sit 1
/sit/ , v. , sat or ( Archaic ) sate; sat or ( Archaic ) sitten; sitting .
v.i.
1. to rest with the body supported by the buttocks or thighs; be seated.
2. to be located or situated: The house sits well up on the slope.
3. to rest or lie (usually fol. by on or upon ): An aura of greatness sits easily upon him.
4. to place oneself in position for an artist, photographer, etc.; pose: to sit for a portrait.
5. to remain quiet or inactive: They let the matter sit.
6. (of a bird) to perch or roost.
7. (of a hen) to cover eggs to hatch them; brood.
8. to fit, rest, or hang, as a garment: The jacket sits well on your shoulders.
9. to occupy a place or have a seat in an official assembly or in an official capacity, as a legislator, judge, or bishop.
10. to be convened or in session, as an assembly.
11. to act as a baby-sitter.
12. (of wind) to blow from the indicated direction: The wind sits in the west tonight.
13. to be accepted or considered in the way indicated: Something about his looks just didn't sit right with me.
14. Informal. to be acceptable to the stomach: Something I ate for breakfast didn't sit too well.
v.t.
15. to cause to sit; seat (often fol. by down ): Sit yourself down. He sat me near him.
16. to sit astride or keep one's seat on (a horse or other animal): She sits her horse gracefully.
17. to provide seating accommodations or seating room for; seat: Our dining-room table only sits six people.
18. Informal. to serve as baby-sitter for: A neighbor can sit the children while you go out.
19. sit down ,
a. to take a seat.
b. to descend to a sitting position; alight.
c. to take up a position, as to encamp or besiege: The military forces sat down at the approaches to the city.
20. sit in ,
a. to attend or take part as a visitor or temporary participant: to sit in at a bridge game; to sit in for the band's regular pianist.
b. to take part in a sit-in.
21. sit in on , to be a spectator, observer, or visitor at: to sit in on classes.
22. sit on or upon ,
a. to inquire into or deliberate over: A coroner's jury was called to sit on the case.
b. Informal. to suppress; silence: They sat on the bad news as long as they could.
c. Informal. to check or rebuke; squelch: I'll sit on him if he tries to interrupt me.
23. sit on one's hands ,
a. to fail to applaud.
b. to fail to take appropriate action.
24. sit out ,
a. to stay to the end of: Though bored, we sat out the play.
b. to surpass in endurance: He sat out his tormentors.
c. to keep one's seat during (a dance, competition, etc.); fail to participate in: We sat out all the Latin-American numbers.
25. sit pretty , Informal. to be in a comfortable situation: He's been sitting pretty ever since he got that new job.
26. sit tight , to bide one's time; take no action: I'm going to sit tight till I hear from you.
27. sit up ,
a. to rise from a supine to a sitting position.
b. to delay the hour of retiring beyond the usual time.
c. to sit upright; hold oneself erect.
d. Informal. to become interested or astonished: We all sat up when the holiday was announced.
[ bef. 900; ME sitten, OE sittan; c. D zitten, G sitzen, ON sitja; akin to Goth sitan, L sedere, Gk hézesthai (base hed- ); cf. SET, SEDATE, CATHEDRAL, NEST ]
Syn. 10. meet, assemble, convene, gather.
Usage . Cf. set .
sit 2
/sit/ , v.
(in prescriptions) may it be.
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