sit */*/*/

UK [sɪt] / US verb
Word forms "sit":
present tense I/you/we/they sit he/she/it sits present participle sitting past tense sat UK [sæt] / US past participle sat

1) [intransitive] to be in a position in which the lower part of your body rests on a seat or on the ground, while the upper part of your body is upright

sit on a chair/bench/stool:

Matt sat on a park bench, eating his lunch.

sit at a table/desk/computer:

I was sitting at my computer when the phone rang.

sit in:

They were sitting in a café drinking coffee.

sit together:

My friends and I like to sit together in the canteen.

sit next to someone:

I usually sit next to Andrew in history.

sit side by side:

We sat side by side in the back seat.

sit around:

Six of us were sitting around the table talking.

sit still:

Sit still (= without moving) while I brush your hair, Lucy.

just sit there (= not do anything):

Are you going to just sit there, or are you going to help me?

a) sit or sit down

[intransitive] to lower your body into a sitting position

He sat right on the cake.

b) [transitive] to put someone into a sitting position

Joanna sat the child on her lap and read him a story.

2) [intransitive] to be in a particular situation or condition for a period of time

They sat in silence, unable to look at each other.

I ended up sitting in traffic for over an hour.

3) [intransitive] to be in a particular place

The house sits on top of a hill overlooking the countryside.

The tins looked as though they had been sitting on the shelf for months.

4)

a) [intransitive] to be a member of a committee or other official group

She sits on the boards of several large companies.

b) when a parliament, a court of law, or a committee sits, it has an official meeting

5) [transitive] British to take an examination

I'm sitting my French exam tomorrow.

6) [intransitive] to be a model for a painter or a photographer

sit for:

She earns money sitting for artists.

7) [intransitive] informal to babysit

sit for:

I'm sitting for the Richardsons tomorrow night.

•

not sit well/right with someone — if something that someone does or says does not sit well with you, you do not agree with it or do not like it

Her remarks at dinner didn't sit well with some of the guests.

- sit at the feet of someone

- sit in judgment

- sit tight

- sit up and take notice

- sitting pretty

Phrasal verbs:

- sit around

- sit back

- sit by

- sit down

- sit in

- sit in for

- sit in on

- sit on

- sit out

- sit through

- sit up

See:

fence I