sit

An act of sitting.

Noun

  1. An act of sitting.
  2. Subsidence of the roof of a coal mine.
  3. An event, usually lasting one full day or more, where the primary goal is to sit in meditation.

Origin

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *sed- Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *sédyeti Proto-Germanic *sitjaną Proto-West Germanic *sittjan Old English sittan Middle English sitten English sit From Middle English sitten, from Old English sittan, from Proto-West Germanic *sittjan, from Proto-Germanic *sitjaną, from Proto-Indo-European *sed- (“sit”). Cognates Cognate with West Frisian sitte, Low German sitten, Dutch zitten, German sitzen, Swedish sitta, Norwegian Bokmål sitte, Norwegian Nynorsk sitja, Danish sidde, Faroese sita, Icelandic sitja; and with Irish suigh, Latin sedeo, Russian сиде́ть (sidétʹ).

Forms

sits

Noun abbreviation, alt of

  1. Clipping of situation.
    • The increasing scope of the disaster was relayed in short, terse sentences whose brevity does not conceal the unfolding nightmare. […] In mid-afternoon at 1600: “Sit is getting worse; need help badly,” “have...

Forms

sits

Related

sitrep

Verb

  1. To be in a position in which the upper body is upright and supported by the buttocks.
    • After a long day of walking, it was good just to sit and relax.
    • You're finishing the chowder if you sit there (motionless) all evening!
    • He is so fayre, withoutten les, / he semys full well to sytt on des. - 15th c., “[The Creation]”, in Wakefield Mystery Plays; Re-edited in George England, Alfred W. Pollard, editors, The Towneley Plays (Early English...
  2. To move oneself into such a position.
    • I asked him to sit.
  3. To occupy a given position.
    • The dishes are still sitting on the table!
    • The temple has sat atop that hill for centuries.
    • Jim's pet parrot sat on his left shoulder.
  4. To remain in a state of repose; to rest; to abide; to rest in any position or condition.
    • And Moses said to […] the children of Reuben, Shall your brothren go to war, and shall ye sit here? - 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Numbers 32:6:
    • Like a demigod here sit I in the sky. - c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Loues Labour’s Lost”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard,...
  5. To be a member of a deliberative body.
    • I currently sit on a standards committee.
  6. Of a legislative or, especially, a judicial body such as a court, to be in session.
    • In what city is the circuit court sitting for this session?
  7. To lie, rest, or bear; to press or weigh.
    • The calamity sits heavy on us. - 1651, Jer[emy] Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Francis Ashe […], →OCLC:
  8. To be adjusted; to fit.
    • Your new coat sits well.
    • This new and gorgeous garment, majesty, / Sits not so easy on me as you think. - c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]. Epilogue.”, in Mr. William Shakespeares...
  9. To be accepted or acceptable; to work.
    • How will this new contract sit with the workers?
    • I don’t think it will sit well.
    • The violence in these video games sits awkwardly with their stated aim of educating children.
  10. To cause to be seated or in a sitting posture; to furnish a seat to.
    • Sit him in front of the TV and he might watch for hours.
  11. To accommodate in seats; to seat.
    • The dining room table sits eight comfortably.
    • I sat me weary on a pillar's base, / And leaned against the shaft - 1899, James Thomson, “The City of Dreadful Night”, in The City of Dreadful Night and Other Poems, page 43:
  12. To babysit.
    • I'm going to sit for them on Thursday.
    • I need to find someone to sit my kids on Friday evening for four hours.
    • I saw […] Mrs. Turman, who sometimes sat Billy when Steff and I went out […] - 1980, Stephen King, The Mist, Viking Press:

Forms

sits sitting sat sate sitten no-table-tags glossary sit sattest -

Synonyms

be seated sit down sit up take a seat be be found be situate be accept be welcome be well receive seat

Derived

apartment-sit atsit babysit besit birdsit catsit childsit dogsit do not sit in Rome and strive with the Pope face-sit fence-sit flat-sit where one is sitting granny-sit home-sit horsesit house-sit if I fits, I sits if it fits, I sits is anyone sitting here outsit oversit people sit on chairs petsit