sitting

[sit-ing]

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that sits.

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

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

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

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

6. a session, as of a court or legislature.

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

adjective

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

2. of, for, or suited to sitting.

   a sitting area in the lobby.

3. holding an official position or office; occupying an appointed or elected seat; incumbent.

   a sitting pontiff.

4. in session or at work; active.

   a sitting legislature.

sitting

/ ˈsɪtɪŋ /

noun

1. a continuous period of being seated

   I read his novel at one sitting

2. such a period in a restaurant, canteen, etc, where space and other facilities are limited

   dinner will be served in two sittings

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

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

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

adjective

1. in office

   a sitting Member of Parliament

2. (of a hen) brooding eggs

3. seated

   in a sitting position

Word History and Origins

Origin of sitting¹

Middle English word dating back to 1175–1225; sit ¹, -ing ¹, -ing ²

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. sitting pretty, in an auspicious position.

   He's been sitting pretty since he got that new job.

Example Sentences

“And we didn’t have them here because they were sitting there in limbo waiting for a decision on tariffs.”

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With no staff to distribute the biscuits, they expired while sitting in a warehouse in Dubai.

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She says she still struggles to believe she really has a child and wishes she could "take this moment and hand it to my 15-year-old self, sitting in that GP surgery".

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Ms Hassard said it had "made all the difference in the world" to Finn who struggled with head control and sitting independently before going to Buddy Bear.

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The Titans were family, and to this day he remembers that Wilhite’s father attended practice just about every day, sitting in the front row, wearing that trademark white bucket hat.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• situated