quitted trick
Very LowInformal, somewhat archaic
Definition
Meaning
A deceptive or dishonest action that has been stopped or abandoned.
A habitual deceptive practice that someone has ceased engaging in; can also refer to a clever but dishonest method that is no longer used.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
This is a noun phrase, not a verb phrase. 'Quitted' is the past participle of 'quit' (meaning 'stopped' or 'left'), which is now less common than 'quit' in modern usage. The phrase suggests a cessation of a specific type of deceptive behavior.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, 'quitted' as the past participle of 'quit' is more accepted than in American English, where 'quit' is standard for both past and participle. The phrase itself is rare in both varieties.
Connotations
Slightly old-fashioned or literary in both varieties. May imply a moral reform or a change in character.
Frequency
Extremely rare in contemporary corpora for both BrE and AmE. More likely found in older texts or stylized speech.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject]'s quitted trick of [gerund phrase]the quitted trick of [noun phrase]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Turn over a new leaf (related concept)”
- “Mend one's ways (related concept)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might be used metaphorically: 'The company's quitted trick of inflating quarterly reports finally led to a cleaner culture.'
Academic
Very rare. Possibly in historical or sociological texts discussing behavioral reform.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would sound unusual or deliberately old-fashioned.
Technical
Not applicable.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He has quitted his old job.
- They quitted the premises by noon.
American English
- He quit his old job.
- They quit the premises by noon.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable for this phrase.
American English
- Not applicable for this phrase.
adjective
British English
- This is a quitted activity.
- The quitted habit was smoking.
American English
- This is a quit activity. (Unidiomatic; 'abandoned' preferred)
- The quit habit was smoking. (Unidiomatic; 'abandoned' preferred)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- His quitted trick was pretending to be sick to avoid school.
- After the scandal, her quitted trick of taking credit for others' work was well known in the office.
- The politician's most famous quitted trick—leaking stories to the press and then denying it—was detailed in the memoir.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'QUIT' + 'TRICK' = a TRICK you have QUIT doing.
Conceptual Metaphor
DECEPTION IS A TOOL/ACTIVITY (that can be discarded).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not interpret as a verb phrase meaning 'stopped tricking'. It is a noun phrase: 'a trick that is quitted'.
- The word 'quitted' may be confused with 'quieted' (утихомиренный).
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a verb phrase (e.g., 'He quitted tricking them').
- Using 'quit' instead of 'quitted' in the phrase (though 'quit trick' is also very rare).
Practice
Quiz
What part of speech is the phrase 'quitted trick'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, 'quitted' is a correct, though less common, past tense and past participle of 'quit', particularly in British English. In modern American English, 'quit' is standard for both.
'Quit trick' is grammatically possible but even less idiomatic than 'quitted trick'. The phrase as a whole is very rare. 'Abandoned trick' or 'old trick' would be more natural.
No, it is extremely rare. You are more likely to encounter descriptions like 'a trick he gave up' or 'a deception he abandoned'.
A 'quitted trick' specifically implies a deliberate, often cunning or deceptive act that has been stopped. A 'bad habit' is broader and can include non-deceptive behaviors like nail-biting or procrastination.