sitting

[ sit-ing ]

/ ˈsɪt ɪŋ /

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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR sitting ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the act of a person or thing that sits.

a period of remaining seated, as in posing for a portrait or reading a book.

the space on or in which one sits, as in a church.

a brooding, as of a hen upon eggs; incubation.

the number of eggs on which a bird sits during a single hatching; clutch.

a session, as of a court or legislature.

the time or space allotted to the serving of a meal to a group, as aboard a ship.

adjective

(of a bird) occupying a nest of eggs for hatching.

of, for, or suited to sitting: a sitting area in the lobby.

holding an official position or office; occupying an appointed or elected seat; incumbent: a sitting pontiff.

in session or at work; active: a sitting legislature.

RELATED WORDS

situated, lotus, sedentary

Nearby words

sitsang, sittella, sitten, sitter, sitter, willem de, sitting, sitting bull, sitting duck, sitting on a powder keg, sitting pretty, sitting room

Idioms

sitting pretty, in an auspicious position: He's been sitting pretty since he got that new job.

Origin of sitting

Middle English word dating back to 1175–1225; see origin at sit¹, -ing¹, -ing²

Definition for sitting (2 of 3)

sit

[ sit ]

/ sɪt /

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,

to take a seat.
to descend to a sitting position; alight.
to take up a position, as to encamp or besiege: The military forces sat down at the approaches to the city.

sit in,

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.
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,

to inquire into or deliberate over: A coroner's jury was called to sit on the case.
Informal. to suppress; silence: They sat on the bad news as long as they could.
Informal. to check or rebuke; squelch: I'll sit on him if he tries to interrupt me.

sit out,

to stay to the end of: Though bored, we sat out the play.
to surpass in endurance: He sat out his tormentors.
to keep one's seat during (a dance, competition, etc.); fail to participate in: We sat out all the Latin-American numbers.

sit up,

to rise from a supine to a sitting position.
to delay the hour of retiring beyond the usual time.
to sit upright; hold oneself erect.
Informal. to become interested or astonished: We all sat up when the holiday was announced.

Origin of sit

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

SYNONYMS FOR sit

10 meet, assemble, convene, gather.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR sit ON THESAURUS.COM

Can be confusedset sit (see usage note at set)

Usage note

See set.

Definition for sitting (3 of 3)

sit

[ sit ]

/ sɪt /

verb

(in prescriptions) may it be.

Origin of sit

From Latin

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

Examples from the Web for sitting

And it might be what Islamists complain about while sitting in their caves.
Why We Stand With Charlie Hebdo—And You Should Too|John Avlon|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
And there are these three or four very mean Mexicans sitting next to us.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
I couldn't have imagined that I would actually be sitting with him, coincidentally at age 30, discussing the same issue.
Cuban Hip-Hop Was Born in Alamar|Daniel Levin|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Both impart the experience of sitting with brilliant Cubans over a rum to debate the State of Cuban Intellectual Life.
Book Bag: Great Books About Cuba|Julia Cooke|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST

So I’m sitting with my daughter and all of her friends—who are 13—and she says ‘Dad, can I be honest with you?
Jamie Foxx: Get Over the Black ‘Annie’|Stereo Williams|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Mrs. Palmer alone was absent from her guests, sitting at the telephone.
The Relentless City|Edward Frederic Benson
Martha Phipps, sitting next to Galusha, stirred and uttered an impatient exclamation under her breath.
Galusha the Magnificent|Joseph C. Lincoln
It seemed heartless to be sitting down in comfort to so good a supper while her father was in she knew not how great distress.
Crooked Trails and Straight|William MacLeod Raine
When she turned round at last, she saw him sitting on the sofa, his cheeks wet with tears.
Married|August Strindberg
A stroll, too, would be pleasanter than sitting indoors, don't you think?
The Shadow of the Rope|E. W. Hornung

British Dictionary definitions for sitting (1 of 3)

sitting

/ (ˈsɪtɪŋ) /

noun

a continuous period of being seatedI read his novel at one sitting

such a period in a restaurant, canteen, etc, where space and other facilities are limiteddinner will be served in two sittings

the act or period of posing for one's portrait to be painted, carved, etc

a meeting, esp of an official body, to conduct business

the incubation period of a bird's eggs during which the mother sits on them to keep them warm

adjective

in officea sitting Member of Parliament

(of a hen) brooding eggs

seatedin a sitting position

British Dictionary definitions for sitting (2 of 3)

SIT

/ text messaging /

abbreviation for

stay in touch

British Dictionary definitions for sitting (3 of 3)

sit

/ (sɪt) /

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

to wait patiently; bide one's time
to maintain one's position, stand, or opinion firmly

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

Idioms and Phrases with sitting

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

sitting

noun

adjective

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of sitting

Definition for sitting (2 of 3)

sit

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

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

Verb Phrases

Origin of sit

Usage note

Definition for sitting (3 of 3)

sit

verb

Origin of sit

Examples from the Web for sitting

British Dictionary definitions for sitting (1 of 3)

sitting

noun

adjective

British Dictionary definitions for sitting (2 of 3)

SIT

abbreviation for

British Dictionary definitions for sitting (3 of 3)

sit

verb sits, sitting or sat (mainly intr)

Word Origin for sit

Idioms and Phrases with sitting

sit