pit
gb/pˈɪt/ us/pˈɪt/
A2
English
~ 7000
gödör, mag, szembeállít, egymás ellen állít, kimagoz, hónalj, gödrössé tesz, bánya, külszíni bánya, kijelölt terület, boksz, zenekari árok, mélyedés, gödröcske, horpadás
NOUN
B1
1
gödör
A2
Usage pattern:
a pit in [the ground/surface]
They covered the pit with wooden boards so nobody would fall in.
Deszkákkal fedték le a gödröt, hogy senki se essen bele.
Rainwater collected in a shallow pit at the edge of the field.
Az esővíz egy sekély gödörben gyűlt össze a mező szélén.
The workers dug a pit for the foundation of the new building.
Learner examples
The dog fell into a deep pit.
A kutya beleesett egy mély gödörbe.
They dug a pit to plant the tree.
Ástak egy gödröt, hogy elültessék a fát.
There is a big pit in the road.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'pit' with 'well'. A 'well' is usually a deep hole used to get water, while a 'pit' is any deep hole and is not always for water or useful purposes.
Meaning
deep hole in the ground
Collocations
fall into a pit
|dig a pit
|deep pit
|gravel pit
|open pit
Synonyms
hole (More general and can be small or shallow; 'pit' suggests larger and deeper.)
Antonyms
mound (A raised area of earth, the opposite of a deep hole.)
Themes
nature
|construction
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A big, deep hole in the ground or in a floor.
A large, deep hole in the ground or in a surface, especially one that is seen as dangerous or unpleasant.
NOUN
A2
2
mag
A1
Usage pattern:
a pit in [a fruit]
Be careful not to swallow the cherry pit.
Vigyázz, nehogy lenyeld a cseresznyemagot.
She threw the peach pit into the trash.
Az őszibarack magját a szemétbe dobta.
These olives still have the pits inside them.
Learner examples
He spit the pit into his hand.
A kezébe köpte a magot.
Do not eat the pit of the peach.
Ne edd meg az őszibarack magját.
The fruit has a big pit in the middle.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes call the pit of a fruit a 'seed'. While this is understandable, in everyday English, 'pit' or 'stone' is more natural for fruits like cherries, peaches, and olives.
Meaning
hard seed inside fruit
Collocations
cherry pit
|peach pit
|olive pit
|spit out the pit
Synonyms
stone (Common in British English for fruits like cherries and peaches; 'pit' is especially common in American English.)
Antonyms
flesh (The soft, edible part of the fruit, contrasted with the hard, inedible pit.)
Themes
food
|daily life
|food_drink
|core_vocabulary
Definition
The hard part in the middle of some fruits, like a peach or cherry, that you do not eat.
The hard seed or stone at the center of certain fruits such as peaches, cherries, or olives.
VERB
B2
3
Usage pattern:
to pit [someone/something] against [someone/something]
The final match will pit the two best teams against each other.
A döntő egymás ellen állítja a két legjobb csapatot.
The new policy pits workers against management.
Az új szabályozás szembeállítja a dolgozókat a vezetőséggel.
The show pits amateur singers against professional performers.
Learner examples
The game pits one player against another.
A játék az egyik játékost a másik ellen állítja.
The company pitted two teams against each other to find the best idea.
A cég két csapatot állított egymással szembe, hogy megtalálja a legjobb ötletet.
In the story, the hero is pitted against a powerful enemy.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes omit 'against' and say '*pit two teams each other'. The correct structure is 'pit [A] against [B]'. Also, do not confuse 'pit' with 'put'; 'put' does not mean to cause a contest.
Meaning
set in competition or conflict
Collocations
pit A against B
|pitted against each other
|pit one team against another
Synonyms
oppose (More general and often less intense; 'pit' suggests a direct or arranged contest or conflict.)
Antonyms
unite (Means bringing people or things together on the same side, the opposite of putting them in competition.)
Themes
conflict
|sports
|business
|relationships
|communication
Definition
To make one person or thing fight or compete with another person or thing.
To cause someone or something to compete or fight directly against another person or thing.
VERB
B1
4
kimagoz
B1
Usage pattern:
to pit [a fruit]
She spent the afternoon pitting cherries for the pie.
A délutánt azzal töltötte, hogy kimagozta a pitéhez a cseresznyét.
I prefer pitted olives because they are easier to eat.
Jobban szeretem a kimagozott olívabogyót, mert könnyebb megenni.
Pit the peaches before you blend them into the smoothie.
Learner examples
First, wash and pit the cherries.
Először mosd meg és magozd ki a cseresznyét.
These olives are already pitted.
Ezek az olívabogyók már ki vannak magozva.
He pitted the fruit before cooking it.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say '*cut out the pit' in recipes. While understandable, 'pit the cherries/olives' is the natural verb for removing the hard seed.
Meaning
remove a fruit’s pit
Collocations
pitted olives
|pitted cherries
|to pit the fruit
|stoned and pitted
Synonyms
stone (British English often uses 'stone' as the verb; 'pit' is more common in American English cooking contexts.)
Antonyms
stuff (In cooking, to fill the inside of something rather than remove its center.)
