Chit: (Hindi – Chitti). A letter. Note: Official Form. Voucher, etc. "Chit" as an adopted word, dates back to the old East India Company times, and is over 150 years old,[1] being originally for Club and Mess vouchers. It early became a Service word for correspondence, official and other, and is fully established nowadays. At the front in the War, everything written was colloquially a "chit," from private letters to official correspondence. [2]
References / notes
- ↑ The East India Company was founded 31 December 1600 and was closed in 1 June 1874, having operated for 274 years. At the time Soldier and Sailor Words and Phrases was published in 1925, the word "Chit" would have been used for a minimum of 151 years, but this likely to be much longer. The word is still in use today.
- ↑ Edward Fraser and John Gibbons (1925). Soldier and Sailor Words and Phrases. Routledge, London p.54.
Glossary of words and phrases
The above term is listed in our glossary of words and phrases of the Armed Forces of Great Britain during the Great War. Included are trench slang, service terms, expressions in everyday use, nicknames, the titles and origins of British and Commonwealth Regiments, and warfare in general. These words and phrases are contemporary to the war, which is reflected in the language used. They have been transcribed from three primary sources (see Contents). Feel free to expand upon and improve this content.
Browse other terms: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z