pit

pit

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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pit

1. the pit hell

2. the area that is occupied by the orchestra in a theatre, located in front of the stage

3. Anatomy

a. a small natural depression on the surface of a body, organ, structure, or part; fossa

b. the floor of any natural bodily cavity

4. Pathol a small indented scar at the site of a former pustule; pockmark

5. any of various small areas in a plant cell wall that remain unthickened when the rest of the cell becomes lignified, esp the vascular tissue

6. a working area at the side of a motor-racing track for servicing or refuelling vehicles

7. a rowdy card game in which players bid for commodities

8. an area of sand or other soft material at the end of a long-jump approach, behind the bar of a pole vault, etc., on which an athlete may land safely

9. the ground floor of the auditorium of a theatre

10. another word for pitfall

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pit Chiefly US and Canadian

the stone of a cherry, plum, etc.

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pit [pit]

(botany)

A cavity in the secondary wall of a plant cell, formed where secondary deposition has failed to occur, and the primary wall remains uncovered; two main types are simple pits and bordered pits.

The stone of a drupaceous fruit.

(metallurgy)

A small hole in the surface of a metal; usually caused by corrosion or formed during electroplating operations.

(mining engineering)

A coal mine; the term is not commonly used by the coal industry, except in reference to surface mining where the workings may be known as a strip pit.

Any quarry, mine, or excavation area worked by the open-cut method to obtain material of value.

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Pit,

the Board of Trade’s cellar, where all bidding occurs. [Am. Lit.: The Pit. Magill I, 756–758]

See : Gambling

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PIT - Language for IBM 650. (See IT).