(a) A natural or man-made depression in the ground, hole, pit, ditch; cave; also fig.; also, an open excavation from which some mineral product is obtained or in which some industrial process is carried out; marle ~, marl pit; marble ~, marble quarry; colieres pittes, charcoal burners' pits; ~ botme, bottom of the pit; (b) a concealed hole or pit serving as a trap; also fig.; (c) a hole in which an animal dwells, den, burrow; also, a pit in which dangerous animals are confined; (d) a pit or storage hole inside a house, cellar; (e) a privy; refuse pit; blod ~, ~ of blod, a slaughter pit; (f) a hole in which a body is buried, grave; also fig.; ben on pittes brinke, ben ripe unto ~, sitten on ~ hille, to be on the verge of death; also, the digging or provision of a grave as a service offered by a parish church; (g) a dungeon, an underground chamber within a prison; also, a prison.

(a) A water hole, well, spring; pond, pool; also fig.; blind ~, hidden spring; milne ~, millpond; salt ~, saltwater pond; water ~, ~ of water; whirli ~, an eddy; (b) pit(tes water, well water, spring water.

(a) A depression in the surface of an object, dent; also, a hollow in the center of a boiled egg yolk; (b) anat. a natural depression or hollow in some part of the body; socket; pitted scar; deep sore; also, a temporary indentation or impression in swollen flesh; arme ~, armpit; brest (herte) ~, the pit of the stomach, midriff; eie ~, eye socket; ~ of the bones of the tempeles, the zygomatic arch; (c) surg. a loop of thread or hair.

(a) Hell, or some part of it; the Abyss; also, the underworld of classical mythology or some part thereof; helle ~, ~ of helle; ~ of depnesse; the muchel ~; peines ~; ~ bro, the brink of Hell; (b) fig. grounles ~, an unfathomable depth; also, ?a hopeless case [quot.: (a1393)]; ~ of deth, destruction; also, Hell; ~ of sinne, the abyss of sin.

Law The right to execute female malefactors by drowning.

(a) In surnames; (b) in place names [see Smith, PNElem. 2.63, 75].