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• sit-down
  sit-down

  adjective

  done or accomplished while sitting down.
• sit down
  sit down

  verb

  to adopt or cause (oneself or another) to adopt a sitting posture

sit-down

American  

[sit-doun] / ˈsɪtˌdaʊn /

adjective

1. done or accomplished while sitting down.

   sit-down meetings between the two party leaders.

2. (of a meal or food) served to or intended for persons seated at a table.

   a sit-down dinner.

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noun

1. Informal. a period or instance of sitting, as to relax, talk, or the like.

   They had a profitable sit-down together.

2. sit-down strike.

3. a protest demonstration whereby participants refuse to move from a public place.

4. Informal. a meal, especially a dinner, served to persons who are seated at a table.

sit down British  

verb

1. to adopt or cause (oneself or another) to adopt a sitting posture

2. to suffer (insults, etc) without protests or resistance

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noun

1. a form of civil disobedience in which demonstrators sit down in a public place as a protest or to draw attention to a cause

2. See sit-down strike

adjective

1. (of a meal, etc) eaten while sitting down at a table

sit down Idioms  

1. Take a seat, as in Won't you sit down? I won't be long . [c. 1200]

2. sit down to . Prepare to eat a meal, as in At six we all sat down to dinner . [Late 1500s]

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Etymology

Origin of sit-down

First recorded in 1830–40; adj. and noun use of verb phrase sit down

Example Sentences

Sit down in a comfortable chair and try to make sense of that.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 7, 2025

Sit down with your grandpa and clarify how both of you want the household to run from a financial and lifestyle standpoint.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 22, 2025

Turning to her, he issued a string of commands: "Sit down, stand up, turn around, walk over there, hand me that. Now go back."

From BBC • Jul. 8, 2025

Sit down with her and share what you wrote in your letter.

From New York Times • Mar. 30, 2024

He says, Sit down and have some tea.

From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt

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