sitv.

Brit.

/sɪt/, U.S.

/sɪt/

Inflections: Past tense and past participle sat

/sæt/;

Forms: 1. Infinitive.

α. Old English sittan, Old English sitton, Old English syttan, late Old English sitten, early Middle English sittenn ( Ormulum), early Middle English stitte (transmission error), Middle English cytte, Middle English sattand (present participle, probably transmission error), Middle English suttyn (perhaps transmission error), Middle English zitte (south-eastern), Middle English–1500s sytt, Middle English–1500s sytte, Middle English–1600s sitt, Middle English–1600s sitte, Middle English–1600s syt, Middle English– sit, late Middle English sithyng (present participle), late Middle English syth, 1600s sitten (archaic), 1800s zit (English regional (south-western)); Scottish pre-1700 satand (present participle, probably transmission error), pre-1700 sitte, pre-1700 syt, pre-1700 sytt, pre-1700 1700s–1800s sitt, pre-1700 1700s– sit, 1800s– sutten (present participle). eOE King Ælfred tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (Otho) (2009) I. v. 398 Hu meahtest þu sittan on middum gemænum rice??a1160 Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) (Peterborough contin.) anno 1137 He ne myhte..ne sitten ne lien.a1300 Passion our Lord l. 311 in R. Morris Old Eng. Misc. (1872) 46 Ich ine heuene schal sytte.c1350 Ayenbite (1866) App. 264 Riȝtnesse..ssel zitte amydde.1427 in H. Nicolas Proc. & Ordinances Privy Council (1834) III. 232 Þat..þei wolde sit upright.c1595 Capt. Wyatt in G. F. Warner Voy. R. Dudley to W. Indies (1899) 47 Beinge suffred to sitt..at libertie.1642 H. More Ψυχωδια Platonica sig. O A lamp, that men do sitten by.1795 T. Munro Let. 15 Sept. in G. R. Gleig Life Sir Thomas Munro (1830) I. 169 I am not to be forced to sit up.1888 F. T. Elworthy W. Somerset Word-bk. (at cited word) Plase to zit down.1979 Times 13 Nov. 2/8 I could not sit around twiddling my thumbs and doing nothing.2017 Tel-Jrnl. (New Brunswick) (Nexis) 6 Feb. c4 Life is too short to sit at home.

β. (chiefly northern and north-east midlands in early use) Middle English seit, Middle English sete, Middle English siet, Middle English sijt, Middle English site, Middle English syet, Middle English syte, 1500s set, 1800s seet (English regional (northern and north-west midlands)); Scottish pre-1700 seit, pre-1700 set, pre-1700 sett, pre-1700 sete, pre-1700 site. ?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 123 Sedebit solitarius & tacebit. Me schal siten [c1230 Corpus Cambr. sitten] him ane & beon stille. ▸ c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) l. 366 His knictes dede he alle site [rhyme wite].a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 14734 Þair setles þat þai in can sete.?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Petyt) (1996) i. l. 14888 Þei mette at þe water of Duglas to conseile þer and to wite how þat þing best mot site.a1578 R. Lindsay Hist. & Cron. Scotl. (1899) I. 28 To seit with so mony wrangis.1820 R. Wilbraham Attempt Gloss. Cheshire 86 Seet, to sit.

γ. U.S. regional 1900s– sot. 1944 H. Wentworth Amer. Dial. Dict. 581 Sot..to sit.1967 in Dict. Amer. Regional Eng. (2002) IV. 9 Just sottin' here.

2. Present indicative. a. 1st singular Old English sitto (Anglian), Old English–1600s sitte, Middle English site (northern), Middle English–1500s syt, Middle English–1500s sytt, Middle English–1500s sytte, Middle English–1600s sitt, Middle English– sit. eOE (Mercian) Vespasian Psalter (1965) xxv. 5 Cum impiis non sedebo : mid arleasum ic ne sitto.OE Riddle 24 7 Þær ic glado sitte.?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 264 Hwen ich sitte forto demen.a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Gött.) l. 20840 Queþer i sitt, or stand.c1450 Alphabet of Tales (1904) I. 21 I sit in my cell & duse noght.1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 719 I syt..amongest other folkes.?a1610 A. Montgomerie Poems (1887) 166 I sitt and sighis all soliter and sad.1786 J. Cobb Strangers at Home iii. 72 I sit on pins and needles!1847 Tait's Edinb. Mag. 14 340 I sit begloomed, and dull and sad.1948 Sat. Evening Post (Philadelphia) 4 Dec. 127/2 When I sit down, it hikes up.2004 National Post (Canada) (Nexis) 21 Feb. 3 I sit on a log and look out at the lake. b. 2nd singular.

α. Old English sites (chiefly Anglian), Old English (Northumbrian, in prefixed forms)–Middle English sittes, Middle English sitis, Middle English sittis, Middle English sittus, Middle English syttes, Middle English syttys; Scottish pre-1700 sittis. eOE (Mercian) Vespasian Psalter (1965) ix. 4 (5) Sedes super thronum : ðu sites ofer ðrymseld. ▸ c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) l. 1316 Þat wite þw that sittes in trone!c1450 (?a1400) Wars Alexander (Ashm.) l. 1872 Þou..sittis..in sege.1568 A. Scott Poems (1896) i. 169 Sen so thow sittis in saitt.

β. Old English–Middle English sitest, Old English 1500s–1600s sitst, Old English– sittest (now archaic), early Middle English sitthest, Middle English siȝst (south-eastern), Middle English sist, Middle English sittist, Middle English sittiste, Middle English–1500s syttest, 1500s sittyst, 1500s–1600s sit'st, 1500s–1600s sitt'st, 1600s sittst. OE Blickling Homilies 141 Þu þe sitest ofer cherubine.OE King Ælfred tr. Psalms (Paris) (2001) ix. 4 Ðu sitst on ðam hean setle.c1275 (?c1250) Owl & Nightingale (Calig.) (1935) l. 89 Þu sittest adai & fliȝt aniȝt. ▸ a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) v. l. 5742 O thou..That hihe sist.a1425 (c1395) Bible (Wycliffite, L.V.) (Royal) (1850) Deeds xxiii. 3 Thou sittist.1592 T. Kyd Spanish Trag. ii. sig. D2 The more thou sitst.1673 J. Milton Psalm LXXX in Poems (new ed.) 143 Thou Shepherd..That sitt'st between the Cherubs.1704 C. Darby Bk. Psalms cxxxix. 18 Thou sittest there on high.1850 J. S. Blackie tr. Æschylus Lyrical Dramas II. 93 Thou who sittest on the neathmost bench.1992 H. Carruth Coll. Shorter Poems 1946–91 330 O Jesus, thou who sittest up there on the right side of the fence.

c. 3rd singular.

α. Old English siteð, Old English sittaþ (in prefixed forms), Old English siteþ, Old English–early Middle English sitteð, Old English–Middle English sitteþ, early Middle English sithit, Middle English sitteþe, Middle English sittit, Middle English sittiþ, Middle English sittyþ, Middle English syȝt (south-eastern), Middle English sytteþ, Middle English sytth, Middle English syttyt, Middle English syttyþe, Middle English–1500s sittith, Middle English–1500s sittyth, Middle English–1500s sytteth, Middle English–1500s syttethe, Middle English–1500s syttyth, Middle English–1500s syttythe, Middle English–1600s sittethe, Middle English– sitteth (now archaic), late Middle English syttyh (perhaps transmission error), late Middle English syttyht (perhaps transmission error), 1500s syttith, 1600s sith. eOE (Mercian) Vespasian Psalter (1965) ix. 28 (8) Sedet in insidiis : siteð in searwum.OE (Mercian) Rushw. Gospels: Matt. xix. 28 Cum sederit filius hominis in sede : þonne sitteþ sunu monnes in sedle.a1300 in Archiv f. das Studium der Neueren Sprachen (1912) 128 368 To heuene he steg in ure manliche, ðar sitteð he in hijs faderes riche. ▸ a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) iv. l. 2724 Hou he sitteth be the fyr.a1450 Partonope of Blois (Univ. Coll. Oxf.) (1912) l. 6800 Pensyfe, thought-full alle day sytteth he.1504 in S. Tymms Wills & Inventories Bury St. Edmunds (1850) 102 The which tenement syttyth and lyyth [etc.].1609 J. Davies Humours Heau'n on Earth clxviii Heere, in a Chimney,..Sith Grimnesse.1654 R. Whitlock Ζωοτομία 160 Where the winde sitteth.1749 J. Wesley Let. 4 Jan. (1931) II. 376 The distance between a worm of earth and Him that sitteth on the circle of the heavens.1839 T. Stoddart Songs & Poems 157 The dew-lark sitteth on the ice, beside the reedless rill.1998 C. Channer Waiting in Vain (1999) xiii. 280 The one that sitteth on the holy throne of Mount Zion.

β. Old English sittæs (Northumbrian), Old English (Northumbrian)–Middle English (northern) sites, Old English (Northumbrian)–1600s sittes, Middle English sitis (chiefly northern), Middle English sitteȝ, Middle English sittis, Middle English sittus, Middle English ssittes (northern), Middle English sytteȝ, Middle English syttis, Middle English–1500s syttes, 1500s syts, 1500s sytts, 1500s–1600s sitts, 1500s– sits; Scottish pre-1700 seittis, pre-1700 sittis, pre-1700 sytis, pre-1700 syttis, pre-1700 1700s– sits. OE (Northumbrian) Lindisf. Gospels: Matt. xix. 28 Cum sederit filius hominis in sede : miððy sittes sunu monnes in seðel.a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) l. 446 Þat he sittus in mi siȝt.c1440 Prose Life Alexander (Thornton) (1913) 72 It sitteȝ till hym.1596 J. Dalrymple tr. J. Leslie Hist. Scotl. (1888) I. 37 In fife..sittis the Primat.1693 N. Luttrell Diary in Brief Hist. Relation State Affairs (1857) III. 100 If the wind sitts fair.1759 R. Brown Compl. Farmer 71 A hen sits twenty days.1871 B. Jowett tr. Plato Dialogues II. 146 Old age sits lightly upon you.1997 Washington Post (Nexis) 19 July a20 Azerbaijan sits upon large reserves of both natural gas and oil.

γ. Old English–Middle English sit, Old English–Middle English sitt, Old English–Middle English syt, Old English–Middle English sytt, early Middle English sid, early Middle English siyt, Middle English sitte, Middle English sytte, Middle English zit (south-eastern). OE West Saxon Gospels: Matt. (Corpus Cambr.) xix. 28 Þonne mannes sunu sitt [c1175 Royal sytt, c1200 Hatton syt].lOE King Ælfred tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (Bodl.) (2009) I. xxxix. 369 Sit se hehsta sceoppend on his heahsetle.a1300 (c1275) Physiologus (1991) l. 517 Bi hire make ȝe sit o niȝt. ▸ a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) viii. l. 2428 So sitte it wel that [etc.].c1430 (c1386) G. Chaucer Legend Good Women (Cambr. Gg.4.27) (1879) l. 1832 Sche sit [c1450 Fairf. 16 sytte] In halle.

d. Plural.Since the Middle English period also used for the 2nd singular with ye or you (originally polite form); see esp. section δ. (sit is now the standard form).

α. Old English sittað, Old English–early Middle English sittaþ, early Middle English sitteð, Middle English sittet, Middle English sitteþ, Middle English sittith, Middle English sittiþ, Middle English sytteþ. eOE (Mercian) Vespasian Psalter (1965) cxxxi. 13 (12) Filii eorum..sedebunt super sedem meam : bearn heara..sittað ofer seld min.c1275 in C. Brown Eng. Lyrics 13th Cent. (1932) 50 Ȝe þat sittet i-schrud wið skarlet. ▸ a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1865) I. 403 They..Stondeþ, sitteþ, liggeþ, and slepeþ.a1425 (a1382) Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Corpus Oxf.) (1850) Judges v. 10 Ȝe that stien vp vpon shynynge assis, and sittith aboue in doom.

β. Old English sittas (Northumbrian), Old English (Northumbrian)–Middle English sittes, Middle English sitis (northern), Middle English sittez; Scottish pre-1700 sits, pre-1700 sittes, pre-1700 sittis. OE (Northumbrian) Lindisf. Gospels: Luke Luke i. 79 Qui in tenebris..sedent : ðaðe in ðiostrum..sittas [OE West Saxon Gospels: Corpus Cambr. sittað, c1200 Hatton sitteð].a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Fairf. 14) l. 15576 Þou sal couer & confort ham þat sitis in sorou.1480 Wardrobe Accts. Edward IV in N. H. Nicolas Privy Purse Expenses Elizabeth of York (1830) 127 Them that sittes and occupies his halle.?1507 W. Dunbar Tua Mariit Wemen (Rouen) in Poems (1998) I. 52 Thai all that sittis about [etc.].1625 in J. D. Marwick Rec. Convent. Royal Burghs Scotl. (1878) III. 182 The saids factouris does intrude theme selffis and sittis with the conservatour.

γ. Middle English sittyn, Middle English syttyn, Middle English (1500s archaic) sytten, Middle English (1500s–1600s archaic) sitten. c1275 Lutel Soth Serm. (Calig.) l. 75 in R. Morris Old Eng. Misc. (1872) 190 [They] sitten þer to-gederes. ▸ a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) vii. l. 839 Ther sitten fyve Stones mo.c1400 (?a1387) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Huntington HM 137) (1873) C. xx. l. 206 Men..þat in meerk [read merke] sytten.1579 E. Spenser Shepheardes Cal. Mar. 1 Why sytten we soe?1642 H. More Ψυχωδια Platonica sig. G6 They sitten soft in the sweet rayes.

δ. Middle English sete (northern), Middle English site (northern), Middle English–1500s syt, Middle English–1500s sytt, Middle English–1500s sytte, Middle English–1600s sitt, Middle English–1600s sitte, Middle English– sit. ?c1335 in W. Heuser Kildare-Gedichte (1904) 101 Þe sterris þat þou sest so briȝte, In heuen aboue..sit so fast.c1425 J. Lydgate Troyyes Bk. (Augustus A.iv) i. l. 3860 To ȝouthe, force and hardines sitte.c1586 Sir P. Sidney tr. Psalmes David xxxiv. vii Gods own eyes on good men sit.1602 W. Watson Decacordon Ten Quodlibeticall Questions 346 They sitte nerer his knee.1769 T. Gray Ode at Installation Duke of Grafton 4 There sit the sainted Sage, the Bard divine.1866 Routledge's Every Boy's Ann. 66 They sit their boat, and keep time as if they were two clock-work figures.1966 P. G. Wodehouse Plum Pie v. 121 And then we sit a good deal.2014 M. Henderson Geek Manifesto vi. 146 Only the most able pupils generally sit more than three A-levels.

