chitty

A mother writes a chitty to give permission for her child's school trip.

Definition

1. Noun (rare or archaic):

   • A child or young person: "chitty" refers to a small child or a young, insignificant person, often used in a dismissive or affectionate manner.
   • A young woman: Specifically, "chitty" can denote a small or slender young woman, sometimes with a connotation of being immature or slight.

2. Noun (alternative spelling of "chit"):

   • A note or document: "chitty" is a variant spelling of "chit," meaning a short letter, a note, a receipt, a certificate, or a pass. This usage is common in informal or colonial contexts.
   • A voucher or permit: In military or bureaucratic settings, "chitty" can refer to a written order, a permission slip (e.g., a leave pass), or a bill of payment.

Usage Examples

• Noun (child):

  • She is just a little chitty, barely able to speak. (A small child.)
  • Don't mind him — he's a mere chitty, too young to understand. (An insignificant young person.)

• Noun (note or document):

  • He handed me a chitty as proof of payment. (A receipt or voucher.)
  • The soldier requested a chitty for weekend leave. (A permission slip or pass.)

Advanced Usage

• "a chit of a girl": an expression meaning a young, slender, or immature girl, often used with a slight belittling tone.

  • She was only a chit of a girl, yet she spoke with surprising authority. (A young, inexperienced girl.)

• "farewell chitty" (military slang): a document granting permission to leave or a final discharge note.

  • Before departing, he received his farewell chitty from the commanding officer. (A written leave or discharge order.)

Variants and Related Words

• Chit (n): the standard spelling for a short note, receipt, or a young person.

  • Please sign this chit for the supplies. (A voucher or note.)

• Chitty (adj, rare): meaning childish or small (less common).

  • Her chitty manner annoyed the adults. (Childlike or immature.)

Synonyms

• For "child": kid, youngster, brat, tot.
• For "note": voucher, slip, memo, receipt, pass.

Idioms and Fixed Expressions

• "Chit and chat": informal conversation or gossip (not directly related to "chitty" but shares the root "chit" for a note or chat).
  • They sat for hours in chit and chat. (Casual talk.)

Phrasal Verbs

• None directly associated with "chitty" as a standalone word; "chit" appears in fixed phrases like "chit up" (to write a note) in rare colonial usage.

Related Idioms

• "A chitty of a thing": an expression for something small or insignificant.
  • That car is just a chitty of a vehicle — it can't handle rough roads. (A small, weak thing.)