pit

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An indentation in an optical medium such as a CD-ROM or DVD. The laser beam is either absorbed in the pit or reflects off the non-indented areas, which are called "lands." Using various algorithms, the reflections are converted into 0 and 1 bits.

Pits and Lands

This microscopic view of a CD-ROM and DVD disc compares the track density and pits and lands, which account for 7.5 times as much data on the DVD. (Image courtesy of C-Cube Microsystems.)

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location at a futures or options exchange in which trading takes place. Pits are usually shaped like rings, often with several levels of steps, so that a large number of traders can see and be seen by each other as they conduct business.

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v. To remove the stone or seed of a fruit. This is most often done by using a sharp knife to cut it loose or a specialized utensil (known as a pitter) to push it out. pit n. The stone or seed of a fruit such as a cherry, peach, apricot or plum.

noun

1. An area sunk below its surroundings: basin, concavity, depression, dip, hollow, sag, sink, sinkhole. See convex/concave.
2. A place known for its great filth or corruption: cesspit, cesspool, sink. Slang armpit. See clean/dirty, right/wrong.

verb

To place in opposition or be in opposition to: counter, match, oppose, play off. Idioms: bump heads with, meet head-on, setbeat odds, setbeat someone's throat, tradeblowspunches. See support/oppose.

pit²

noun

A fertilized plant ovule capable of germinating: kernel, pip, seed. See start/end.

Idioms beginning with pit:
pity
pitcher
pit against
pitch
pitched battle, a
pitch into
pitch on

In addition to the idiom beginning with pit, also see the pits.

n

Definition: hole, cavity
Antonyms: mountain

v

Definition: oppose, play off
Antonyms: agree, go along

1. An orchestra pit.
2. A small circular hole in a paint film; also See pockmarking.
3. An excavation; a hole in the ground.

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Pit, the popular name for trading floors of commodity exchanges, is most often applied to that of the Board of Trade of the City of Chicago, the largest exchange in the United States. The Pit records world opinion on the price of key commodities and promotes a liquid market by providing opportunities to make contracts for future delivery ("futures") and to protect buyers against price changes ("hedges").

Founded on 3 April 1848, the Board of Trade was organized in 1850 under a general statute and incorporated by a special legislative act on 18 February 1859. The Board of Trade is governed by a board of directors; an appointed professional serves as president.

Bibliography

Cowing, Cedric B. Populists, Plungers, and Progressives: A Social History of Stock and Commodity Speculation: 1890–1936. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1965.

A specific area of the trading floor that is designated for the trading of an individual futures or options contract.

Investopedia Says:
You've probably seen pictures of traders wildly thrashing their arms and yelling orders in the trading pit. Although it may look like a poorly coordinated Village People concert, there is actual trading going on.

Related Links:
Discover why controlled chaos can mean an exciting investment experience for you. Take A Tour Of The Futures Trading Pit
For those who are new to futures but want a solid understanding of them, this tutorial explains what futures contracts are, how they work and why investors use them. Futures Fundamentals
Find out the various ways in which a broker can fill an order, which can affect costs. Understanding Order Execution
An introduction to the world of options, covering everything from primary concepts to how options work and why you might use them. Options Basics Tutorial

sign description: One hand makes a scooping motion.

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A pit is something we fall into, get stuck in, and have difficulty getting out of, so dreaming about being in a pit could reflect these feelings. We also talk about being in a "bottomless pit" or taking a "pit stop." (See also Cave; Hole).

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noun
noun, orig services'

1: A pocket. (1811 —) .
D. W. Maurer The most important pocket in the coat from the pickpocket's point of view is the coat pit, or the inside breast pocket....This is often shortened to pit (1955).

2: A bed, a bunk. (1948 —) .
D. Tinker In our pits at night we always get rattled around a bit (1982).

3: the pits orig US The worst or most despicable example of something. (1953 —) .
Observer I've never been fined for saying something obscene. It's always been for saying 'You're the pits,' or something.—John McEnroe (1981);
J. Fuller Hey, give me a little comfort here. This weather is the pits (1985).

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Next:	pixilated, pizzazz, place

any of three closely related homeobox genes for positive transcription factors (Pit). Pit-1 activates the genes for somatotropin, prolactin, and the β subunit of thyrotropin, binding specifically to the consensus sequence 5′-TAAAT-3′. It contains a POU domain and contributes to the naming of the domain. Deficiency of Pit-1 leads to a syndrome caused by combined lack of somatotropin, prolactin, and thyrotropin. PITX2 (271 amino acids) and PITX3 (302 amino acids) are homologous with Pit-1. Mutations in either result in ocular defects.