3. Present subjunctive. a. Singular Old English–1600s sitte, Middle English–1500s syt, Middle English–1500s sytt, Middle English–1500s sytte, Middle English–1600s sitt, Middle English– sit. eOE (Mercian) Vespasian Psalter: Canticles & Hymns (1965) iv. 12 (8) Ut sedeat cum principibus : ðæt he sitte mid aldermonnum.?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 10 He weneð þet order sitte inþe curtel.a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 17583 Þof he sitt in heuen hall.c1450 (?a1400) Wars Alexander (Ashm.) l. 862 Þof it vn-semely me sytt.c1503 tr. Charter of London in R. Arnold Chron. f. x/2 Y^t the styward..sytte not from hensforward [etc.].1615 G. Sandys Relation of Journey (1637) 57 If the wind sit southward.a1794 W. Jones in S. Parr Wks. (1828) VII. 210 It is indifferent to me, as a friend to the people, whether of the two sit in Parliament.1822 W. Cobbett Cottage Econ. vi. 149 Even if he sit as he eats.1938 M. Mitchell Let. 18 Apr. in R. Harwell Gone With Wind Lett. (1986) 194 The other three urged, pleaded and entreated that he sit down.2001 J. Coe Rotters' Club (2002) 135 Good manners demanded that he sit on the sofa for a while. b. Plural Old English sitta (Northumbrian), Old English sitton, Old English–Middle English sitten, late Middle English sitte. In later use not distinguished formally from the indicative (see Forms 2dδ. ).eOE (Mercian) Vespasian Psalter (1965) c. 6 Ut sedeant hii mecum : ðæt hie sitten ðas mid mec.OE (Northumbrian) Lindisf. Gospels: Mark x. 37 Ut..sedeamus : þætte..we sitta [OE West Saxon Gospels: Corpus Cambr. sitton, c1200 Hatton sitten].c1225 (?c1200) St. Margaret (Bodl.) (1934) 44 Feierlec & strengðe beoð hise schrudes, & igurd he is ham on, þet a cumeliche fearen & semliche sitten. ▸ c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) l. 2098 Betere is i go miself, and se: Hweþer he sitten nou, and wesseylen. ▸ c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Matt. xx. 21 Seie that..my sonys sitten, oon at thi riȝthalf, and oon at thi lefthalf, in thi kyngdam.a1425 Dialogue Reason & Adversity (Cambr.) (1968) 13 Emperours & kynges sitte þei neuere so hiȝe, here trone trembliþ vndur hem but vertu holde hem vp. 4. Imperative. a. Singular Old English–Middle English site, Old English (Northumbrian)–1600s sitt, Old English–1600s sitte, Middle English sete, Middle English syte, Middle English–1500s syt, Middle English–1500s sytt, Middle English–1500s sytte, Middle English– sit. eOE (Mercian) Vespasian Psalter (1965) cix. 1 Sede a dextris meis : site to ðe swiðran minre.OE (Northumbrian) Lindisf. Gospels: Matt. xxii. 44 Sede a dextris meis : sitt to suiðra min.a1275 (?c1200) Prov. Alfred (Trin. Cambr.) (1955) 131 Sete þanne..besiden him-seluen.a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 3683 Sitt [Fairf. sete, Gött. sitt, Trin. Cambr. sit] vp and ete.a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1994) I. xviii. 211 Com, sytt. Soyn shall we se.1535 Bible (Coverdale) Ruth iv. 2 Syt you downe here.1658 J. Mennes & J. Smith Wit Restor'd 20 Pray you Madam sitt, ile shew good ware.1768 A. Ross Fortunate Shepherdess 25 E'en sit you still, an' rest you here wi' me.1853 E. C. Gaskell Ruth III. ix. 242 ‘To be sure, my dear! Sit down!’ said he.1997 Your Horse Nov. 130/1 Sit on the box seat with your feet firmly placed slightly forward on the floor.2013 M. Lawson Deaths vi. 171 ‘Sit up straight! It's bad for your digestion, eating like that.’ b. Plural.

α. Old English sittaþ, Old English sittað, early Middle English sitteð, Middle English sittet, Middle English sitteth, Middle English sitteþ, Middle English sittyth, Middle English syth, Middle English sytteþ, Middle English syttith, Middle English syttyþ. OE (Mercian) Rushw. Gospels: Matt. xxvi. 36 Sedite hiic : sittaþ her.c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 11391 Sitteð sitteð swiðe. ▸ a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Jer. xiii. 18 Beth mekid, sitteth.a1400 (c1303) R. Mannyng Handlyng Synne (Harl.) l. 952 Syttyþ dowun vpp-on [ȝ]oure knees.

β. Old English sittas (Northumbrian), Middle English sites, Middle English sittes, Middle English sittez. OE (Northumbrian) Lindisf. Gospels: Matt. xxvi. 36 Sedete hic : sittas her.a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 4975 Godmen sittes [Fairf. sites] a littel tom.

γ. Old English sitte (before a personal pronoun), Middle English site, Middle English syt. In later use not distinguished formally from the singular (see section 4a for forms later than the 15th cent.).OE West Saxon Gospels: Luke (Corpus Cambr.) xxiv. 49 Sitte ge on ceastre.a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1994) I. xiv. 170 Syr kyngys, syt downe and rest you so.1768 A. Ross Fortunate Shepherdess 25 E'en sit you still, an' rest you here wi' me.2000 R. Topping Kevin & Perry go Large xiii. 121 Sit yourselves down, lads.

5. Past indicative. a. Originally 1st and 3rd singular.

α. Old English saet (Northumbrian, in prefixed forms), Old English sætt, Old English sęt, Old English sętt (Northumbrian), Old English–early Middle English sæt, early Middle English seat (south-west midlands), early Middle English seæt (south-west midlands), Middle English–1700s satt, Middle English–1700s satte, Middle English– sat, 1800s sar (English regional (Yorkshire)). eOE King Ælfred tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (Otho) (2009) I. xxiii. 490 Se hearpere..sæt on ðæm muntum.a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1873) 2nd Ser. 101 He sat ofte and tahte wisdom.c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 1478 Þer he on æðelen seat. ▸ a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) vii. l. 2282 He satte him thanne doun.a1425 (c1333–52) L. Minot Poems (1914) 32 When sir Dauid..satt on his stede.1579 in D. Masson Reg. Privy Council Scotl. (1880) 1st Ser. III. 241 [He] satt doun upoun the ground.1676 T. Hobbes tr. Homer Iliads i. 101 This said, he sat.1714 E. Freke Remembrances (2001) 109 On the fowrtenth I satte on the justices bench by the justysies, maire, and recorder.1845 W. H. G. Kingston Lusitanian Sketches II. xxiii. 145 We sat but a short time after the hostess and her daughters had retired.1995 Abilities (Toronto) Spring 7/3 The tables sat four.2010 Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Nexis) 15 Apr. 16 The Tories did nothing. They just sat on the report.

β. Old English (chiefly Anglian)–Middle English set, Old English (Anglian)–Middle English sett, Middle English zet (south-eastern), late Middle English sette; Scottish pre-1700 set, pre-1700 sett. Old English set is probably sometimes to be interpreted as reflecting a long vowel (particularly in Northumbrian; compare quot. OE); compare Forms 5aγ. .eOE (Mercian) Vespasian Psalter (1965) xxv. 4 Non sedi in concilio uanitatis : ic ne set in geðaehte idelnisse.OE (Northumbrian) Lindisf. Gospels: Matt. (headings to readings) lxx Sedit super asinae pullum : set ofer assales fola.a1300 Passion our Lord l. 562 in R. Morris Old Eng. Misc. (1872) 53 Þe on set at þe heuede.1340 Ayenbite (1866) 96 Þer he zet ase zayþ þet godspel.c1480 (a1400) St. Placidus 876 in W. M. Metcalfe Legends Saints Sc. Dial. (1896) II. 94 Ȝistyrday in myn In as I set.

γ. Middle English seete, Middle English sete, Middle English (1700s–1900s English regional (northern and north-west midlands)) seet, 1800s seat (English regional (northern)); Scottish pre-1700 seit, pre-1700 sete. ?a1300 St. Eustace (Digby) l. 298 in C. Horstmann Altengl. Legenden (1881) 2nd Ser. 217 He seet stille and sihtte sore, Litel he spak and þouhte more.c1390 MS Vernon Homilies in Archiv f. das Studium der Neueren Sprachen (1877) 57 276 As þis Mesel bifore crist seete, Crist spac to him wordus swete.c1450 ( Nightingale (Calig.) l. 97 in O. Glauning Minor Poems J. Lydgate (1900) 5 She..seet in myddes of the tre.c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 168^v Yet sadly ho sete.1790 A. Wheeler Westmorland Dial. (1821) 35 In com thor sougers an seet dawn.1886 R. Holland Gloss. Words County of Chester 306 Seet, perf. tense of sit.1901 F. E. Taylor Folk-speech S. Lancs. (at cited word) Sit, seated; sat. ‘Hoo seet by th' foire’.

δ. Middle English saat, Middle English saate, Middle English saitt (northern), Middle English (northern) 1500s (Scottish) sait, Middle English– sate (now archaic or Scottish). ▸ c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Dan. vii. 10 The dom sate, and bokis ben opnyd.a1500 ( J. Yonge tr. Secreta Secret. (Rawl.) (1898) 168 He..Saate in Iugement.1551 R. Robinson tr. T. More Vtopia sig. Giiii^v We came..& sate vs downe.1611 Bible (King James) Gen. xix. 1 Lot sate in the gate of Sodome.1768 T. Gray Descent of Odin in Poems 88 By the moss-grown pile he sate.1876 W. Black Madcap Violet xxxix She sate in a corner of the..waiting room.1954 V. Bell Let. in R. Marler Sel. Lett. Vanessa Bell (1993) 541 I did get a corner seat and just sate in it till I got to Paris.1987 B. Holton tr. S. Nai'an Men o the Mossflow iv, in Sc. Corpus Texts & Speech They gat doun frae their chairs an sate theirsels doun.

ε. 1600s sitted; Scottish 1800s sittet. a1607 T. Brightman Revelation of Apocalyps (1611) 21 He sitted at the right hand of the father.1895 A. G. Murdoch Readings I. 31 Sometimes we sittet doon.

ζ. 1600s–1900s sot (English regional), 1800s zot (English regional (south-western)); U.S. regional 1700s– sot; Irish English 1800s– sot. 1663 S. Pepys Diary 9 July (1971) IV. 222 Sir W. Batten and I sot a little this afternoon at the office.a1800 S. Pegge Anecd. Eng. Lang. (1814) 73 London... Sot, for sat.1861 C. Dickens Great Expectations I. ii. 14 ‘She sot down’, said Joe.1989 L. A. Pederson et al. Ling. Atlas Gulf States: Techn. Index in Dict. Amer. Regional Eng. (2002) IV. (at cited word) 9 infs, Sot—preterite.

η. 1600s sitt, 1800s sut (English regional (north-west midlands)), 1800s–1900s sit (English regional); U.S. regional 1800s– sit; Scottish 1900s sud (before d), 1900s– sut; Irish English (northern) 1800s– sut. 1688 in Hist. MSS Comm.: 11th Rep.: App. Pt. VII (1888) 109 in Parl. Papers (C. 5612) LXII. 1 The..Jury..sitt upp all night about it.1800 in Rec. Columbia Hist. Soc. (1907) X. 89 Mr. T-Peter called and sit awhile.1987 D. Williamson & L. Williamson Thorn in King's Foot 84 De aul blacksmith sut and he sut and he sut.2002 Belfast News Let. (Nexis) 2 Feb. 20 Tha yin thaut sut oan tha table en tha parler wus a gless baul oan a bress staun.

b. 2nd singular.

α. Old English sæte, early Middle English sate (south-east midlands), Middle English seete, Middle English set, Middle English sete. OE King Ælfred tr. Psalms (Paris) (2001) xlix. 21 Þu sæte ongean þinne [broðor] and tældest hine.a1225 (c1200) Vices & Virtues (1888) 11 Sedens aduersus fratrem tuum loquebaris, ‘Ðu sate..aȝeanes ðine broðer... Aȝeanes him ðu spake god, bafte him euele’.?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 175 Þu sete biforme þoa ich slepte. ▸ a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Ecclus. xxxi. 21 If in the myddel of manye thou seete.

β. late Middle English satist, 1500s–1600s 1800s satest. a1425 (c1395) Bible (Wycliffite, L.V.) (Royal) (1850) Ezek. xxiii. 41 Thou satist [E.V. a1425 Corpus Oxf. hast setyn] in a ful fair bed, and a boord was ourned bifor thee.1534 G. Joye tr. Jeremy Prophete f. v Thou satest downe by the wayes.1611 Bible (King James) Ezek. xxiii. 41 Thou..satest vpon a stately bedde.1885 R. Bridges Eros & Psyche viii. xiii. 97 Thou..Satest by Callichorus' sacred well.

γ. late Middle English sittidist. a1425 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (New Coll. Oxf.) (1850) Deeds xxiii. 3 Sittidist and [c1384 Douce 369(2) Thou sittinge demest me vp the lawe].

δ. late Middle English 1600s–1800s sat. For examples of sat (now the standard form of the 2nd singular) with ye or you see Forms 5c and compare note at that section. ▸ ?a1439 J. Lydgate Fall of Princes (Bodl. 263) viii. l. 502 She [sc. Fortune] hath the cast in thraldam & seruage... Thou sat whilom in the consistorie As an emperour.a1605 Polwart Flyting with Montgomerie 667 Thou sat sa neir the chimney nuik.1790 R. Burns Tam o' Shanter in Poems & Songs (1968) II. 558 Thou sat as lang as thou had siller.1882 J. Walker Poems 225 On thy doup thou sat and suppit.

