210221.stm]
  • But it was the most fleeting of false dawns. Dmitri Yachvilli slotted a penalty from distance after Flood failed to release his man on the deck, and France took a grip they would never relinquish .
  • To accept to give up, withdraw etc.
  • ''The delegations saved the negotiations by relinquishing their incompatible claims to sole jurisdiction

    Derived terms

    * (l)

    quit

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) quiter, (etyl) quiter, from , ultimately from (etyl) quietus .

    Verb

  • To pay (a debt, fine etc.).
  • *(William Shakespeare) (c.1564–1616)
  • *:Enkindle all the sparks of nature / To quit this horrid act.
  • *(Edward Fairfax) (c.1580-1635)
  • *:that judge that quits each soul his hire
  • To repay (someone) for (something).
  • *:
  • *:I was but late att a Iustynge / and there I Iusted with a knyghte that is broder vnto kynge Pellam / and twyes smote I hym doune / & thenne he promysed to quyte me on my best frynde / and so he wounded my sone that can not be hole tyll I haue of that knyghtes blood
  • (obsolete) To repay, pay back (a good deed, injury etc.).
  • *1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , III.v:
  • *:Vnthankfull wretch (said he) is this the meed, / With which her soueraigne mercy thou doest quight ?
  • To conduct or acquit (oneself); to behave (in a specified way).
  • *
  • *:Be strong and quit' yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: ' quit yourselves like men, and fight.
  • *(John Milton) (1608-1674)
  • *:Samson hath quit himself like Samson.
  • To carry through; to go through to the end.
  • *(Samuel Daniel) (1562-1619)
  • *:Never worthy prince a day did quit / With greater hazard and with more renown.
  • (label) To set at rest; to free, as from anything harmful or oppressive; to relieve; to clear; to liberate.
  • *(William Wake) (1657-1737)
  • *:To quit you of this fear, you have already looked Death in the face; what have you found so terrible in it?
  • (label) To release from obligation, accusation, penalty, etc.; to absolve; to acquit.
  • *(John Milton) (1608-1674)
  • *:God will relent, and quit thee all his debt.
  • (label) To abandon, renounce (a thing).
  • (label) To leave (a place).
  • To resign from (a job, office, position, etc.).
  • :
  • To stop, give up (an activity) (usually + gerund or verbal noun).
  • :
  • To close (an application).
  • (quit)
  • Derived terms
    * quitter
    Usage notes
    * The past tense of quit'' is now ''quit'' for most speakers and writers; dictionaries usually allow ''quitted'' as an alternative, but it is rare or nonexistent in North America and Australia, and outnumbered by ''quit'' by about 16 to 1 in the British National Corpus. Quitted is more commonly used to mean "left". ''ie. She quitted her job.
    References
    Pam Peters, The Cambridge Guide to English Usage , Cambridge University Press, p. 453.

    Etymology 2

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Any of numerous species of small passerine birds native to tropical America.
  • Derived terms
    * bananaquit