Themes
food
|daily life
|food_drink
|daily_life
Definition
To take the hard middle part out of a fruit.
To remove the hard seed or stone from a fruit.
B2
INFORMAL
5
hónalj
B1
Usage pattern:
[someone's] pits are [adjective]
He joked that his pits were so sweaty he needed a new shirt.
Azzal viccelődött, hogy annyira izzadt a hónalja, hogy új pólóra van szüksége.
She raised her arms and showed off her freshly shaved pits.
Felemelte a karját, és megmutatta frissen borotvált hónalját.
Use deodorant if you are worried about your pits smelling bad.
Learner examples
My pits get wet when I am nervous.
Nedves lesz a hónaljam, amikor ideges vagyok.
He put deodorant on his pits.
Dezodort tett a hónaljára.
Her pits were very sweaty after the run.
Common mistake:
Learners may try to use 'pit' in the singular for this meaning ('my left pit hurts'), which sounds odd; in this sense, English speakers almost always say 'pits' to mean 'armpits'.
Meaning
area under the arm (armpit)
Collocations
shave your pits
|sweaty pits
|smelly pits
|raise your pits
Synonyms
armpit (Standard anatomical term; 'pits' is more casual or slangy.)
Antonyms
hand (Another part of the arm often contrasted jokingly in casual talk about the body.)
Themes
body
|health
|informal
|core_vocabulary
Definition
An informal word for the soft place under your arm, called the armpit, usually said as 'pits'.
An informal word for the hollow area under the arm at the shoulder, usually used in the plural to mean armpits.
VERB
C1
6
Usage pattern:
[something] pits [a surface]
Years of rust had pitted the metal gate.
Az évekig tartó rozsdásodás gödrössé tette a fémkaput.
Hailstones pitted the car’s hood during the storm.
A viharban a jégszemek apró horpadásokat ütöttek az autó motorháztetőjébe.
His cheeks were slightly pitted from old acne scars.
Learner examples
The storm pitted the side of the car.
A vihar gödrössé tette az autó oldalát.
Acne had pitted his skin.
A pattanások gödrössé tették a bőrét.
Sand in the wind can pit the glass over time.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this verb with the noun sense of 'pit' as a large hole. Here, 'pit' means to make many small marks, not one big hole.
Meaning
mark with small holes or dents
Collocations
pitted surface
|pitted metal
|face pitted with acne
|hail pitted the car
Synonyms
pockmark (Often used for skin or surfaces marked by disease or damage; 'pit' is a bit more general and neutral.)
Antonyms
smooth (To make a surface even and without holes is the opposite of pitting it.)
Themes
damage
|weather
|appearance
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To make many small holes or marks in a surface.
To damage or mark a surface by making many small holes, dents, or depressions in it.
NOUN
B2
7
bánya
A2
Usage pattern:
[someone] works in a [type] pit
Many of the old coal pits in the region have been closed.
A térség régi szénbányái közül sokat bezártak.
The village grew up around a large open-pit mine.
A falu egy nagy külszíni bánya köré épült.
Safety at the gravel pit has improved in recent years.
Learner examples
His grandfather worked in a coal pit.
A nagyapja szénbányában dolgozott.
There is a big gravel pit near the town.
Van egy nagy kavicsbánya a város közelében.
They filled the old mining pit with water.
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'pit' and 'mine' are always the same. A 'mine' is the whole place or business; a 'pit' is usually the main deep hole or open area where the material is taken out.
Meaning
large excavation for mining
Collocations
coal pit
|open-pit mine
|gravel pit
|quarry pit
Synonyms
mine (A general word for a place where minerals are taken from the ground; 'pit' usually refers to the big hole or open area itself.)
Antonyms
landfill (A place where material is put into the ground, often filling holes, rather than taken out.)
Themes
industry
|energy
|science
|work
Definition
A very big hole in the ground where people take coal, rocks, or other material out.
A large hole or excavation in the ground used for mining minerals such as coal, gravel, or ore.
NOUN
B2
8
Usage pattern:
the [type] pit in [a place]
The musicians in the orchestra pit started to tune their instruments.
A zenekari árokban ülő zenészek elkezdték hangolni a hangszereiket.
The driver pulled into the pit for new tires.
A pilóta behajtott a bokszba új gumikért.
Traders in the pit shouted and used hand signals to place orders.
Learner examples
The band played from the pit in front of the stage.
A zenekar a színpad előtti zenekari árokból játszott.
The race car went into the pit to get more fuel.
A versenyautó behajtott a bokszba, hogy megtankolják.
He worked as a trader in the busy pit.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this 'pit' always means a hole in the ground. In modern use, it can be any clearly separated working area, especially in theaters, racing, or financial trading.
Meaning
sunken area for special activity
Collocations
orchestra pit
|trading pit
|pit lane and pit
|into the pit
Synonyms
area (Very general; 'pit' suggests a specific, often lower or separated, working space.)
Antonyms
stage (For theaters, the 'stage' is raised and visible, the opposite position of the lower 'pit' area.)
Themes
music
|sports
|business
|work
|arts_entertainment
Definition
A special area, often lower than the main floor, used for one type of work or activity, like for musicians or race car workers.