ε. (archaic in later use) late Middle English sattist, 1500s satteste, 1500s–1600s satst, 1500s–1800s sattest, 1600s– sat'st, 1800s satt'st. a1450 tr. Aelred of Rievaulx De Institutione Inclusarum (Bodl.) (1984) 3 I wolde that pitously thou sattist stil and suffredist it.1535 Bible (Coverdale) Ezek. xxiii. 41 Thou sattest vpon a goodly bed.1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost i. 21 Thou..Dove-like satst brooding.1795 F. Wrangham Poems 27 Thou sat'st, unconscious of impending fate.1839 H. H. Milman Deborah's Hymn in Wks. II. 357 Why satt'st thou idle, Reuben, 'mid thy herd-stalls?1991 G. Ewart Coll. Poems 211 When Fate ordained that thou sat'st next to me.

c. Plural.Since the Middle English period the plural form has also been used for the 2nd singular with ye or you (originally as polite forms); see esp. section β. (sat is now the standard form).

α. Old English sæton, Old English sætun, Old English sætan, Old English setan (rare), Old English setton (Northumbrian), Old English setun (Anglian), Old English (non-West Saxon)–Middle English seton, late Old English–early Middle English sæten, early Middle English sætenn ( Ormulum), early Middle English seate (south-western), early Middle English sede (transmission error), early Middle English senten (transmission error), early Middle English setin, Middle English seet, Middle English seete, Middle English seeten, Middle English seetyn, Middle English set, Middle English sete, Middle English seten, Middle English setone, Middle English sett, Middle English sette, Middle English setten, Middle English settun, Middle English setyn, Middle English seyt, Middle English siete, Middle English sieten. eOE King Ælfred tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (Otho) (2009) I. xiv. 445 Þæt þær nane oðre an ne sæton buton þa weorðestan.OE (Northumbrian) Lindisf. Gospels: John xx. 12 Duos angelos in albis sedentes : tuoege engles in huitum gegerelum seton.c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 15560 Menn att bordess sætenn þær.c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 11361 Seoððen sete [c1300 Otho seten] þa eorles. ▸ a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) v. l. 3339 Ther they siete and spieke. ▸ a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) iii. l. 1809 Thei sieten alle stille.a1475 (?a1430) J. Lydgate tr. G. Deguileville Pilgrimage Life Man (Vitell.) l. 4612 Wher as they setyn on by on.a1500 (?a1475) Guy of Warwick (Cambr. Ff.2.38) l. 505 As they at the soper sete, Some dranke and some ete.

β. Middle English satte, Middle English satten, Middle English–1500s satt, Middle English– sat. c1330 (?a1300) Arthour & Merlin (Auch.) (1973) l. 6518 Next hem..Sat þe kniȝtes of þe rounde table.1474 W. Caxton tr. Game & Playe of Chesse (1883) ii. v. 66 Many flyes satte vpon the soores.c1571 E. Campion Two Bks. Hist. Ireland (1963) ii. ix. 121 They satt upon him diversely affectioned.1699 N. Luttrell Diary in Brief Hist. Relation State Affairs (1857) IV. 481 Yesterday the lords satt till after candlelight.1855 R. Browning Toccata of Galuppi's 18 While you sat and played Toccatas.2013 N. Solomons Gallery Vanished Husbands 281 They sat on a felled oak.

γ. Middle English saite (northern), Middle English saten, Middle English satun, Middle English satyn, Middle English soten, Middle English sotyn, Middle English sotyne, Middle English souȝt, Middle English– sate (archaic or Scottish in later use); also Scottish pre-1700 sait. ▸ c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Mark iii. 34 Biholdynge hem..that saten in the cumpas of hym.a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 17845 Sundri þai þam fra oþer saite [Gött. sate].c1451 J. Capgrave Life St. Gilbert (1910) 70 On-to hem whech soten a-boute him.c1475 St. Patrick's Purgatory (Yale Beinecke 365) in L. T. Smith Common-place Bk. 15th Cent. (1886) 94 The todys sotyne one euery herre.a1500 (?a1450) Gesta Romanorum (BL Add. 9066) (1879) 420 Such ij..satyn, and dronkyn.1526 Bible (Tyndale) Mark vi. f. lij^v They sate doune here a rowe and there arowe.1641 J. Milton Animadversions 15 Wherfore haue you sate still.1766 O. Goldsmith Vicar of Wakefield I. xi. 100 They sate down to hunt the slipper.1869 S. Lanier in Amer. Lit. (1931) 2 403 Queen-women, who sometimes sate on the early thrones of Germany and France and England.1945 V. Bell Let. in R. Marler Sel. Lett. Vanessa Bell (1993) 502 It was a very amusing evening and we sate on till after 11.

6. Past subjunctive. a. Singular. Old English sæte, Middle English sete, Middle English zete (south-eastern). In later use not distinguished formally from the indicative (see Forms 5aα. ).OE Blickling Homilies 17 Rihtlic þæt wæs þæt se blinda..sæte wædliende.a1300 (c1275) Physiologus (1991) l. 340 Ðat it..sete one ðe se-sond.a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) l. 1622 Þeiȝh i sete euer. b. Plural.In Old English the past subjunctive plural was originally formally distinct (showing the inflectional ending -en), but by late Old English the endings of the indicative and subjunctive had become homophonous in all dialects: see Forms 5c. 7. Past participle.

α. Old English geseten, Old English sæton (in prefixed forms (not ge-), rare), Old English setan (in prefixed forms (not ge-), rare), Old English (in prefixed forms (not ge-))–Middle English seten, Middle English iseten, Middle English seeten, Middle English settyne, Middle English setun, Middle English setyn, 1500s setten; Scottish pre-1700 settin, pre-1700 1700s setten; N.E.D. (1911) also records a form late Middle English setten. eOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Parker) anno 918 Eall þæt folc..þe on Mercna lande geseten wæs.a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1873) 2nd Ser. 103 Ariseð þanne ge hauen seten.c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 9248 Þa heo weoren alle iseten [c1300 Otho isete].c1565 Adambel Clym of Cloughe & Wyllyam of Cloudesle (Copland) sig. C.ii They had not setten but a whyle.1639 in A. I. Ritchie Churches St. Baldred (1880) 246 John Kirkwood..having setten six several days, receivit at the morning.1731 in W. Fraser Bk. Carlaverock (1873) II. 363 If that be all the manners..you have learn'd in Gallowy, you might setten at home.

β. early Middle English isethe, Middle English isete, Middle English isett, Middle English sete, Middle English ysete; Scottish pre-1700 set, pre-1700 sett, pre-1700 sete, pre-1700 yset (poetic). a1300 Passion our Lord l. 90 in R. Morris Old Eng. Misc. (1872) 40 Þo vre louerd wes isethe to his supere. ▸ a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1874) V. 415 In a tyme he hadde i-sete þere.a1500 (?a1400) Tale King Edward & Shepherd (Cambr.) (1930) l. 887 Þou shalt sitte here aboue, Instidde alle of þe Kyng. When he had wasshen and fayre isett.1617 in J. Maidment Misc. Abbotsford Club (1837) 311 This witt was sett smoaking..in ane obscure chymney corner at Leethe.

γ. Middle English siten, Middle English sittene, Middle English sitton (in a late copy), Middle English sittun, Middle English sityn, Middle English syten, Middle English syttyn, Middle English sytyn, Middle English–1500s sytten, Middle English– sitten (now regional), late Middle English sitter (transmission error), 1800s sutten (English regional); Scottish pre-1700 sittene, pre-1700 sittne, pre-1700 sutin, pre-1700 suttn, pre-1700 syttin, pre-1700 syttyn, pre-1700 1700s– sitten, pre-1700 1800s– sittin, 1700s suttin, 1800s– sutten, 1900s suitten. ▸ a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1959) Gen. xxxviii. 22 Þe men of þat place seyden..neuer þer to han sytten [a1425 Corpus Oxf. sittun] a strompett.a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 11665 Quen sco had sitten [Gött. siten, Fairf. syten] þar a wei.1596 J. Dalrymple tr. J. Leslie Hist. Scotl. (1888) I. 189 Nocht weil sittin doune in the Jmpire.1644 K. Digby Two Treat. i. xxviii. 253 Strangers haue sitten by him.1787 R. Burns Let. 1 June (2001) I. 120 I'm sitten down here.1860 T. P. Thompson Audi Alteram Partem (1861) III. ciii. 8 One who might be comfortably sitten down with.1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick xxi Daavitie an' me hid sutten doon tae hae a bit furl at 'e tottum.2000 in Sc. National Dict. New Suppl. (Electronic text) at Sit [Ayrshire] Get sitten doun!

δ. Middle English–1600s satte, 1500s–1600s satt, 1500s– sat. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Fairf. 14) l. 13491 Doun I. walde þe folk ware satte.a1577 G. Gascoigne Grief of Joye ii. iv, in Compl. Wks. (1910) II. 526 Had she satt in feeld.1665 E. M. Thompson Corr. Family of Hatton (1878) I. (Camden) 48 The King has satt..at a Councell of Warr.1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 122. ¶6 The Court was sat before Sir Roger came.1855 C. Kingsley Westward Ho! xxxiii Where he had sat when he was a..boy.1991 J. Caldwell Desperate Voy. (new ed.) xii. 116 Where had the wind sat when I was reading?

ε. late Middle English–1600s sitte, 1500s syt, 1500s sytt, 1500s sytte, 1500s–1600s sitt, 1500s–1700s (1800s–1900s English regional and U.S. regional) sit, 1900s– sut (Irish English (northern)). 1455 in J. Nicholl Some Acct. Company of Ironmongers (1851) 26 Siluer, a cheueron of Gowles, sitte betwene three Gaddes of Stele of Asure.1528 in H. Ellis Orig. Lett. Eng. Hist. (1824) 1st Ser. I. 284 To have sit down.1532 Romaunt Rose in Wks. G. Chaucer f. cxxxv/2 And ful of grene leues sytte That sonne myght there none discende.1663 E. Hickeringill Apol. Distressed Innocence in Wks. (1709) I. 288 The better for being sit upon.1721 R. Wodrow Hist. Sufferings Church of Scotl. (1830) III. 109 He..had sit down in a fur.1888 S. O. Addy Gloss. Words Sheffield 216 That milk has sit.1973 in C. Major Calling Wind (1993) 357 You would of sit with them good-timers and bullshitters 'cross the room.

ζ. late Middle English sotyn. 1462 J. Gloys in Paston Lett. & Papers (2004) II. 250 She seth..þat þis day sevennyght he shuld haue sotyn in Caystre by you vp-on accountes.

η. 1500s–1900s sate; also Scottish pre-1700 sate. c1480 (a1400) St. Matthew 9 in W. M. Metcalfe Legends Saints Sc. Dial. (1896) I. 190 In þe tolbuth set lewy, þat as a tollare þare wes sate.?1533 W. Tyndale Expos. Mathew v. f. xl As though God had sate and ate..with them.1647 A. Cowley Gazers in Mistress ii We have both sate gazing.1700 S. L. tr. C. Frick Relation Voy. in tr. C. Frick & C. Schweitzer Relation Two Voy. E.-Indies 3 Being all sate down, we fell a talking.1847 W. M. Thackeray Vanity Fair (1848) vi. 46 She had sate by him.1903 T. S. Moore Rout of Amazons 17 The loins that had sate him so firmly.

θ. English regional (Yorkshire) 1800s satten, 1800s sattun; Scottish 1800s sat'n, 1900s– satten. 1828 J. Wilson et al. Noctes Ambrosianae xxxviii, in Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Oct. 515 Sat'n in a chair on account of his gout.1939 J. Barke Land of Leal (1987) 432 I'm glad to get satten down for a minute.

ι. 1800s– (U.S. regional) sot; English regional 1800s zot (south-western), 1800s–1900s sot. 1839 C. Clark John Noakes & Mary Styles 26 They down had snugly sot.1893 W. Raymond Gentleman Upcott's Daughter 22 Zomebody must ha' zot on un.1991 J. Still Wolfpen Notebks. 19 One said to me, ‘He's quit a good job and come over in here and sot down.’

Origin: A word inherited from Germanic.

Etymology: Cognate with Old Frisian sitta (West Frisian sitte ), Old Dutch sitten (Middle Dutch sitten , Dutch zitten ), Old Saxon sittian (Middle Low German sitten ), Old High German sizzen (Middle High German, German sitzen ), Old Icelandic sitja , Old Swedish sitia (Swedish sitta ), Old Danish sitia (Danish sidde ), Gothic sitan < the same Indo-European base as Sanskrit sad- , ancient Greek ἕζεσθαι , classical Latin sedēre , Early Irish saidid (3rd singular present indicative), Old Church Slavonic sěděti , Lithuanian sėdėti , and also (with prefixation; compare nest n.) Armenian nstim (1st singular present indicative), all in the sense ‘to sit’.Form history: (i) partial merger with set v.¹ Forms of the past tense in Old English were 1st and 3rd singular indicative sæt (see Forms 5aα. ), beside Mercian (Vespasian Psalter gloss) and Kentish set (see Forms 5aβ. ), and plural sǣton (non-West Saxon sēton ). In Middle English, past tense forms of the set type (see Forms 5aβ. ) are thus chiefly found in west midland and south-eastern texts, continuing the Mercian and Kentish forms. Similar set forms developed in northern Middle English as a result of a sporadic raising of the original Old English æ before dentals. After the loss of final -e in sette , past tense of set v.¹, the past tense forms of sit v. and set v.¹ would potentially be identical in northern Middle English and Older Scots. The partial merger of the two verbs was assisted by occasional raising of the stem vowel of set v.¹ to i (compare set v.¹ Forms 1aγ. , 2ζ. ) in the same varieties, and further by a partial semantic overlap between the verbs (compare e.g. transitive senses 27b and 27c below, and also sense 20). The partial merger of the verbs in northern Middle English and Older Scots resulted in occasional use of forms of sit v. in senses of set v.¹ (compare e.g. set v.¹ Forms 1aβ. , 2β. , 2γ. , 2δ. ) and vice versa (compare e.g. set v.¹ 5, and also to set down 9c at Phrasal verbs 2). It is unclear to what extent the partial merger of the two verbs was driven by phonological developments in particular grammatical forms, or by semantic similarity. Since Middle English instances of sit- in senses of set v.¹ are better evidenced in the present than in the past tense, and since formal influence is evidenced in later dialects outside the northern area (for example in the south-west), semantics may have played a bigger role. The formal confusion between sit v. and set v.¹ means that it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between the two verbs, especially in Middle English and Older Scots. Quotations have been assigned based on the relative chronology and frequency of the relevant senses at both entries, and on the usage elsewhere in the cited texts. Form history: (ii) other formal developments. Extension of the vowel of the past plural to the singular is probably already attested in Old English (compare note on quot. OE at Forms 5aβ. ), and becomes more widespread in Middle English (compare Forms 5aγ. ). Influence of early Scandinavian is shown by Forms 1β. (compare Old Icelandic sitja ), with subsequent lengthening of the stem vowel in the open syllable to close long ē in northern dialects, and also by Forms 5cγ. and 5aδ. (compare Old Icelandic past plural sátu ). The origin of the past tense and past participle forms with short o (see 5aζ. , 7ι. , and perhaps 7ζ. ) is unclear. Corresponding forms in the present stem (see 1aγ. ) are after the past tense and past participle. Specific senses. With senses 3, 4, 22, and 23 compare Anglo-Norman seer , Old French, Middle French seoir (see séance n.) in the senses ‘to occupy the position of an official, judge, secular or ecclesiastical ruler, or member of an assembly’ (c1177), (of a court or assembly) ‘to be in session’ (c1300 or earlier), ‘to fit’ (a1250 or earlier), ‘to suit’ (c1170 or earlier). In senses 10a and 11 probably after early Scandinavian (compare Old Icelandic sitja in the senses ‘to sit something out, to ignore (a call)’ and ‘to endure, to put up with something’). With sense 30 compare earlier sun sitting n. at sun n.¹ Compounds 5a. Prefixed forms. In Old English the prefixed form gesittan (Middle English isitte ) to sit, to be seated, to settle, to occupy, to sit out, to finish, to preside over (a synod) (compare y- prefix) is also attested; compare also asittan asit v., ætsittan atsit v., besittan besit v., efnesittan , an element-by-element gloss of Latin considere to sit together (compare even adv.), eftsittan , an element-by-element gloss of Latin residere to sit down, to sit up (compare eft adv.), foresittan to preside over (compare fore- prefix), forsittan forsit v., ofersittan oversit v., ofsittan ofsit v., onsittan to seat oneself in, to occupy, to oppress, to assail (compare on- prefix), onsittan to fear, to dread (compare and- prefix), tōsittan to be separated (compare to- prefix²), undersittan , an element-by-element gloss of Latin subsidere to crouch down, to sink (compare under- prefix¹), ymbsittan to surround, to besiege, to sit over, to reflect upon (compare umbe- prefix).

