seat

[seet]

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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR seat ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

something designed to support a person in a sitting position, as a chair, bench, or pew; a place on or in which one sits.

the part of a chair, sofa, or the like, on which one sits.

the part of the body on which one sits; the buttocks.

the part of the garment covering it: the seat of one's pants.

a manner of or posture used in sitting, as on a horse.

something on which the base of an object rests.

the base itself.

a place in which something belongs, occurs, or is established; site; location.

a place in which administrative power or the like is centered: the seat of the government.

a part of the body considered as the place in which an emotion or function is centered: The heart is the seat of passion.

the office or authority of a king, bishop, etc.: the episcopal seat.

a space in which a spectator or patron may sit; accommodation for sitting, as in a theater or stadium.

right of admittance to such a space, especially as indicated by a ticket.

a right to sit as a member in a legislative or similar body: to hold a seat in the senate.

a right to the privileges of membership in a stock exchange or the like.

verb (used with object)

to place on a seat or seats; cause to sit down.

to usher to a seat or find a seat for: to be seated in the front row.

to have seats for; accommodate with seats: a theater that seats 1200 people.

to put a seat on or into (a chair, garment, etc.).

to install in a position or office of authority, in a legislative body, etc.

to fit (a valve) with a seat.

to attach to or place firmly in or on something as a base: Seat the telescope on the tripod.

verb (used without object)

(of a cap, valve, etc.) to be closed or in proper position: Be sure that the cap of the dipstick seats.

Idioms

by the seat of one's pants, using experience, instinct, or guesswork.

Origin of seat

1150–1200; Middle English sete (noun) < Old Norse sæti

Related formsseat·er, nounseat·less, adjectivemis·seat, verb (used with object)un·der·seat·ed, adjectivewell-seat·ed, adjective

Synonyms for seat

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR seat ON THESAURUS.COM

1. throne, stool. 3. bottom, fundament.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for seat

chair, couch, bench, center, house, spot, site, place, post, seating, support, bed, ground, locate, lounge, squat, perch, sit, accommodate, install

Examples from the Web for seat

Contemporary Examples of seat

They want to change bad behaviors—tobacco, alcohol, using a seat belt, anything.
Can the U.S. Government Go Moneyball?
Peter Orszag, Jim Nussle
December 23, 2014
On the Democratic side, many expect former Rep. Mike McMahon to make another run at the seat.
The Felon Who Wouldn’t Leave Congress
Ben Jacobs, David Freedlander
December 23, 2014
Interestingly, if Grimm is expelled, he is not legally prohibited from running in the special election for his seat.
The Felon Who Wouldn’t Leave Congress
Ben Jacobs, David Freedlander
December 23, 2014
This means every Senate seat will be Republican, and 80 percent of the House seats will be, too.
Dems, It’s Time to Dump Dixie
Michael Tomasky
December 8, 2014
I had chosen a seat by the window, but Poitras vetoed the location.
Laura Poitras on Snowden's Unrevealed Secrets
Marlow Stern
December 1, 2014

Historical Examples of seat

Over the seat is a mirror cut into small squares by wooden muntins.
The Spenders
Harry Leon Wilson
With these words, he handed the pencil to the professor and returned to his seat.
Brave and Bold
Horatio Alger
Besides, Mr. Morgan offered to resign his seat in the House of Commons in his favor.
The Grand Old Man
Richard B. Cook
It was in February, 1855, that Mr. Gladstone resigned his seat in the Cabinet.
The Grand Old Man
Richard B. Cook
By the way, the seat which he occupied was another of Mr. Roberts' peculiarities.
Ester Ried Yet Speaking
Isabella Alden

British Dictionary definitions for seat

seat

noun

a piece of furniture designed for sitting on, such as a chair or sofa

the part of a chair, bench, etc, on which one sits

a place to sit, esp one that requires a ticketI have two seats for the film tonight

the buttocks

the part of a garment covering the buttocks

the part or area serving as the base of an object

the part or surface on which the base of an object rests

the place or centre in which something is locateda seat of government

a place of abode, esp a country mansion that is or was originally the chief residence of a family

a membership or the right to membership in a legislative or similar body

mainly British a parliamentary constituency

membership in a stock exchange

the manner in which a rider sits on a horse

by the seat of one's pants by instinct rather than knowledge or experience

on seat Western African informal (of officials) in the office rather than on tour or on leavethe agricultural advisor will be on seat tomorrow

verb

(tr) to bring to or place on a seat; cause to sit down

(tr) to provide with seats

(tr; often passive) to place or centrethe ministry is seated in the capital

(tr) to set firmly in place

(tr) to fix or install in a position of power

(tr) to put a seat on or in (an item of furniture, garment, etc)

(intr) (of garments) to sag in the area covering the buttocksyour thin skirt has seated badly

Derived Formsseatless, adjective

Word Origin for seat

Old English gesete; related to Old Norse sæti, Old High German gasāzi, Middle Dutch gesaete

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for seat

n.1

"thing to sit on; act of sitting," c.1200, from Old Norse sæti "seat, position," from Proto-Germanic *sæt- (cf. Old High German saze, Middle Dutch gesaete "seat," Old High German gisazi, German Gesäß "buttocks"), from PIE root *sed- "to sit" (see sit). Meaning "posterior of the body" (the sitting part) is from c.1600; sense of "part of a garment which covers the buttocks" is from 1835. Seat belt is from 1915, originally in airplanes.

n.2

"residence, abode, established place," late 13c., extended use of seat (n.1), influenced by Old French siege "seat, established place," and Latin sedes "seat." Meaning "city in which a government sits" is attested from c.1400. Sense of "right of taking a place in a parliament or other legislative body" is attested from 1774. Old English had sæt "place where one sits in ambush," which also meant "residents, inhabitants," and is the source of the -set in Dorset and Somerset.

1570s, "to be in a certain position" (implied in seated), from seat (n.2). Of diseases, in the body, from 1610s (hence deep-seated). Meaning "to cause to sit in a seat" is from 1610s, from seat (n.1). Related: Seated; seating.

Idioms and Phrases with seat

seat

In addition to the idiom beginning with seat

seat of the pants, by the

also see:

backseat driver
catbird seat
hot seat
in the driver's seat
ringside seat
take a back seat