a. and sb. [Cf. QUIT a., but the origin of the -s is obscure; it may be due to a colloquial use of the med.L. quit(t)us in receipts (cf. QUITSEST).] A. adj.
† 1. Clear, discharged (of a liability). Obs.
1478. Croscombe Church-w. Acc. (Som. Rec. Soc.), 7. Rest to the Wardenes xviijs. ixd. paid them, so quits herof.
1590. Acc.-Bk. W. Wray, in Antiquary, XXXII. 374/1. Su[mma] is iiijli. iiijs. ijd.; payd & quits.
2. Even or equal (with another) by means of repayment or retaliation.
1663. Cowley, Cutter Colman St., V. ii. Wor. I had quite forgot you…. Joll. Faith, we’re both quits then;… I ha’ forgot you.
1675. R. Burthogge, Causa Dei, 127. Revenge … expressed in common language by ‘I will be quits with him.’
1741. Richardson, Pamela (1824), I. xxix. 47. Do you think, as I had no wages, I may be supposed to be quits?
1816. W. Irving, in Life & Lett. (1864), I. 356. I shall be content to be quits with fortune for a very moderate portion.
1879. Dixon, Windsor, II. xx. 215. When all was paid, the young King and the sorceress queen were quits.
b. To cry quits (cf. QUITTANCE 4).
1639. Fuller, Holy War, III. xi. (1840), 134. To cry quits with them, our English authors impute it to the envy of the French.
1837. Marryat, Percival Keene, xix. I should have fired at you, so we may cry quits on that score.
1884. J. Gilmour, Mongols, 133. On the young man making an apology, the old man had been content to cry quits.
c. Double or quits: see DOUBLE adv. 4.
3. Quit or rid of. rare–1.
1885. Lady Herbert, trans. Lagrange’s Life Mgr. Dupanloup, I. 277. They only wish to be quits of the whole thing.
B. sb. a. An equivalent, a recompense. b. Reprisal, retaliation. rare.
1806. Surr, Winter in Lond., III. 259. Fifty pounds … which … was to be quits for sister’s virtue.
1865. W. G. Palgrave, Arabia, I. 38. Not finding the occasion favourable for taking immediate quits.