I. To be in a seated posture, and related senses.

a. Of a person: to be or remain in a resting posture in which the weight of the body is supported by the buttocks; to be seated. Also in figurative contexts.

(a) intransitive. In general use. Frequently with prepositional complements, esp. in, on, or upon: see to sit in —— at Phrasal verbs 2, to sit on —— 1a at Phrasal verbs 2, to sit upon —— 1a at Phrasal verbs 2.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > be sitting or seated [verb (intransitive)]

asitOE

sitOE

setc1275

to sit down1659

OE Beowulf (2008) 500 HVN ferð [read Unferð] maþelode..þe æt fotum sæt frean Scyldinga.

OE Blickling Homilies 15 Þa sæt þær sum blind þearfa be ðon wege.

c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 8933 Tære he satt to fraȝȝnenn hemm. Off þeȝȝre bokess lare.

a1470 T. Malory Morte Darthur (Winch. Coll. 13) (1990) I. 42 As he sate so hym thought he herde a noyse of howundis.

1483 ( tr. G. Deguileville Pilgrimage of Soul (Caxton) (1859) i. xxi. 21 Sathanas satt for to wryte.

1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid vi. ii. 42 Sibilla Cumane..Quhair as scho sat rummesing in hir caif [i.e. roaring in her cave].

1602 W. Watson Decacordon Ten Quodlibeticall Questions 346 [I do not believe] that they sitte nerer his knee, or foote stoole, then other penitent sinners doe.

1673 J. Ray Observ. Journey Low-countries 186 After that he hath sitten a while there..he is conducted..to his lodgings.

1779 Mirror No. 26 The rest of the company sat nearer or more remote from him according to their respective ranks.

1818 Ld. Byron Childe Harold: Canto IV i. 3 Venice sate in state, thron'd on her hundred isles.

1874 J. S. Blackie On Self-culture 41 A man may think as well standing as sitting, often not a little better.

1919 Commerce & Finance 23 Apr. 532/2 They were content to sit and wait, getting up each hour or two when a train from the metropolis arrived.

2017 R. Raisin Natural ii. 24 They sat next to each other at the table, laughing.

(b) intransitive. spec. With reference to persons seated, usually at a table, for the purpose of, or while engaged in, eating, drinking, gambling, etc.Also with prepositional phrase denoting the occupation of the person while seated: see to sit at —— at Phrasal verbs 2, to sit to —— at Phrasal verbs 2.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > be sitting or seated [verb (intransitive)] > for specific purpose

sitOE

couch surf1989

OE West Saxon Gospels: Mark (Corpus Cambr.) xiv. 18 Sittendum & etendum [L. discumbentibus eis et manducantibus] sæde se Hælend: Soðlice ic eow secge þæt [etc.].

c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) l. 2098 Betere is i go miself, and se, Hweþer he sitten nou, and wesseylen.

c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. vi. l. 265 Sitte nouȝt to longe, Arise vp ar appetit haue eten his fulle.

1597 Bp. J. Hall Virgidemiarum: 1st 3 Bks. ii. vi. 41 That he do, on no default, Euer presume to sit aboue the salt.

1605 Famous Hist. Capt. Stukeley sig. A3^v Ber Lady we haue sitten well my host tis one a clock.

1763 Brit. Mag. 4 38 A great club who sit till break of day to heel-tap the nation.

1790 R. Burns Tam o' Shanter 24 in Poems & Songs (1968) II. 558 That..ilka melder, wi' the miller, Thou sat as lang as thou had siller.

1845 W. H. G. Kingston Lusitanian Sketches II. xxiii. 145 We sat but a short time after the hostess and her daughters had retired.

1960 J. Beard Let. 20 Oct. in Love & Kisses & Halo of Truffles (1994) 39 I dined there on Tuesday night and sat late, talking to Joe.

1998 M. L. Settle Addie 156 One night they sat until late and forgot to send any of us to bed.

b. transitive. With prepositional phrase as complement. To cause (a person) to be seated in a specified place or position.Frequently corresponding to intransitive prepositional verbs: with quot. c1300 cf. to sit at —— at Phrasal verbs 2, with quot. ?a1562 cf. to sit to —— at Phrasal verbs 2, etc.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > sit on [verb (transitive)] > seat or cause to sit

setc888

settleOE

sitc1300

to set downa1470

siegea1500

seat1623

plotz1969

c1300 St. Brendan (Harl.) (1844) 17 This procuratour com aȝen hem glad..And custe seint Brendanes fet, and the monekes echon, And sitte hem siththe atte soper..And siththe wosch here alre fet.

1485 Malory's Morte Darthur (Caxton) vii. ix. sig. mviii The grene knyghte took hym and sat hym at a syde table.

1557 T. North tr. A. de Guevara Diall Princes 379 In the bankets the kings of Persia made, they sate him whom they loved..on the left hand of the prince.

?a1562 G. Cavendish Life Wolsey (1959) 167 I went & sat the wayters to dynner.

1650 T. Bayly Herba Parietis 124 I like the seat no more than if he had sate me upon the stoole of sad repentance.

1735 Proc. Old Bailey 15 Oct. 161/2 He took her into a Back Room, and gave her a Dram, and sat her in his Lap.

1847 C. Dickens Dombey & Son (1848) xi. 103 Taking Paul up in his arms, and sitting him on another little table.

1916 Moving Picture World 24 June 2304/1 The teacher sits her next to Sonny Boy.

2001 J. Coe Rotters' Club (2002) 18 Take a few shop stewards, invite them upstairs, sit them round the conference table, make them feel important.

c. transitive. Of a table, room, etc.: to be large enough to accommodate (a specified number of people) when seated. Cf. seat v. 1f.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > [verb (transitive)] > make room for one > accommodate with seats > afford sitting accommodation for

seat1887

sit1966

1966 Life 28 Oct. 74/1 Tourist cabin in Boeing SST sits six abreast.

1997 Harper's Mag. May 61/1 My father's old double-cab International truck sits three in the front, three in the back.

2001 T. J. Gilman No Miracles Here xiii. 184 Ehrgood hovered around the oval oak table that sat sixteen students.

a. intransitive. With adjectival or adverbial complement denoting the manner in which a person is seated (on a chair, a horse, etc.), or the place (within a room, about a table, etc.).See also to sit bodkin at bodkin n. 6, to sit still at still adv. 2b, to sit tall at tall adv.

ΚΠ

OE Ælfric Catholic Homilies: 2nd Ser. (Cambr. Gg.3.28) xxix. 257 Martha swanc ða swilce on rewette, and Maria sæt stille swilce æt ðære hyðe.

OE Regularis Concordia (Tiber.) (1993) li. 105 Unus.., manu tenens palmam, quietus sedeat : an..mid handa healdende palmam gedefe sitte.

?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 195 Nule he naut wenden ouer ach he wule ful feste sitten.

a1325 (c1280) Southern Passion (Pepys 2344) (1927) l. 64 Seint peter and seint phelip..ladde fforþ þe asse..& made oure lord an sege to sitte ffaste.

a1475 (a1450) Tournam. of Tottenham (Harl.) (1930) l. 76 (MED) All þe gret cumpany com rydand to þe croft, Tyb on a gray mare..On a sek ful of sedys, for scho schuld syt soft.

1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 719/1 I syt hyest, or uppermoste at a table.

a1627 T. Middleton Chast Mayd in Cheape-side (1630) iii. 34 Sit you all merry Ladyes.

1664 J. Wilson Cheats i. iii. 9 A Woman need not be asham'd to sit Jig by Joule, with the best of the Parish.

1687 A. Lovell tr. J. de Thévenot Trav. into Levant i. 72 They look very well, and sit as close as if they were nailed to the Horse.

1719 D. Defoe Farther Adventures Robinson Crusoe 319 The poor Beast..was no more to be govern'd by his Rider, tho' the Fellow sat well enough too.

1754 J. Shebbeare Marriage Act II. lxiii. 177 I shan't dare to sit cross-legg'd for you without Offence.

1887 Proc. Amer. Assoc. Advancement Physical Educ. 110 The teachers urge pupils constantly to sit as straight as possible.

1985 City Cyclist (Toronto) Summer 7/2 On a recumbent bike, you sit lower or lie flat.

b. intransitive. In figurative and allusive contexts. With adjective, adverb, or prepositional phrase as complement, in expressions indicating a person's disposition, condition, or status, as in to sit aloft, to sit between two stools, to sit light, to sit soft, etc.See also to sit loose at loose adv. 1, sitting pretty at pretty adj. 3d, to sit tight at tight adv. 2b.

ΚΠ

OE Lambeth Psalter: Canticles iii. 8 De stercore erigens pauperem ut sedeat cum principibus et solium glorię teneat : of meoxe arærende þearfan þæt he sitte mid ealdrum & heahsetl wuldres healde.

c1275 in C. Brown Eng. Lyrics 13th Cent. (1932) 50 Ȝe þat sittet i-schrud wið skarlet.

a1382 Prefatory Epist. St. Jerome in Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1959) v. l. 40 Phylip come & schewid hym iesum, þe which closid, satt preue [L. latebat] in þe lettre.

c1425 J. Lydgate Troyyes Bk. (Augustus A.iv) i. l. 2255 (MED) Fortune..Vnhappily hath wrouȝt..With þe whirlyng of hir whele..Þat caused wrecches ful lowe doun to loute, Whan þei best wene to sitten hiȝe alofte.

1560 J. Daus tr. J. Sleidane Commentaries f. xlv^v The Byshoppe, whiche as the master of a shyppe sitteth watching at the Healme.

1581 T. Newton tr. Seneca Thebais iv. in T. Newton et al. tr. Seneca 10 Trag. f. 54 Vnto them that do repyne to se him sit aloft, He may more rigour boldly shew.

1638 T. Herbert Some Yeares Trav. (rev. ed.) 315 The Mogull oft threatens to dethrone him; yet he sits close and keeps his owne.

1659 N. R. Proverbs 40 He sits not sure, that sits too high.

1718 M. Prior Alma i, in Poems Several Occasions (new ed.) 328 Poor Alma sits between two Stools.

1780 H. Walpole Vertue's Anecd. Painting (ed. 2) IV. i. 12 Between..the dearth of good masters, and a fashionable reputation, Jervas sat at the top of his profession.

1833 G. S. Faber Recapit. Apostasy 127 Striving..to sit light to all sublunary matters.

1844 W. M. Thackeray Contrib. to Punch in Wks. (1900) VI. 54 I wish to sit as soft as I can in this life.

1976 N. Maclean River runs through It 197 They'd been sitting soft all summer around a green table while we'd been getting case-hardened climbing high hills.

1993 Times Lit. Suppl. 9 Apr. 4/3 Jesus belonged to a type for which we have other evidence, that of charismatic teacher.., sitting light to the detailed regulations of official Judaism.

c. intransitive. Coupled with another verb, emphasizing the action of the second verb (sometimes also implying relative inaction).

ΚΠ

OE Byrhtferð Enchiridion (Ashm.) (1995) ii. iii. 104 Eall swylce sum getyd wer sitte and sum meteruers mid his feðere awrite.

c1275 (?c1250) Owl & Nightingale (Calig.) (1935) 1292 Þe niȝtingale sat & siȝte & hoh ful was & ful wel miȝte.

a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) v. l. 6121 Therof wot nothing the wif..which loveth as hir lif Hir lord and sitt alday wisshinge After hir lordes hom comynge.

c1450 (?a1400) Wars Alexander (Ashm.) l. 592 (MED) Folke..May sitt & carpe.

1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene iii. vi. sig. Hh2^v The gentle Shepheard swaynes, which sat Keeping their fleecy flockes, as they were hyr'd.

1662 J. Dryden Wks. (1884) IX. 65 Justice, that sits and frowns where public laws Exclude soft mercy from a private cause.

1722 D. Defoe Moll Flanders 233 I sat and cried and tormented my self Night and Day.

1871 F. T. Palgrave Lyrical Poems 92 Through year-long hours of hope and woe She sits and waits.

1984 J. Kelman Busconductor Hines (1992) iii. 111 I've been sitting worrying about you all fucking night.

2000 I. Edward-Jones My Canapé Hell (2001) i. 4 Then at the beginning of every week I've sat and stared at my cursor as it's willed me to write something of import and interest.

a. intransitive. To occupy a seat in the capacity of a judge. Also occasionally: to occupy a seat for the purpose of exercising an administrative function.See also to sit in judgement at Phrases 3.