A specially designed, often sunken or separate, area used for a particular activity such as playing in an orchestra, servicing race cars, or trading on a market floor.
NOUN
B2
9
Usage pattern:
a pit in [a surface/body part]
Tiny pits in the metal showed where it had started to corrode.
A fémen lévő apró mélyedések jelezték, hol kezdett korrodálódni.
She had small pits in her cheeks when she smiled.
Amikor mosolygott, apró gödröcskék jelentek meg az arcán.
The microscope revealed pits in the surface of the rock.
Learner examples
The spoon had many small pits from age.
Az öreg kanálon sok apró mélyedés volt.
There are pits in the road after the winter.
A tél után kátyúk maradtak az úton.
I can see little pits in his skin.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this sense with the larger 'pit' meaning a big hole. Here, 'pit' is much smaller, like a mark or dent on a surface.
Meaning
small hollow in a surface
Collocations
pits in the metal
|pits in the road
|pits in his cheeks
|tiny pits
Synonyms
dent (A general word for a small hollow; 'pit' often suggests something deeper or sharper, and can be used for skin or natural surfaces.)
Antonyms
bump (A raised area on a surface, opposite of a hollow or depression.)
Themes
appearance
|health
|damage
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A small, deep mark or hole on a surface, like in skin or metal.
A small hollow, dent, or depression in a surface, especially in skin, metal, or rock.
Grammar
Dictionary form
pit
IPA
GB/pˈɪt/
US/pˈɪt/
Syllables & stress
pit (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (pit)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: pit
- Plural: pits
Verb
- Base: pit
- 3rd Person Singular: pits
- Present Participle: pitting
- Past: pitted
Word family
Forms
pits
noun
pitting
verb
pitted
verb
Related words
pitfall
noun B2
armpit
noun
Highlights
- Irregular present participle: pitting Verb
- Irregular past: pitted Verb
Expressions
bottomless pit
1/bˈɑtəmləs pˈɪt/
idiom
thing with endless need
Something that always needs more and never seems full or finished, like a person who always wants more food or money.
Examples
- Feeding teenagers can feel like filling a bottomless pit.
- The project is a bottomless pit of time and resources.
money pit
1/mˈʌni pˈɪt/
idiom
thing that eats up money
Something, like a house or car, that you must spend a lot of money on again and again, without getting enough value from it.
Examples
- The old house turned into a real money pit.
- Owning a boat can be a money pit if you are not careful.
pit crew
1/pˈɪt kɹˈu/
fixed phrase
race car service team
The group of workers who quickly change tires, add fuel, and fix a race car during a race.
Examples
- The pit crew changed all four tires in under three seconds.
- A fast pit crew is essential for winning in motor racing.
pit lane
1/pˈɪt lˈeɪn/
fixed phrase
technical
road beside race track for pits
The road next to a race track where race cars slow down and drive to their pit for service.
Examples
- The car slowed as it entered the pit lane.
- A penalty forced the driver to go through the pit lane again.
pit someone against someone
1/pˈɪt sˈʌmwˌʌn əɡˈɛnst sˈʌmwˌʌn/
fixed phrase
make people compete or fight
To cause two people or groups to fight or compete with each other.
Examples
- The show pits talented young chefs against famous professionals.
- The new rules may pit employees against their managers.
pit stop
1/pˈɪt stˈɑp/
fixed phrase
short stop for rest or service
A quick stop during a trip or race to rest, get food, use the toilet, or fix a vehicle.
Examples
- We made a quick pit stop to grab some coffee.
- The driver took a pit stop to change tires and refuel.
the pits
1/ðə pˈɪts/
idiom
informal
extremely bad or unpleasant
Very bad, unpleasant, or of very low quality.
Examples
- This weather is really the pits.
- The service at that restaurant was the pits, so I’m never going back.
gravel pit
1/ɡɹˈævəl pˈɪt/
fixed phrase
open hole used to dig gravel
A large open hole in the ground where companies dig and take gravel for building and roads.
Examples
- Trucks carried loads of stone from the gravel pit all day.
- The children were warned to stay away from the gravel pit.
- The town is debating whether to allow a new gravel pit near the river.
- Trucks carried loads of stone from the gravel pit to the construction site.
orchestra pit
1/ˈɔɹkɪstɹə pˈɪt/
fixed phrase
space below stage for orchestra
The open space in front of and below the stage in a theater where the orchestra sits and plays.
Examples
- The orchestra pit was so deep that the musicians were almost hidden from the audience.
- The conductor stepped into the orchestra pit and raised his baton.
- During the rehearsal, the conductor asked the singers not to stand too close to the orchestra pit.
- From our seats we could just see the tops of the instruments in the orchestra pit.
snake pit
1/snˈeɪk pˈɪt/
idiom
Hostile or chaotic situation
A place or situation that feels very unfriendly, stressful, or full of angry and competitive people.
Examples
- The office turned into a snake pit of blame and gossip.
- Without strong leadership, that office became a snake pit.
- Some reality shows are like a snake pit for the contestants.
- Some reality TV shows are basically emotional snake pits.
- New employees often describe the trading floor as a snake pit.