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definitions

sit-up

[sit-uhp]
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR sit-up ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

an exercise in which a person lies flat on the back, lifts the torso to a sitting position, and then lies flat again without changing the position of the legs: formerly done with the legs straight but now usually done with the knees bent.

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Origin of sit-up

First recorded in 1835–45; noun use of verb phrase sit up

sit

1
[sit]

verb (used without object), sat or (Archaic) sate; sat or (Archaic) sit·ten; sit·ting.

to rest with the body supported by the buttocks or thighs; be seated.
to be located or situated: The house sits well up on the slope.
to rest or lie (usually followed by on or upon): An aura of greatness sits easily upon him.
to place oneself in position for an artist, photographer, etc.; pose: to sit for a portrait.
to remain quiet or inactive: They let the matter sit.
(of a bird) to perch or roost.
(of a hen) to cover eggs to hatch them; brood.
to fit, rest, or hang, as a garment: The jacket sits well on your shoulders.
to occupy a place or have a seat in an official assembly or in an official capacity, as a legislator, judge, or bishop.
to be convened or in session, as an assembly.
to act as a baby-sitter.
(of wind) to blow from the indicated direction: The wind sits in the west tonight.
to be accepted or considered in the way indicated: Something about his looks just didn't sit right with me.
Informal. to be acceptable to the stomach: Something I ate for breakfast didn't sit too well.
Chiefly British. to take a test or examination: I’m studying now, and I plan to sit in June.

verb (used with object), sat or (Archaic) sate; sat or (Archaic) sit·ten; sit·ting.

to cause to sit; seat (often followed by down): Sit yourself down. He sat me near him.
to sit astride or keep one's seat on (a horse or other animal): She sits her horse gracefully.
to provide seating accommodations or seating room for; seat: Our dining-room table only sits six people.
Informal. to serve as baby-sitter for: A neighbor can sit the children while you go out.
Chiefly British. to take (a test or examination): She finally received permission to sit the exam at a later date.

Verb Phrases

sit down,
  1. to take a seat.
  2. to descend to a sitting position; alight.
  3. to take up a position, as to encamp or besiege: The military forces sat down at the approaches to the city.
sit in,
  1. 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.
  2. to take part in a sit-in.
sit in on, to be a spectator, observer, or visitor at: to sit in on classes.
sit on/upon,
  1. to inquire into or deliberate over: A coroner's jury was called to sit on the case.
  2. Informal.to suppress; silence: They sat on the bad news as long as they could.
  3. Informal.to check or rebuke; squelch: I'll sit on him if he tries to interrupt me.
sit out,
  1. to stay to the end of: Though bored, we sat out the play.
  2. to surpass in endurance: He sat out his tormentors.
  3. to keep one's seat during (a dance, competition, etc.); fail to participate in: We sat out all the Latin-American numbers.
sit up,
  1. to rise from a supine to a sitting position.
  2. to delay the hour of retiring beyond the usual time.
  3. to sit upright; hold oneself erect.
  4. Informal.to become interested or astonished: We all sat up when the holiday was announced.

Origin of sit

1
before 900; Middle English sitten, Old English sittan; cognate with Dutch zitten, German sitzen, Old Norse sitja; akin to Gothic sitan, Latin sedēre, Greek hézesthai (base hed-); cf. set, sedate, cathedral, nest
Can be confusedset sit (see usage note at set)

Synonyms for sit

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR sit ON THESAURUS.COM
10. meet, assemble, convene, gather.

Usage note

See set.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for sit up

sit up

verb (adverb)

to raise (oneself or another) from a recumbent to an upright or alert sitting posture
(intr) to remain out of bed and awake, esp until a late hour
(intr) informal to become suddenly interested or alertdevaluation of the dollar made the money market sit up

noun sit-up

a physical exercise in which the body is brought into a sitting position from one lying on the backAlso: trunk curl

SIT

abbreviation for

stay in touch

sit

verb sits, sitting or sat (mainly intr)

(also tr; when intr, often foll by down, in, or on) to adopt or rest in a posture in which the body is supported on the buttocks and thighs and the torso is more or less uprightto sit on a chair; sit a horse
(tr) to cause to adopt such a posture
(of an animal) to adopt or rest in a posture with the hindquarters lowered to the ground
(of a bird) to perch or roost
(of a hen or other bird) to cover eggs to hatch them; brood
to be situated or located
(of the wind) to blow from the direction specified
to adopt and maintain a posture for one's portrait to be painted, etc
to occupy or be entitled to a seat in some official capacity, as a judge, elected representative, etc
(of a deliberative body) to be convened or in session
to remain inactive or unusedhis car sat in the garage for a year
to rest or lie as specifiedthe nut was sitting so awkwardly that he couldn't turn it
(of a garment) to fit or hang as specifiedthat dress sits well on you
to weigh, rest, or lie as specifiedgreatness sits easily on him
(tr) mainly British to take (an examination)he's sitting his bar finals
(usually foll by for) mainly British to be a candidate (for a qualification)he's sitting for a BA
(intr; in combination) to look after a specified person or thing for someone elsegranny-sit
(tr) to have seating capacity for
sitting pretty informal well placed or established financially, socially, etc
sit tight
  1. to wait patiently; bide one's time
  2. to maintain one's position, stand, or opinion firmly
See also sit back, sit down, sit-in, sit on, sit out, sit over, sit under, sit up

Word Origin for sit

Old English sittan; related to Old Norse sitja, Gothic sitan, Old High German sizzen, Latin sedēre to sit, Sanskrit sīdati he sits
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 sit up

sit

v.

Old English sittan "to occupy a seat, be seated, sit down, seat oneself; remain, continue; settle, encamp, occupy; lie in wait; besiege" (class V strong verb; past tense sæt, past participle seten), from Proto-Germanic *setjan (cf. Old Saxon sittian, Old Norse sitja, Danish sidde, Old Frisian sitta, Middle Dutch sitten, Dutch zitten, Old High German sizzan, German sitzen, Gothic sitan), from PIE root *sed- (1) "to sit" (see sedentary).

With past tense sat, formerly also set, now restricted to dialect, and sate, now archaic; and past participle sat, formerly sitten. In reference to a legislative assembly, from 1510s. Meaning "to baby-sit" is recorded from 1966.

To sit back "be inactive" is from 1943. To sit on one's hands was originally "to withhold applause" (1926); later, "to do nothing" (1959). To sit around "be idle, do nothing" is 1915, American English. To sit out "not take part" is from 1650s. Sitting pretty is from 1916.

sit-up

n.

also situp, kind of physical exercise, 1955, from the verbal phrase (attested from early 13c.); see sit (v.) + up (adv.). Related: Sit-ups.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Idioms and Phrases with sit up

sit up

1

Rise to a sitting position from lying down, as in The sick child sat up and asked for a drink of water. [Early 1200s]

2

Stay up later than usual, as in The nurse sat up with her all night long. [Mid-1500s]

3

Sit with the spine erect, as in She was always telling the students to sit up. [Early 1700s]

4

Become suddenly alert, as in The students sat up when he brought up the test. The same sense appears in the related sit up and take notice, as in When he mentioned the arrival of a movie star, they all sat up and took notice. [Late 1800s]

sit

In addition to the idioms beginning with sit

  • sit at one's feet
  • sit back
  • sit bolt upright
  • sit by
  • sit down
  • sit in
  • sit on
  • sit on one's hands
  • sit out
  • sit pretty
  • sit through
  • sit tight
  • sit up
  • sit well with

also see:

  • at a sitting
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.