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > office > [verb (intransitive)] > occupy official seat

sitOE

society > law > administration of justice > court proceedings or procedure > judging > judge or act as judge [verb (intransitive)]

deemc825

sitOE

justifya1400

judgec1400

to stand in judgement against1558

adjudicate1789

OE Old Eng. Hexateuch: Exod. (Claud.) xviii. 13 Ða on oðrum dæge sæt Moyses, & he wolde deman ðam folce þe him beforan stod.

OE Homily: Sermonem Angelorum Nomina (Corpus Cambr. 419) in A. S. Napier Wulfstan (1883) 227 Ðæt is, þæt nan man on þysne dæg [sc. Sunday] on dome ne sitte ne að ne swerige.

a1350 ( in R. H. Robbins Hist. Poems 14th & 15th Cent. (1959) 18 Þe iustices seten for þe knyhtes of scotlonde.

c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. Prol. l. 96 Some..in stede of stuwardes sytten and demen.

a1425 (a1400) Prick of Conscience (Galba & Harl.) (1863) l. 5636 Haly men and parfit, Þat with hym in dome þan sal sitt, And wyth hym deme.

1507 in I. S. Leadam Select Cases Star Chamber (1903) I. 257 He..syttith as stuard..and holdith theyre Courtes.

1681 A. Wood Life 17 Aug. The judges..went to the Guildhall yard where they sate from 9 to 12.

1752 T. Carte Gen. Hist. Eng. III. 320 Brooks, bishop of Gloucester, sitting as the pope's Subdelegate.

1835 Penny Cycl. III. 376 When the judges of each court sit together upon their several benches.

1910 in Minutes Evid. on Divorce & Matrimonial Causes (1912) II. 12/1 in Parl. Papers 1912–13 (Cd. 6480) XIX. 1 The stipendiary magistrate sits every day in the week.

2001 Daily Tel. 9 Oct. 18/2 The most serious cases will be heard by a Circuit Judge or High Court judge sitting in the Crown Division.

(a) intransitive. To have a seat in, or be a member of, a council, legislative assembly, or other official body. Usually with in (Parliament, a council, etc.) or (more recently) on (a council, board, etc.). Also with as (a member).

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > deliberative, legislative, or administrative assembly > governing or legislative body of a nation or community > [verb (intransitive)] > be member of

siteOE

eOE tr. Bede Eccl. Hist. (Tanner) ii. iv. 108 Mellitus betweoh hy æt þæm seonoðe sæt.

a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Jer. xv. 17 I sat [L. sedi] not in counseil of pleieres.

a1475 J. Fortescue Governance of Eng. (Laud) (1885) 145 (MED) What lower man was þer sytinge in þat counsell þat durste say ayen the openyon off any off the grete lordis?

?1542 H. Brinkelow Complaynt Roderyck Mors Pref. sig. A3^v Them that sytte in the parlament.

1645 G. Wither Vox Pacifica 195 Since he hath sitten in this Parlament.

1675 T. Hobbes tr. Homer Odysses iv. 268 Countries I have seen Many; and oft with Heroes in my life In Councels sitten.

1797 Sci. Mag. & Freemasons' Repository Dec. 435/2 He was repeatedly expelled the House as ineligible to sit as a member.

1828 W. Field Mem. Dr. Parr II. 305 The third..had sitten in eleven successive parliaments.

1945 Statutes of California 1945 3096 In the event the member sitting on the Board as a member of the City Council by virtue of being a member of the City Council is no longer such member.

1995 R. Blackburn Electoral Syst. in Brit. v. 214 The present very low number of women MPs sitting in Britain's national legislature is simply not acceptable.

2004 S. Hall Electric Michelangelo 102 His silly ideas about who should sit on the Council and who shouldn't, depending on if they wore a skirt or long trousers.

(b) intransitive. British. To be the member of parliament for (a constituency).

ΚΠ

1748 Biographia Britannica II. 900 He was..a Member of Parliament, in which he sat for some place in England, as in former representatives he had sat for Edinburgh, and as knight of the shire for Cork.

1880 A. Trollope Duke's Children I. v. 55 You used to sit for Silverbridge.

1981 Times of India 15 Apr. 17/2 She represented Finchley until the constituency boundary changes..since when she has sat for Barnet, Finchley.

c. intransitive. To occupy an episcopal see, esp. the See of Rome; (hence also) to hold the office of Pope.

ΘΚΠ

society > faith > church government > member of the clergy > clerical superior > bishop > act as a bishop [verb (intransitive)]

sitOE

episcopate1641

episcopize1651

to bishop it1655

OE Old Eng. Martyrol. (Julius) 6 Jan. (2013) 44 He sæt on ðæm papsetle ændlefen gear ond þry monað.

c1410 tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1879) VII. 151 Gregorie þe sixte, first called Gracianus, after Benet, sat almost foure ȝere.

?c1450 Life St. Cuthbert (1891) l. 6531 Tumbertus..Was Eata successour; he sat in hexham ȝeres thre.

a1500 (c1425) Andrew of Wyntoun Oryg. Cron. Scotl. (Nero) v. l. 4536 Qwhen Anastace þe pope was dede, Symacus sat in til his stede Fifteyn ȝhere.

1579 W. Fulke Confut. Treat. N. Sander in D. Heskins Ouerthrowne 540 Peter is sayd first to haue sit at Antioche.

1631 J. Weever Anc. Funerall Monuments 132 When he had sitten fourty yeares in his Bishopricke.

1731 Magna Britannia VI. 302/1 Sitting no longer in this See, than to Sept. 28, 1663..he is not mentioned in the common Catalogue of the Bishops of Worcester.

1861 A. Trollope Framley Parsonage II. ix. 171 He thought of the strain which would have been put on his conscience had he come up there to sit in London as Bishop of Westminster.

1998 F. J. Coppa Mod. Papacy v. 71 The..former prefect of the office of propaganda, who sat as pope, was a traditionalist.

a. intransitive. Of a legislative, judicial, or similar assembly: to hold a session; to be engaged in the conduct of business.

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > deliberative, legislative, or administrative assembly > of an assembly: hold a session [verb (intransitive)]

sitOE

OE Dispute between Edwin & his Mother (Sawyer 1462) in A. J. Robertson Anglo-Saxon Charters (1956) 150 Her swutelað on þissum gewrite þæt an scirgemot sæt æt Ægelnoðes stane be Cnutes dæge cinges.

1440 Chancery Proc. Ser. C1 File 9 No. 426 Atte þe whiche daie, þe Courte sittyng, youre seid Suppliant come into þe seide Court.

1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VIII f. ccii After Christemas the .xv. daye of Ianuary the Parliament began to sytte.

1603 R. Johnson tr. G. Botero Hist. Descr. Worlde 57 When the counsell hath sitten seauen or eight houres, the Bassa visur maketh true relation to the Prince, of all that hath bene handled.

1639 in 3rd Rep. Royal Comm. Hist. MSS (1872) 78/1 in Parl. Papers (C. 673) XXXIII. 337 If the King..go about to break their Parliament, I hear they are resolved to sit without his Majesty's leave.

1712 in J. A. Picton City of Liverpool: Select. Munic. Rec. (1886) II. 6 That the..town's chest be now..inspected, sitting this Councill.

1761 D. Hume Hist. Eng. (1806) IV. lxiv. 725 A convocation..had usually sitten at the same time with the parliament.

1863 H. Cox Inst. Eng. Govt. i. ix. 136 In the House of Lords the presence of three members is sufficient to enable the House to sit.

1983 Guardian 6 May 27/3 MPs sat late into the night again on Wednesday debating the controversial Police and Criminal Evidence Bill.

2001 Daily Tel. 13 Feb. 21/2 An all-woman Court of Appeal had never sat before.

2015 E. Crewe House of Commons i. 49 Every MP is required at Westminster every week Parliament sits.

†b. transitive. To hold (a meeting). Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

society > society and the community > social relations > association for a common purpose > meeting or assembling for common purpose > hold (a meeting) [verb (transitive)]

sit1635

hold1840

1635 in Hist. MSS Comm.: Rep. MSS Duke of Buccleuch (1899) I. 274 in Parl. Papers (C. 9244) XLVI. 1 For the meeting..it stood not well with some other occasion to have it sitten at this time.

5. To be, continue, or remain, in a specified state.Often with suggestion of the physical sense (sense 1a).

a. intransitive. With a phrase introduced by in (also †on in Old English and Middle English).

ΘΚΠ

the world > existence and causation > existence > state or condition > be or remain in specific state or condition [verb (intransitive)]

siteOE

won971

beOE

standOE

liec1374

rest1429

steadc1500

erdec1540

run1635

welter1847

stop1976

eOE (Mercian) Vespasian Psalter (1965) cvi. 9 (10) Sedentes in tenebris et umbra mortis : sittende in ðeostrum & scuan deaðes.

OE Genesis A (1931) 2701 Ic þæs færes a on wenum sæt.

a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1873) 2nd Ser. 103 Ðus sit man on his sinne swo ich seid haue.

a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 1239 Ðor sat his moder in sik and sor.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Fairf. 14) l. 15576 Þou sal couer & confort ham þat sitis in sorou & site.

c1450 (?a1400) Duke Rowland & Sir Otuell (1880) l. 85 (MED) Oure noble kynge..sittes in riche meneuere.

a1525 (c1448) R. Holland Bk. Howlat l. 22 in W. A. Craigie Asloan MS (1925) II. 95 Thus sat I in solace sekerly and sure.

1535 W. Stewart tr. H. Boethius Bk. Cron. Scotl. (1858) I. 30 Than we and tha sall sit in rest and peice.

1671 J. Milton Paradise Regain'd ii. 431 While Virtue, Valour, Wisdom sit in want.

1762 New & Gen. Biogr. Dict. IX. 339 A man that was not handsome enough to desire to see his picture, sat in danger in his company.

1831 T. R. Marvin Hist. Amer. Baptist Afr. & Haytien Missions 47 Who will dare to sit in idleness at home?

1995 M. Awkward Negotiating Difference 111 A young college student sits in fear that members of her race..will seek retribution on her person.

2001 High Country News 29 Jan. 4/1 A host of imperiled plants and animals sit in limbo.

b. intransitive. With adjective or other complement denoting a person's condition.

ΚΠ

OE Deor 24 Sæt secg monig sorgum gebunden, wean on wenan, wyscte geneahhe þæt þæs cynerices ofercumen wære.

OE Laws of Cnut (Nero) ii. lxxiii. 360 Sitte ælc wuduwe werleas xii monað, ceose syððan þæt heo sylf wylle.

c1225 (?OE) Soul's Addr. to Body (Worcester) (Fragm. B) l. 10 Hwar beoþ þe seten [emended in ed. to hwar beoþ þe sibbe þe seten] sori ofer þe?

a1300 (?c1200) Prov. Alfred (Jesus Oxf.) (1955) 148 Þanne myht þu sikerliche sely sytte.

a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Lament. iii. 28 He shal sitte solitarie.

a1413 (c1385) G. Chaucer Troilus & Criseyde (Pierpont Morgan) (1882) iii. l. 1630 Be not to Rakel þough þou sitte warme.

c1595 Capt. Wyatt in G. F. Warner Voy. R. Dudley to W. Indies (1899) 47 The Indians beinge suffred to sitt afterwarde at libertie.

a1627 W. Sclater Serm. Experimentall (1638) 79 That people have now long sitten without a King.

a1684 J. Evelyn Diary anno 1683 (1955) IV. 340 That he might the more easilie swallow Flanders..whilst we sate unconcerned, & under a deadly charme from somebody.

1779 H. E. Davis Reply to Mr. Gibbon's vindication 1 To amuse men out of their religion, or make them sit easy and indifferent to it.

1919 M. S. Watts From Father to Son ii. ii. 152 He saw the older man almost as an enemy, sitting secure in his superiority of age.

1992 Sunday Times of India 19 Apr. 17/1 Some 2,000 employees..have been forced to sit idle for more than a year.

c. intransitive. With noun complement denoting a person's status or occupation. Also figurative. Now literary.

ΚΠ

eOE (Mercian) Vespasian Psalter (1965) xxviii. 8 (10) Dominus diluuium inhabitat, et sedebit dominus rex in ęternum : dryhten cwildeflod ineardað & siteð dryhten cyning in ecnisse.

a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1969) Isa. xlvii. 8 I shal not sitten a widue.

a1400 in F. J. Furnivall Polit., Relig., & Love Poems (1903) 251 Kinge i sitte, and loke aboute, to morwen y mai beon wiþoute.

1614 W. Raleigh Hist. World i. iv. iii. §3. 217 Hauing sitten Viceroy ten yeares.

1637 J. Milton Comus 33 Night sits monarch yet in the mid skie.

1715 T. Hearne Remarks & Coll. (1901) V. 62 D^r. Charlett sate Vice-Chancellor, and ordered y^e Sermon to be printed.

1785 W. Cowper Task v. 877 Gods..that sit Amus'd spectators of this bustling stage.

1833 T. Chalmers On Power Wisdom & Goodness of God I. i. 95 Conscience sat mistress over the whole earth.

1905 L. C. Wood For Free Conscience xxxv. 244 The moon sat regent over a sky of deepest blue.

1997 J. Watson Media Communication iv. 94 As guard dogs they sit sentinel at the house of their masters.

a. intransitive. Of a person: to dwell, stay, or remain in a specified place; (also, of a company, military force, etc.) to have one's location or quarters in a specified place. Also figurative. Cf. Phrases 4a.In recent use probably as an extension of sense 1.

ΘΚΠ

society > inhabiting and dwelling > [verb (intransitive)]

wonc725

erdec893

siteOE

liveeOE

to make one's woningc960

through-wonOE

bigc1175

walkc1225

inwonea1300

lenda1300

lenga1300

lingera1300

erthec1300

stallc1315

lasta1325

lodge1362

habit?a1366

breeda1375

inhabitc1374

indwella1382

to have one's mansionc1385

to take (up) one's inn (or inns)a1400

keepc1400

repairc1400

to have (also hold, keep, make) one's residencec1405

to hold (also keep, make, take, etc.) one's mansiona1425

winc1425

to make (one's) residence1433

resort1453

abidec1475

use1488

remaina1500

demur1523

to keep one's house1523

occupy1523

reside1523

enerdc1540

kennel1552

bower1596

to have (also hold, keep, make) residence1597

subsist1618

mansiona1638

tenant1650

fastena1657

hospitate1681

wont1692

stay1754

to hang out1811

home1832

habitate1866

eOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Parker) anno 855 Her hęþne men ærest on Sceapige ofer winter sætun.

