# pit

/ˈpɪt/ (US) · /pˈɪt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pit
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. hole in the ground

noun · CEFR B1

a large, deep hole in the ground.

For teachers: a natural or artificial cavity in the ground, often of considerable depth.

- The workers dug a deep pit to prepare for the new building's foundation.
- The archaeological team carefully excavated the pit, hoping to find evidence of the settlement's original boundary walls.

### 2. fruit stone

noun · CEFR B2 · American English

the hard seed or stone in the middle of some fruits like peaches or cherries.

For teachers: the hard, stony endocarp of a drupe, containing the seed.

- Be careful not to bite into the peach pit or you might hurt your teeth.
- The recipe requires you to remove the pits from the cherries before simmering them with sugar and lemon juice.

### 3. racing stop

noun · CEFR B2

the area at a racetrack where cars stop for fuel or new tires.

For teachers: a designated area at a motor racing circuit used for refueling, mechanical repairs, and tire changes during a race.

- The driver pulled into the pit for a lightning-fast tire change.
- A miscommunication during the final pit stop cost the team several seconds, allowing their rivals to take the lead.

### 4. orchestra area

noun · CEFR B2

the area in a theater where the musicians sit, usually below the stage.

For teachers: the space in a theater, typically located at a lower level in front of the stage, reserved for the orchestra.

- From my seat in the front row, I could see the conductor in the pit.
- The acoustics of the orchestra pit were redesigned to ensure the brass section did not overpower the singers on stage.

### 5. dirty place

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

a very dirty, messy, or unpleasant place.

For teachers: an undesirable, filthy, or squalid location or room.

- I need to clean my apartment; it has become a total pit lately.
- The critics described the budget hotel as a complete pit, citing the stained carpets and broken furniture in every room.

### 6. armpit

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

a short way of saying armpit.

For teachers: the hollow under the arm at the shoulder.

- He was sweating through the pits of his shirt after the long run.
- The athlete applied extra deodorant to his pits before the televised interview to avoid any visible sweat patches.

### 7. to set against

verb · CEFR B2

to make two people or groups compete or fight against each other.

For teachers: to set someone or something in direct opposition or conflict with another.

- The tournament will pit the defending champion against a talented newcomer.
- The civil war pitted brother against brother, tearing the fabric of the small community apart for generations.

Usage: Usually used in the pattern 'pit someone against someone'.

### 8. to remove seeds

verb · CEFR C1 · American English · Technical

to take the stones or seeds out of a fruit.

For teachers: to remove the stone or endocarp from a fruit.

- She spent the afternoon pitting cherries for the homemade jam.
- The industrial machine can pit thousands of olives per hour with minimal damage to the fruit's flesh.

## Examples

- The workers dug a deep pit for the new foundation.
- The hikers had to be careful not to fall into the hidden pit while exploring the forest.
- What began as a small excavation soon became a massive gravel pit that dominated the local landscape and provided materials for the entire region's road network.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.