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For a list of words related to pit, see:

• Mining - pit: man-made cavity in ground for mining
• Hills, Hollows, and Valleys - pit: narrow, deep, steep-sided depression in earth
• Securities - pit: area of commodities exchange where brokers and traders work
• Musicians and Performance - pit: sunken area in front of stage in which orchestra sits during opera or ballet performance
• Stagecraft, Production, and Dramatic Structure - pit: sunken area directly in front of stage in which orchestra musicians sit
• Auto Racing
• Hell - pit: bottomless pit

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See words rhyming with "pit."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Pit.

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Dansk (Danish)
1.
n. - udgravning, afgrund, faldgrube, kampplads, skakt, kule
v. tr. - nedkule, lave huller i
v. intr. - blive hullet

idioms:

• pit against    kæmpe imod
• pit boss    mineboss
• pit bull terrier    pitbull-terrier
• pit of the stomach    hjertekulen
• pit stop    depot, pitstop
• the pits    helvede

2.
n. - sten (i frugt)
v. tr. - udstene

Nederlands (Dutch)
kuil, put, (orkest)bak, kolenmijn, parterre, de hel, pit, smeerkuil, hoek (op beurs), bed, cockpit, ontpitten, putjes/ littekens in maken, in een kuil/put plaatsen, in een kuil laten vechten

Français (French)
1.
n. - fosse, (Minér) mine, creux, (fig) abîme, carrière, trappe, (Fin) corbeille, (Théât) parterre, (Aut) fosse, stand, (GB) pieu, lit
v. tr. - opposer qn à, marquer (une surface), ronger (le métal)
v. intr. - se marquer de petits creux, s'arrêter pour se ravitailler en essence (lors d'une course automobile)

idioms:

• pit against    opposer à, se mesurer à
• pit boss    responsable d'une mine de charbon
• pit bull terrier    pit bull
• pit of the stomach    le creux du ventre
• pit stop    arrêt mécanique, arrêt de ravitaillement, (fig) petite pause
• the pits    l'enfer, le pire inimaginable (arg)

2.
n. - (US) noyau (de fruit)
v. tr. - dénoyauter

Deutsch (German)
1.
n. - Grube, Vertiefung, Fallgrube, Kampfplatz, Narbe, Maklerstand
v. - kämpfen lassen, Löcher bilden

idioms:

• pit against    messen an
• pit boss    Überwacher der Spieltische im Kasino
• pit bull terrier    amerikanischer Bull Terrier
• pit of the stomach    Magengrube
• pit stop    Boxenstopp
• the pits    (slang) der allerschlimmste Platz

2.
n. - Stein
v. - entsteinen

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - λάκκος, λακκούβα, γούβα, σκάμμα, βαθούλωμα, κοίλωμα, κόγχη, κοιλότητα, βούλα, σημάδι, ορυχείο, (ΗΠΑ) κουκούτσι φρούτου, (πίσω καθίσματα σε) πλατεία θεάτρου, ουλή, κέντρο γηπέδου
v. - ανοίγω λάκκους, σημαδεύω με βούλες, σημαδεύω, κόβω, ανταγωνίζομαι, παραβγαίνω, έχω σαν αντίπαλο, δημιουργώ κοιλώματα ή ουλές

idioms:

• pit against    τα βάζω με, εναντιώνομαι σε
• pit boss    υπεύθυνος τμήματος σε καζίνο
• pit bull terrier    ράτσα σκύλου για σκυλομαχίες
• pit of the stomach    το εσωτερικό του στομαχιού
• pit stop    στάση ανεφοδιασμού ή/και επιδιόρθωσης αγωνιστικού αυτοκινήτου
• the pits    βόθρος, οχετός, σκατά (για ανθρώπους, πράγματα κλπ.)

Italiano (Italian)
buca, platea, nocciolo, abisso, pozzo

idioms:

• dig a pit for    tendere un tranello
• pit against    opporre
• pit boss    guardiano di roulette
• pit bull terrier    pit bull terrier
• pit of the stomach    bocca dello stomaco
• pit stop    fermata di rifornimento
• the pits    inferno, schifezza

Português (Portuguese)
n. - buraco (m), cratera (f), depósito de lixo (m), espelunca (f), túmulo (m), mina (f), fundo da platéia (m), fosso da orquestra (m)
v. - cavar, enterrar, fazer brigar, competir

idioms:

• dig a pit for    puxar o tapete, dar uma rasteira
• pit against    fazer lutar contra
• pit boss    gerente de cassino
• pit bull terrier    pit bull terrier (raça de cães inglesa)
• pit of the stomach    boca do estômago
• pit stop    garagem usada durante corrida de automóveis
• the pits    inferno

Русский (Russian)
яма, западня, косточка, шахта, зарывать

idioms:

• dig a pit for    рыть яму кому-либо
• pit against    натравливать на
• pit boss    бригадир в шахте
• pit bull terrier    бультерьер для драки
• pit of the stomach    в центре, интуитивно
• pit stop    сходить в уборную
• the pits    ад кромешный

Español (Spanish)
1.
n. - hoyo, bache, foso, platea, grano, pipa, abismo, cantera, pozo
v. tr. - oponer, poner o amontonar en un hoyo, marcar con hoyos
v. intr. - hacer hoyos en, llenar de hoyitos, echar a pelear

idioms:

• pit against    medirse con alguien, luchar con alguien, oponerse contra
• pit boss    supervisor de mesas de juego en un casino, jefe de equipo, capataz de una mina
• pit bull terrier    perro pit bull terrier
• pit of the stomach    boca del estómago
• pit stop    parada en boxes, parada en ruta, entrada a los botes/pits
• the pits    el infierno

2.
n. - hueso, pepita
v. tr. - deshuesar (una fruta)

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - grop, hål, gruvschakt, avgrund, depå (racerbana), hoppgrop, lägre parkett (teat.) dike, kärna
v. - göra gropig, kärna ur

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
1. 洼坑, 凹处, 矿坑, 煤矿, 地窖, 窑, 使成凹, 使留下疤痕, 挖坑于, 放入坑中, 变麻脸, 停车加油, 留下凹痕

idioms:

• pit against    使竞争
• pit boss    工头, 赌场老板
• pit bull terrier    斗牛狗
• pit of the stomach    脐下丹田
• pit stop    汽车赛中在加油站停车加油或维修
• the pits    最糟糕的情况, 赛车道旁的检修加油站

2. 果核, 除去...的核

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
1.
n. - 果核
v. tr. - 除去...的核

2.
n. - 窪坑, 凹處, 礦坑, 煤礦, 地窖, 窯
v. tr. - 使成凹, 使留下疤痕, 挖坑於, 放入坑中
v. intr. - 變麻臉, 停車加油, 留下凹痕

idioms:

• pit against    使競爭
• pit boss    工頭, 賭場老板
• pit bull terrier    鬥牛狗
• pit of the stomach    臍下丹田
• pit stop    汽車賽中在加油站停車加油或維修
• the pits    最糟糕的情況, 賽車道旁的檢修加油站

한국어 (Korean)
1.
n. - 구멍, 함정, 광산, 지옥
v. tr. - 움푹 들어가게 하다, (닭.개 따위를) 싸움 붙이다, 투견장
v. intr. - 움푹 들어가다

idioms:

• pit against    경쟁시키다
• the pits    (극장의) 일층석

2.
n. - (과실의) 씨
v. tr. - (과실의) 씨를 빼다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 穴, 採掘坑, 炭坑, 平土間, 平土間の観客, 落とし穴, あばた, オーケストラ席, 地獄, 墓穴, ピット, 核
v. - 穴をあける, あばたにする, 対抗させる, 核を取る

idioms:

• pit against    ～と競争させる
• pit boss    現場監督
• pit bull terrier    ピットブルテリア
• pit of the stomach    みぞおち, 深く物事に感動する状態
• pit stop    ピットストップ, 途中停車, 途中停車地
• pit your wits against someone    知恵で対抗する
• the pits    穴, 落とし穴, あな, ピット, 小窩, 壁孔, 穴蔵, 寝床, 一階席

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) حفرة, وجرة, الجزء الخلفي من قاعه المسرح الرئيسيه, فم, تجويف في جسم الإنسان أو الحيوان, نواة الخوخ او التمر, قبر كبير يتسع لعدة جثث (فعل) يحفر, يخرج النوى, يضع أو يدفن في حفرة, يتنقر, يتندب‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮בור, שקע, זירת-חיות, מכרה, מלכודת, בור-בדיקה למכוניות, מושבים אחוריים, מדור בבורסה, גממית - צלקת ממחלת אבעבועות‬
v. tr. - ‮עשה גומות, צילק, הציב מול, איחסן (ירקות) בבור‬
v. intr. - ‮tsniaga tip>txtI‬
n. - ‮גלעין‬
v. tr. - ‮גילען (הוציא את הגלעין מפרי)‬

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