?a1160 Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) (Peterborough contin.) anno 1137 Wel þu myhtes faren al a dæis fare, sculdest thu neure finden man in tune sittende ne land tiled.

a1225 (c1200) Vices & Virtues (1888) 79 Hie sitteð at ham and ne hauen ðarof non ȝeswink, bute on here ðohtes and on here spaches.

a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) l. 446 He sittus in mi siȝt me þinkes euer-more.

c1400 (?a1300) Kyng Alisaunder (Laud) (1952) l. 1926 Bitwene Tygre and Eufraten Seten alle þise heþen men.

1584 Copie of Let. conc. Erle of Leycester 29 If the good Ladie had..vsed his help, she should not haue needed to haue sitten so pensiue at home.

1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost ii. 56 Shall the rest..sit lingring here Heav'ns fugitives..?

1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones VI. xvii. v. 126 The Lady..who sits indeed very near my Heart.

1800 Meteors No. 9. 112 Israel's army sat Encamp'd on Mount Gilboa.

1880 W. Besant Over Sea with Sailor in All Year Round Extra Christmas No. 1 Dec. 26/1 What? Stay in this forsaken hole? Sit here and rot?

1978 Economist 26 Aug. 56/1 The success will be incomplete—and could rapidly start to unravel—so long as the Cuban army sits in Angola.

2017 Tel-Jrnl. (New Brunswick) (Nexis) 6 Feb. c4 For a pair of adventurous globetrotters, life is too short to sit at home.

b. intransitive. To be the tenant or occupier a house, farm, etc.; to remain during a lease; to continue a tenancy. Usually with at (a certain rent), or with complement. Also (in quot. 1602): †to live at a certain rate of expense.Cf. sitting tenant: see sitting adj. 2d.In proverbial expressions often opposed to flit: see flit v. 6.

ΘΚΠ

society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabiting a type of place > inhabit type of place [verb (intransitive)] > inhabit house > as tenant

sitOE

society > trade and finance > management of money > expenditure > spend or incur expense [verb (intransitive)] > live at a certain rate of expense

sitOE

OE Will of Wynflæd (Sawyer 1539) in D. Whitelock Anglo-Saxon Wills (1930) 12 Þenne an hio þan hywum þara gebura þe on þam gafollande sittað & þera þeowra manna hio an hyre syna dehter Eadgyfe.

1405 in H. M. Flasdieck Mittelengl. Originalurkunden (1926) 33 (MED) The forsaide Baillies, Burgeis, and Comuners shul graunte..to the forsaide sir Roger, to his heirs, and to..al tho that shul sytte on the forsaide place in tyme comyng..þat thei shul bene quyte of al maner of Custumez.

1565 T. Harding Confut. Apol. Church of Eng. iv. i. f. 161^v If he allowed them of all other to sitte rent free..: it were a iust thing to complaine of.

1584 Dialogue Strife our Churche 6 Inholders sit at a great rent, and paie dear for all thinges.

1602 W. Shakespeare Merry Wives of Windsor i. iii. 8 I sit at ten pound a weeke.

1625 F. Bacon Ess. (new ed.) 240 As a Farmer cannot husband his Ground so well, if he sit at a great Rent.

1751 T. Smollett Peregrine Pickle IV. xcix. 72 She found herself..incapable..of keeping the farm, unless he would..allow her to sit free for a twelvemonth.

1811 W. Scott in J. G. Lockhart Mem. Life Sir W. Scott (1837) II. xi. 356 I now sit a tenant at will under a heavy rent.

1846 W. Cross Disruption xxxviii. 416 Sit wha like, I'll flitt.

1932 Scotsman 3 Aug. 7/1 Connolly was sitting as tenant, under his own name.

1945 R. A. Collier Butterworths Emergency Legislation Service Statutes Suppl. (ed. 2) No. 24. xii. 160 All tenants sit at rack rents, except the tenant of the ground floor who pays £1000 per annum.

1973 J. Bankes & E. Kerridge Early Rec. Bankes Family Introd. 4 To let their tenants sit at easy rents.

c. intransitive. Coal Mining. Of a coal face: to crack off but remain in position. Also to sit down. Now rare.

ΚΠ

1883 W. S. Gresley Gloss. Terms Coal Mining 224 A coal face or buttock is said to sit when, after the sprags have been drawn, it will not fall over and break up, but merely cracks off and rests in that position until pulled over.

?c1919 D. Burns & G. L. Kerr Mod. Pract. Coal Mining vii. 523 The drawback to deep cutting in thin seams is that the coal does not tumble over, but simply sits down.

1931 Trans. Inst. Mining Engineers 80 395 Some coal ‘sits down’ when being cut.

a. intransitive. To lie hidden in readiness to surprise prey, an enemy, etc. Now chiefly in to sit in ambush, to sit in wait at wait n. 1a.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > hostile action or attack > make attack [verb (intransitive)] > lie in wait

siteOE

wait?c1225

aspya1250

awaita1250

keepc1275

to sit in wait(s)a1300

lurkc1300

bush1330

to lie at (the) waitc1440

to lie on waitc1440

to lie wait1445

lay one's wait1535

hugger1567

to lie at (on, upon the) lurch1578

couch1582

ambuscade1592

to lie (also stand, stay, etc.) perdu1624

to lie at (or upon the) snap1631

ambush1638

to hole up1912

eOE (Mercian) Vespasian Psalter (1965) ix. 28 (8) Sedet in insidiis cum diuitibus in occultis ut interficiat innocentem : siteð in searwum mid ðæm weoligum in degulnissum det he ofsle ðone unscyldgan.

?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 247 Triste is þer me sit mid þe greahundes for to kepe þe hare.

a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1961) Josh. viii. 9 Þei wentyn to þe place of þe boschement & þei setyn bytwene betel & hay.

c1405 (c1395) G. Chaucer Friar's Tale (Hengwrt) (1872) l. 1657 The leon sit in his awayt alway To sle the Innocent if that he may.

a1500 (c1340) R. Rolle Psalter (Univ. Oxf. 64) (1884) ix. §30. 37 He sittis in waitis with the riche in hidels.

1638 R. Brathwait Psalmes of David cxix. 246 Fraud with force in ambush sits.

1855 R. F. Burton Personal Narr. Pilgrimage to El-Medinah II. xx. 248 The slave sat in ambush behind a rock.

2003 P. Sillitoe Managing Animals in New Guinea ii. vi. 175 When sitting in ambush men may resort to various ruses to attract animals.

b. intransitive. To be encamped at a siege. Frequently with before. Cf. to sit down 6 at Phrasal verbs 1 (b). Now only in historical contexts.

ΘΚΠ

society > armed hostility > attack > action or state of siege or blockade > lay siege [verb (intransitive)]

to lay ensiege?a1500

to plant a siegea1500

to sit down1593

inleaguer1603

to set downa1616

to lie down1693

sit1802

eOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Parker) anno 878 He..þær gefeaht wiþ alne þone here & hiene gefliemde, & him æfter rad oþ þæt geweorc & þær sæt xiiii niht.

eOE Metres of Boethius (2009) xxvi. 16 Aulixes..an hund scipa lædde ofer lagustream, sæt longe ðær tyn winter full.

1720 A. Pope in tr. Homer Iliad V. xviii. 1461 The Besiegers sitting before the town, heard the Outcry.

1802 C. James New Mil. Dict. (at cited word) To sit before a fortified place; to lie encamped for the purpose of besieging it.

1926 C. V. Vaidya Hist. Medieval Hindu India III. vii. xxii. 357 For 11 months the army sat before it.

1969 G. Turton Builders of England's Glory viii. 110 As long as his army sat before Boulogne he could avoid battle.

a. intransitive. Of a bird: to perch, roost; (also) to rest the body on the ground or other surface.

ΘΚΠ

the world > animals > birds > actions or bird defined by > [verb (intransitive)] > perch

sitOE

jouka1400

perch?a1425

to go (also come) to roosta1529

roost1530

perka1598

the world > animals > birds > actions or bird defined by > [verb (intransitive)] > sit

sitOE

OE Phoenix 208 Þær se wilda fugel in þam westenne ofer heanne beam hus getimbreð... Siteð siþes fus.

OE Genesis A (1931) 2160 Eacne fuglas [read Ac nefuglas] under beorhhleoþum blodig[e] sittað.

c1275 (?c1250) Owl & Nightingale (Calig.) (1935) l. 89 Þu sittest adai & fliȝt aniȝt.

?a1300 Thrush & Nightingale (Digby) l. 106 in C. Brown Eng. Lyrics 13th Cent. (1932) 104 Fowel, þou sitest on hasel bou.

c1450 ( Nightingale (Calig.) l. 97 in O. Glauning Minor Poems J. Lydgate (1900) 5 She a-lyght Ande singynge seet in myddes of the tre.

1568 in J. Small Poems W. Dunbar (1893) II. 305 That bird..satt, & tald me hir intent.

1613 S. Purchas Pilgrimage 748 The birds sit as thicke, as stones lie in a Paued street.

1713 J. Smith tr. Horace in Poems upon Several Occasions 161 Fowls of a rank, or feeble Wing, That springing rise for Game, or sit and sing.

1785 W. Cowper Task vi. 308 The stock-dove..Sits cooing in the pine-tree.

1803 Gazetteer Scotl. at Orkney Islands The cliffs on which the birds are sitting.

1991 P. Matthiessen Afr. Silences iii. 111 On a high tree sat a thickset white bird.

b. intransitive. Of a bird: to take up or continue in the posture necessary for hatching eggs. Also figurative and in extended use (of a serpent). Also with on, upon.In older use frequently to sit abrood: see abrood adv.

ΘΚΠ

the world > animals > birds > egg > [verb (intransitive)] > sit or brood

sit1483

brood1598

1483 Catholicon Anglicum (BL Add. 89074) (1881) 341 To Sytt on eggis, jncubare.

?1523 J. Fitzherbert Bk. Husbandry f. xlix All holefoted foules woll syt a moneth.

1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry iii. f. 158 When they sitte, with theyr vnruly spurres they breake theyr Egges.

1602 2nd Pt. Returne fr. Parnassus i. ii. 173 An old goose that sits hatching vp those eggs.

1608 E. Topsell Hist. Serpents 9 The serpent hauing layd her egge sitteth vpon them to hatch them at seuerall times.

1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost i. 21 Thou..Dove-like satst brooding on the vast Abyss And mad'st it pregnant.

1759 R. Brown Compl. Farmer 71 A hen sits twenty days.

1817 W. Scott Rob Roy III. viii. 237 Civil war is like a cockatrice; we have sitten hatching the egg that held it for ten years.

1850 D. J. Browne Amer. Poultry Yard 108 If a hen is really determined to sit, it is useless..to attempt to divert her from her object.

1903 Birds & Nature Sept. 61/2 The female bird, sitting on her nest, is rearing a suppositious and spurious progeny.

2012 Your Chickens Apr. 29/2 Nobody can say these hens won't sit.

c. transitive. Of a hen or female bird: to incubate or hatch (eggs).Formerly also (English regional) in extended use (see quot. 1828) (obsolete).

ΘΚΠ

the world > animals > animal body > general parts > sexual organs and reproduction > [verb (transitive)] > incubate

sit1545

couve1601

incubate1721

1545 G. Joye tr. P. Melanchthon in Expos. Daniel Ep. Ded. f. 2 These halcions..wil sitte their egges and hatche forth their chikens.

1600 R. Surflet tr. C. Estienne & J. Liébault Maison Rustique i. xvi. 107 Geese loue not almost to sit any but their owne egs.

1796 R. H. tr. G. C. Raff Syst. Nat. Hist. (Edinb. ed.) II. 14 How long does a hen sit her eggs before they be all hatched?

1828 W. Carr Dial. Craven (ed. 2) (at cited word) ‘He wad sit eggs,’ said of a person, who sits long in a neighbour's house, when his company might be well dispensed with.

1867 Jrnl. Royal Agric. Soc. 2nd Ser. 3 ii. 525 The hen will sit seventeen of her own eggs.

1934 Manch. Guardian 7 May 18/5 A swan doing sentry-go..while his mate sat her eggs.

2002 Racing Pigeon Pict. Internat. Aug. 13/3 They sit eggs for an eight day period.

d. transitive. To cause (a female bird) to sit on eggs.

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > farming > animal husbandry > keeping birds > poultry-keeping > rear poultry [verb (transitive)] > cause hen to sit

setc1440

sit1805

1805 J. T. H. Des Carrières Chambaud's Nouveau Dict. (rev. ed.) I. sig. Nn4^v/2 Mettre des poules couver, to sit hens.

1891 T. Hardy Tess of the D'Urbervilles II. xxvi. 66 Ought she not..to..know how to sit hens and turkeys..?

1960 ‘M. Reynolds’ Farmer's Wife 50 In those days, as soon as Christmas was over we renewed the battery of orange-boxes in the old stable and started to sit hens as fast as they would go broody.

a. intransitive. Of an animal: to rest the body in a manner analogous to that of a seated person; spec. (of a dog) to assume an upright seated position with the hindquarters on the ground, in response to a command. Also (in quot. 1749) figurative: cf. sitting adj. 1d(a).

ΘΚΠ

the world > animals > by habits or actions > habits and actions > [verb (intransitive)] > rest as a seated person

sitOE

OE Old Eng. Hexateuch: Gen. (Claud.) xxix. 2 Ða geseah he ðær anne pytt on þam lande, & ðreo heorda sceapa sittende wið þone pytt [L. tresque greges ovium accubantes iuxta eum].

a1275 Body & Soul (Trin. Cambr. B.14.39) l. 123 in A. S. M. Clark Seint Maregrete & Body & Soul (Ph.D. diss., Univ. of Michigan) (1972) 143 Virmes sitten on his bresd and eten of is chin.

a1300 (?c1250) Owl & Nightingale (Jesus Oxf.) (1935) l. 86 Þe were i cundere to one frogge Þat sit at Mulne vnder cogge.

c1440 (a1400) Awntyrs Arthure (Thornton) l. 120 Cerkelytt withe serpentes, þat satt by hir sydes.

