rit

Meanings

Noun

• A scratch, a score or a groove.

Verb

• To scratch or score.
• To tear, rip, rend.
• To slit.

Adverb

• Abbreviation of ritardando

Origin

• From Middle English ritten, from Old English *rittan (compare Old High German rizzen), from Proto-West Germanic *rittjan, from Proto-Germanic *ritjaną, from Proto-Indo-European *wrid-néh₂-; see *hrītaną.
• Compare with Proto-Slavic *rězati ("to cut, carve, engrave")). Cognate with German ritzen ("to scratch"). See also rat.