?1523 J. Fitzherbert Bk. Husbandry f. xii The shepe..wyll folowe those stakes as he flytteth them and syt by them.

?1575 E. Hellowes tr. A. de Guevara Familiar Epist. (new ed.) 148 Perceyuing that monstrous Lion sitting at the entrance of the caue..: the teares presently fell from myne eyes.

1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost v. 25 How the Bee Sits on the Bloom.

1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones II. v. x. 205 This alone must have abundantly satisfied Jones that he was (to use the Language of Sportsmen) found sitting .

1792 S. Gunning Anecd. Delborough Family I. xiv. 183 Dogs, monkeys, birds, and squirrels of fashion..would sit on their lady's toilet.

1856 ‘Stonehenge’ Man. Brit. Rural Sports i. ii. vi. 139 It is very desirable to find the hare sitting, because she may otherwise sit so close as to be ‘chopped’.

1897 Strand Mag. Sept. 293/2 The spider..sits unconcerned but watchful in the centre or hub of her snare.

1959 Stars & Stripes (European ed.) 10 Feb. 12/1 (caption) Mrs. Woodhouse can teach a dog to sit and stay in a single day.

2005 Daily Tel. 12 Feb. 10 The cat is sitting on my lap.

b. intransitive. In imperative. As an instruction to a dog.

ΚΠ

1881 Forest & Stream 29 Dec. 434/1 Force his hind parts down while you hold up his head, at the same time telling him to ‘sit’.

1924 R. Arundel Police Dogs & their Training ii. 22 When the dog stops sitting look at him, and with your index finger raised command ‘sit’.

1961 C. Willock Death in Covert iv. 85 ‘Sit, Scrub, SIT.’ Aided by a hefty clout on the rump, Scrub miraculously sat.

2013 J. Scalzi Human Div. vii. 222 ‘Tuffy! Sit!’ Wilson said. The dog sat.

†10.

a. transitive. Scottish, English regional (northern), and Irish English (northern). To remain seated or inactive in the face of (a call); (hence) to disregard, neglect, pay no heed or attention to (a command, call, etc.). Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > attention and judgement > inattention > ignoring, disregard > ignore, disregard [verb (transitive)] > refuse to hear

unheara1300

sitc1300

to tune out1928

to sign off1957

c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) l. 2567 Was non þat euere his bode sat, For he him dredde swiþe sore.

1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid iv. vi. 6 Astonist he was to site so hie ane charge.

1572 (a1500) Taill of Rauf Coilȝear (1882) 99 Durst scho neuer sit summoundis that scho hard him say.

a1585 A. Montgomerie Flyting with Polwart 67 Sit thou this charge,..The second sall bee something sairer.

a1653 Z. Boyd Zion's Flowers (1855) 43 Let Cities learne of Ninive the great, For to repent, and not God's summons sit.

1699 T. Boston Soliloquy Art of Man-fishing (1900) 61 I did a long time sit the call of the church.

1742 E. Erskine Serm. in Wks. (1871) III. 58 His bowels are shut against me: I have sitten his call so often.

1856 G. Henderson Pop. Rhymes Berwick 43 I sat that bidding, but I've rued it ay sin syne.

1890 D. A. Simmons S. Donegal Gloss. in Sc. National Dict. (1971) VIII. at Sit ‘Sit a summons’, to disobey a summons by neglecting to appear in court.

b. intransitive. Scottish. To refrain from taking action; to wait; to delay. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > expectation > expectation, waiting > wait, await [verb (intransitive)]

bidec1000

onbideOE

abidelOE

sustainc1350

tarry1390

await1393

to wait for1577

hearken1580

attend1589

sit1591

wait and see1719

to wait on1773

to hold one's (also the) breath1987

the world > time > a suitable time or opportunity > untimeliness > delay or postponement > delay [verb (intransitive)]

geleOE

studegieOE

abideOE

to do in or a (= on) fristc1175

dwellc1175

demurc1230

targec1250

dretcha1325

tarrya1375

sojourn1377

defer1382

letc1385

hinderc1386

blina1400

delay?a1400

honea1400

litea1400

overbidea1400

prolongc1425

supersede1433

hoverc1440

tarrowc1480

sunyie1488

stay?a1500

sleep1519

slack1530

protract1540

linger1548

procrastinate1548

slackc1560

slug1565

jauk1568

temporize1579

detract1584

longering1587

sit1591

prorogue1593

to time it out1613

to lie out1640

crastinate1656

taigle17..

to hang fire1782

to hold off1790

to hang it on1819

prevaricate1854

to lie over1856

to tread water1942

to drag one's feet1946

1591 R. Bruce Serm. Edinb. sig. S8^v Why hath he [sc. God] sitten, bot to see gif his enemies wil repent?

1603 Thre Prestis of Peblis (Charteris) (1920) 52 Is nane sa wicht, na wyse, na of sik wit Agane his summond suithly that may sit.

a1622 J. Welch 48 Select Serm. (1744) i. 9 Wo to the Soul that shall sit till this Time of Grace pass over, and will not come in in Time.

†11. transitive. Originally: to keep one's seat beneath (a blow or stroke). Subsequently also: to endure, bear; to put up with. Also with indirect object indicating the person inflicting the blow: see quot. a1470. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > difficulty > opposition > oppose [verb (transitive)] > resist

withstandc888

withsake971

forstanda1000

to stand again ——OE

withsetc1000

again-standOE

to stand againOE

warnc1175

wiþerhaldec1175

atstandc1220

astand1250

withsitc1300

sitc1325

asitc1330

(it) may well withc1395

reversea1400

resist1417

ofstandc1425

onstandc1425

gainstand?c1450

endure1470

obsista1475

repugna1513

recountera1525

occur1531

desist1548

impugn1577

obstrigillate1623

counter-stand1648

stem1675

repique1687

to make face to1807

to fight off1833

to stick up1838

bay1848

withstay1854

buck1857

c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) l. 2898 Þer nas so god kniȝt non nour aboute france Þat in ioustes ssolde sitte þe dunt of is lance.

a1470 T. Malory Morte Darthur (Winch. Coll. 13) (1990) II. 639 None..but yf hit were sir Trystram othir sir Launcelot other ellys sir Lameroke..myght sytte hym a buffette with a speare.

a1631 J. Donne Serm. (1953) VI. 351 First, God turns their Rivers into blood; Pharaoh sits that proces, and more.

1640 tr. G. S. du Verdier Love & Armes Greeke Princes i. 50 Being unable to sit the shock of fowr lances,..he was unhorsed.

1777 F. Burney Early Diary (1889) II. 183 It was so ill done, that he could not sit it, so he came out before it was half over.

1848 J. H. Newman Loss & Gain xviii. 273 And he's so positive..; it is quite unpleasant, I don't know how to sit it sometimes.

1859 C. Reade Love me Little (1868) vii. 88 Ladies, whose hearts are in dress, have no taste for books however frivolous; can't sit them above a second or two.

†12. intransitive. To rest the body on the knees; to be in a kneeling posture. More fully to sit on one's knees: see Phrases 1. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

c1450 Alphabet of Tales (1904) I. 15 As he satt in his prayers, hym þoght [etc.].

1518 in Yorks. Archæol. & Topogr. Jrnl. (1873) 2 381 iij pure women to sit at y^e herse & pray.

13.

a. intransitive. To remain in a fixed, seated position for the purpose of having one's portrait painted or otherwise captured. Now chiefly with for (one's portrait), to or for (a painter).

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > painting and drawing > painting > painting according to subject > make subject for painting [verb (intransitive)] > paint portrait > sit for portrait

sit1538

1538 T. Cromwell in R. B. Merriman Life & Lett. T. Cromwell (1902) II. 122 It may please you..to sit so longe..that a seruaunt of the kinges highnes..may take your phisionomie.

1584 J. Lyly Alexander, Campaspe, & Diogenes iv. ii. sig. E The misfortune I had with your picture, will put you to some paines, to sitte againe to be painted.

c1660 J. Evelyn Diary anno 1641 (1955) II. 29 I sate to one Vanderborcht for my Picture in Oyle.

1666 S. Pepys Diary 17 Mar. (1972) VII. 74 This day I begun to sit, and he will make me, I think, a very fine picture.

1775 J. Granger Biogr. Hist. Eng. (ed. 2) IV. 248 James II... The king was sitting for this picture, when he received the news that the prince of Orange was landed.

1894 H. P. Liddon et al. Life E. B. Pusey I. Pref. p. x Dr. Pusey persistently refused to sit for this portrait.

1960 C. Beaton Diary Feb. in Self Portrait with Friends (1979) xxii. 324 But that's what's so awful about having to sit to Lucian... He makes you sit by the hour without moving an eyelash, and I find sitting very unnerving, exhausting work.

2006 H. Holzer in H. Holzer et al. Emancipation Proclamation 100 The first time a president of the United States sat for a photographer inside the executive mansion.

2010 M. Cryer Common Phrases 294 Cromwell sat for a portrait by Sir Peter Lely.

b. intransitive. To serve as a model for a figure in a painting or a character in a novel. Also more generally: to serve as a model for a painting. Also figurative.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > painting and drawing > equipment for painting or drawing > [verb (intransitive)] > serve as model

sita1652

society > leisure > the arts > literature > prose > narrative or story > fiction > tell or write fiction [verb (intransitive)] > serve as model for character

sit1763

a1652 R. Brome Court Begger iii. i. sig. Q2 in Five New Playes (1653) I could sit for the naked Shepherdesse, with one Leg over the tother Knee.

1673 R. Leigh Transproser Rehears'd 35 Imagining, as he well might, that he had sat for the Coffee-house Sign.

1763 Ann. Reg. 1762 ii. 18 Mr. Young, a learned..friend of..Fielding's, sat for parson Adams.

1785 W. Cowper Task iv. 526 Airy dreams Sat for the picture; and the poet's hand..Impos'd a gay delirium for a truth.

1838 Spectator 5 May 423/2 The conscious air of the pretty peasant girl sitting for the Virgin.., and the listlessness of the wearied models..complete the verisimilitude.

1972 Clogher Rec. 7 466 He tells us, in the preface to the last edition.., that the individual who sat for the character of Honor O'Donovan..was his own mother.

2014 R. B. Marchesani & E. M. Stern Saints & Rogues 151 The same model sat for the face of the Savior and that of the traitor, Judas.

c. transitive. To place (a subject) in position for being photographed.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > photography > action of taking photograph > photograph [verb (transitive)] > place subject in position

sit1873

1873 Photogr. Mosaics 67 The most natural way to light persons, would be to sit them out of doors.

1890 Internat. Ann. Anthonys Photogr. Bull. 92 We sit a stranger immediately he comes in, knowing absolutely nothing what manner of man he is of.

1988 M. Endicott in G. Ursell Sky High 104 When we were ready to sit, she sat us, took some pictures, re-sat us and took more.

14.

a. transitive. To keep one's seat on (a horse); to ride (a horse). Later also in extended use: to keep one's seat on (any moving thing).

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > transport > riding on horse (or other animal) > ride (a horse or other animal) [verb (transitive)]

sit1542

saddle1551

carry1613

endorsea1637

set1648

1542 N. Udall tr. Erasmus Apophthegmes f. 276 He would not suffre any bodye to sitte hym, or gette up on his backe.

1623 W. Shakespeare & J. Fletcher Henry VIII iv. ii. 16 He..grew so ill He could not sit his Mule.

1662 J. Davies tr. A. Olearius Voy. & Trav. Ambassadors 285 The King return'd..so Drunk, as were also most of his Lords, that they could hardly sit their Horses.

1762 J. Wesley Jrnl. 30 Mar. It was difficult to sit our horses.

1814 J. Austen Mansfield Park II. ii. 33 Poor old coachman would attend us..though he was hardly able to sit the box on account of the rheumatism.

1836 M. M. Sherwood Henry Milner iii. v Edgar sits a horse as well as any young man in England.

1977 New Yorker 11 July 19/1 She sits a bicycle with the feckless insouciance of an eleven-year-old.

1994 C. McCarthy Crossing (1995) iv. 370 The rider sat the horse and looked about the courtyard.

b. transitive. To balance (a boat) with one's weight, while remaining seated.

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > travel by water > directing or managing a ship > direct or manage ship [verb (transitive)] > sit expertly in (a boat) so as to balance it

sit1829

1829 Bell's Life in London 27 Dec. 3/5 The rowing of Williams..is any thing but pleasant: he sits a boat awkwardly, and appears to have all the work on his arms.

1866 Routledge's Every Boy's Ann. 66 They sit their boat, and keep time as if they were two clock-work figures.

1934 Times 30 Jan. 5/4 Though some members of the crew are naturally clumsy, they sit the boat well.

2017 @tkcarter82 5 Jan. in twitter.com (accessed 14 Nov. 2017) If you're sitting the boat for exercises you should be putting pressure on the water to keep boat stable.

†15. transitive. To stay till the end of (an activity, a fixed period, etc.); = to sit out 2a at Phrasal verbs 1. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > time > duration > have duration [verb (transitive)] > outstay or overstay

outdwell1600

overstand1600

sit1602

to ride out1603

outstaya1616

overstay1641

outsit1661

tarry outa1662

stay1749

to sit out1752

to overstay one's welcome1858

stay1858

1602 N. Breton Wonders Worth Hearing sig. D Hauing a faggot before me, which I meant to sit the burning out of, I heard..two or three laughing very hartely.

1784 Laura & Augustus III. 16 We soon after this returned home, not chusing to sit the entertainment.

1845 P. Still Cottar's Sunday 36 Neebours roun', whan Robin teuk it, Swore he wadna sit his lease.

1891 Notes & Queries 28 Mar. 245/2 If they choose to sit the service, they should at least ‘stand’ something towards the expenses.

16. British and Irish English.

a. intransitive. To be a candidate for a fellowship at a university. Now chiefly historical, except as a specific (elliptical) use of sense 16b (in cases where fellowships are obtained by competitive examination).In early use (before the 19th century) chiefly with reference to Cambridge.

ΚΠ

1748 L. Pilkington Mem. I. 96 Were your Wife and you to sit for a Fellowship, I would give her one sooner than admit you a Sizar.

1830 S. Butler Let. in S. Butler Life & Lett. S. Butler (1896) I. xxii. 371 Tom will be at Cambridge to sit for a fellowship at St. John's.

1971 J. T. Wilkinson Arthur Samuel Peake ii. 32 In October 1890 Peake sat for the Merton College Fellowship and was successful.

1991 Daily Mail 21 June 32/2 Jacob took a First and was invited to sit for a fellowship.

b. intransitive. To present oneself for examination; to take an examination. Usually with for.

ΘΚΠ

society > education > educational administration > examination > examine [verb (intransitive)] > sit

sit1830

to go up1842

1830 S. Butler Let. in S. Butler Life & Lett. S. Butler (1896) I. xxii. 371 I had only two men to sit at the Classical Tripos.

1886 App. Jrnls. House of Representatives N.Z. (3rd Sess. 9th Parl.) II. E.–1A 1 The candidates who sat for the full examination—as distinguished from the 202 candidates who sat for completion—may be divided as follows.

1929 R. Graves Good-bye to all That xxvii. 362 My tutor..warned me that I must on no account disparage the eighteenth century when I sat for my final examination.

1963 R. Pedley Comprehensive School i. 14 In some of the 3900 ‘modern’ schools in England and Wales it is possible for the cleverer pupils to sit for GCE at ordinary level.

1968 G. Maxwell Raven seek thy Brother viii. 102 I appealed to my guardian to be allowed to retire..from the scene on the grounds of ill-health... The refusal was absolute..; I was to sit for my degree, no matter what the outcome.

2015 M. J. M. Zagood in A. Akbarov Pract. of Foreign Lang. Teaching 403 Students need to sit for exams twice each semester.

c. transitive. To take (an examination).

ΘΚΠ

society > education > educational administration > examination > examine a candidate [verb (transitive)] > take examination

to go in1845

sit1859

write1943

1859 N. Wales Chron. 5 Mar. Suppl. There are dozens of certified National Schoolmasters in Wales, who..even are not allowed now to sit an examination for Welsh alone.

1898 Library 10 239 Out of 44 students, 13 sat the Examination.

1966 Rep. Comm. Inq. (Univ. of Oxf.) II. 152 Collections are college examinations, usually sat at the beginning of a term.

2014 M. Henderson Geek Manifesto vi. 146 Only the most able pupils generally sit more than three A-levels.

17.

†a. transitive. Originally English regional. To keep (a person) company in sitting; (hence also) to court. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

society > society and the community > social relations > association, fellowship, or companionship > a companion or associate > accompany or associate with [verb (transitive)]

seeOE

to bear (a person) company (also fellowship, etc.)c1225

mella1300

fellowshipa1382

companya1400

accompany1461

to keep company (with)1502

encompanya1513

to keep (a person) company1517

to take repast1517

assist1553

to take up with1570

rempare1581

to go along with1588

amate1590

bear1590

to fall in1593

consort1598

second1600

to walk (also travel) in the way with1611

comitate1632

associate1644

enhaunt1658

join1713

assort1823

sit1828

companionize1870

to take tea with1888

to knock about with1915

tote1977

fere-

1828 W. Carr Dial. Craven (ed. 2) II. at Sit ‘To sit a woman’, to keep company with her, to court, or to sit up with her during the night ; a too common practice in this district, which is no less disgraceful to the parent than to the child to allow.

1879 G. Meredith Egoist II. ii. 34 I will undertake to sit you through it up to morning.

b. transitive. To act as a babysitter for (a child). Also in extended use.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > safety > protection or defence > care, protection, or charge > care for, protect, or have charge of [verb (transitive)] > take care of or look after > specifically a person > a child in parents' absence

mind1839

sit1950

babysit1962

childmind1969

1950 Here & Now (N.Z.) Nov. 28/2 He is a nice domestic chap: speaks on international affairs; helps old ladies across the street; can sit a baby.

1971 ‘E. Fenwick’ Impeccable People xx. 110 He can help sit Granny, too.

2016 T. Fletcher In Midnight Hour (2017) iii. 30 Catherine employed Wilson to sit her own children while she went to work.

c. intransitive. To babysit.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > safety > protection or defence > care, protection, or charge > care or protect [verb (intransitive)] > act as baby-sitter

babysit1946

sit1954

childmind1975

1954 Washington Post 28 Nov. 3 s/2 Members..must sit or call for a sitter at least once a month.

1975 M. Bradbury Hist. Man vii. 121 I'll have to get a sitter... I shouldn't have any trouble finding someone to sit. One of the students.

2005 P. Friedmann Side Effects (2006) vi. 52 The kids had to do their homework, and I didn't think this was a night I could ask Ciana to sit for me.

18. intransitive. To sit down in a public place as a form of protest; to take part in a sit-down protest. Cf. to sit down 12 at Phrasal verbs 1.

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > lack of subjection > rebelliousness > militancy > be militant [verb (intransitive)] > demonstrate or protest > specific

to sit down1936

to sit in1937

sit1959

to take a (also the) knee1960

1959 Washington Post 19 Oct. a3/5 (headline) Students sit in protest.

1961 Daily Tel. 21 Oct. 7/1 A tailor..was yesterday preparing to ‘sit’ for nine years, if necessary, in the path of a £1,500,000 redevelopment scheme.

1970 P. Laurie Scotl. Yard x. 259 The demonstrators..could ‘sit’ as long as they liked.

2004 Daily Oklahoman (Nexis) 3 July 1 a (caption) Demonstrators sit in protest in this 1961 photograph taken in downtown Oklahoma City.

19. transitive. North American Sport. Esp. of a coach or manager: to exclude (a player) from a team or squad; to leave on the bench; (also) to remove (a player) from a game. Cf. bench v.¹ 3d.Cf. to sit down 13 at Phrasal verbs 1, to sit out 1c at Phrasal verbs 1.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > sport > types of play, actions, or postures > [verb (transitive)] > other actions or types of play

outshoot1545

football1599

pitch1717

make1819

to warm up1868

to draw out1893

bench1898

foot1900

cover1907

cannonball1911

telegraph1913

unsight1923

snap1951

to sit out1955

pike1956

to sit down1956

wrong-foot1960

blindside1968

sit1977

1977 Daily Texan 14 Oct. 15 Normally, I don't sit him against left-handed pitching, unless it's a guy like (Paul) Splittorff, whom Reggie can't hit.

1998 P. Summitt & S. Jenkins Raise Roof viii. 179 I'm not going to tolerate your moods any more. You want to play, you play hard, you hear me? Or I'll sit you for the rest of the season.

2019 Mercury News (Calif.) (Nexis) 22 May He then only played 18 minutes in Game 3 against Portland before the Warriors decided to sit him with 7:50 left in the third quarter.

II. To be placed or situated, and related uses.

20.

a. Of a thing: to have its location; to be situated or placed.Frequently with on or upon: see to sit on —— 2a at Phrasal verbs 2, to sit upon —— 2 at Phrasal verbs 2.

(a) intransitive. With reference to a material object.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > place > position or situation > be positioned or situated [verb (intransitive)]

resteOE

standOE

sitOE

liec1121

inhabitc1384

settlea1400

couchc1400

biga1425

loutc1460

residea1475

innc1475

contain1528

consist1542

seatc1580

situate1583

lodge1610

site1616

subsist1618

station1751

OE tr. Pseudo-Apuleius Herbarium (Vitell.) (1984) ii. 42 Be æghwylcum uncuþum blædrum ðe on mannes nebbe sittað nim wegbrædan sæd, drig to duste & gnid, meng wið smeoru.., smyre þæt neb mid.

c1390 (a1376) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Vernon) (1867) A. viii. l. 129 I..sauh þe sonne sitte souþ euene þat tyme.

?a1425 (c1400) Mandeville's Trav. (Titus C.xvi) (1919) 5 The euyll town þat sytt toward the end of hungarye.

1504 in S. Tymms Wills & Inventories Bury St. Edmunds (1850) 102 The which tenement syttyth and lyyth by y^e tenement of John Clerk.

1570 in J. Cranstoun Satirical Poems Reformation (1891) I. xxii. 54 The forkit Clauer besyde the Croce that sittis.

1619 W. Phillip tr. W. C. Schouten Relation Wonderfull Voiage 17 The great ship sat with her side vpon the cliffes.

1742 Defoe's Tour Great Brit. (ed. 3) I. vi. 292 The Town sits in the Bottom of a great Bay.

1869 A. J. Evans Vashti xx. 267 In the room where the coffin sat wreathed with flowers.

1977 Oxf. Jrnl. 10 June 1/5 There were a dozen eggs still sitting on the front porch and the dustbin sat at the back of the house where the binmen had left it.

2008 T. Peters Kids on Case v. 41 I saw two old wooden chairs sitting in the middle of the floor.

(b) intransitive. With reference to something immaterial.

ΚΠ

OE Wærferð tr. Gregory Dialogues (Corpus Cambr.) (1900) iii. xxxiv. 245 Þæt Axa sæt ofer þam eosole, þæt getacnað, þæt si [read seo] rihtgewittuge sawl siteð on þam lichaman.

a1350 in G. L. Brook Harley Lyrics (1968) 35 Ofte in song y haue hem set, þat is vnsemly þer hit syt. Hit syt ant semeþ noht þer hit ys seid in song.

1561 T. Norton tr. J. Calvin Inst. Christian Relig. i. f. 6^v There dooe sitte in the soule those powers that I haue spoken of before.

1645 J. Milton Il Penseroso in Poems 38 Thy rapt soul sitting in thine eyes.

1655 J. Bisco Grand Triall of True Conversion 225 These earthly thoughts sit neerest to their hearts.

1793 R. Burns Poems & Songs (1968) II. 682 Love sits in her smile, a wizard ensnaring.

a1822 P. B. Shelley Charles I ii, in Wks. (1870) II. 379 Mark you what spirit sits in St. John's eyes?

2015 Guardian (Nexis) 24 June This idea has always sat at the back of my mind.

b. intransitive. With adverb or adjective complement. Of a thing: to be placed or positioned in a specified way.

ΚΠ

?c1335 in W. Heuser Kildare-Gedichte (1904) 101 Þe sterris þat þou sest so briȝte, In heuen aboue..sit so fast.

c1450 Mandeville's Trav. (Coventry) (1973) l. 2446 (MED) His hede is liche a bore With longe tuskis sittinge bifore.

1572 L. Mascall Bk. Plant & Graffe Trees 33 See that it [sc. your graffes] doe sit close vpon the stocke heade.

1654 Z. Coke Art of Logick To Rdr. sig. a8 The numerous Tomes of the Times,..which serve but..to make the world sit straight about you.

1677 F. Sandford Geneal. Hist. Kings Eng. v. ii. 363 His Crown sat tottering on his Head.

1697 W. Dampier New Voy. around World xii. 327 That part that comes up to their Wastes.., they..twist it till it sits close to their Wastes.

1739 C. Labelye Short Acct. Piers Westm. Bridge 30 We sunk the Caisson a second time, and found it to bed itself, or sit perfectly level upon the hard Gravel.

1844 H. W. Beecher Seven Lect. to Young Men i. 5 So gaudily dressed, his hat sitting aslant upon a wilderness of hair.

1878 D. Kemp Man. Yacht & Boat Sailing 368/2 Sails are said to ‘sit’ well when they do not girt, pucker, belly, or shake.

1958 Listener 28 Aug. 309/3 Slots must be cut in the bottom half of them [sc. the horizontal pieces] where they meet the posts, so that they will sit nicely.

1991 J. Galloway Scenes from Life No. 27 in Blood (1992) 116 A modern armchair sits squarely in front of this unit.

c. transitive. To set or place (a thing) in a specified position.rare before the 19th century.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > place > placing or fact of being placed in (a) position > place or put in a position [verb (transitive)]

doeOE

layc950

seta1000

puta1225

dight1297

pilt?a1300

stow1362

stick1372

bestowc1374

affichea1382

posec1385

couchc1386

dressa1387

assize1393

yarkc1400

sita1425

place1442

colloque1490

siegea1500

stake1513

win1515

plat1529

collocate1548

campc1550

posit1645

posture1645

constitute1652

impose1681

sist1852

shove1902

spot1937

a1425 (?a1400) G. Chaucer Romaunt Rose (Hunterian) (1891) l. 2371 Therfore in oo place it [sc. thyn herte] sitte [Fr. metes] And lat it neuere thannys flitte.

1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 719/1 Syt these glasses of rose water a sonnynge.

1839 L. Bryan Kentucky Housewife 377 Then empty them, rinse them in clean cold water, and sit them in the sun during the day.

1900 Harper's Bazaar 13 Jan. 42/3 Wilhelmina sat it [sc. a chair] upright and put her mother on it.

1994 Guns & Shooting June 37/3 The grip..does sit the gun quite high in the hand which magnifies recoil.

2014 K. L. Burrell In Arms of Steele xiv. 184 I reach into my purse and pull out a very neatly wrapped gift and sit it in front of Kellen.

†21.

a. transitive. To affect (a person) in a specified way (hard, near, sore, etc.); esp. to distress, vex, or grieve (a person). Obsolete.Originally with dative of person affected.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > emotion > suffering > cause of mental pain or suffering > cause mental pain or suffering to [verb (transitive)]

heavyc897

pineeOE

aileOE

sorryeOE

traya1000

sorrowOE

to work (also do) (a person) woeOE

angerc1175

smarta1200

to work, bake, brew balec1200

derve?c1225

grieve?c1225

sitc1225

sweam?c1225

gnawc1230

sughc1230

troublec1230

aggrievea1325

to think sweama1325

unframea1325

anguish1340

teen1340

sowa1352

distrainc1374

to-troublea1382

strain1382

unglad1390

afflicta1393

paina1393

distressa1400

hita1400

sorea1400

assayc1400

remordc1400

temptc1400

to sit (or set) one sorec1420

overthrow?a1425

visit1424

labour1437

passionc1470

arraya1500

constraina1500

misgrievea1500

attempt1525

exagitate1532

to wring to the worse1542

toil1549

lament1580

adolorate1598

rankle1659

try1702

to pass over ——1790

upset1805

to touch (also get, catch, etc.) (a person) on the raw1823

to put (a person) through it1855

bludgeon1888

to get to ——1904

to put through the hoop(s)1919

c1225 (?c1200) Hali Meiðhad (Bodl.) (1940) l. 56 To don al & drehen þet him likeð, ne sitte hit hire se uuele.

c1390 in C. Brown Relig. Lyrics 14th Cent. (1924) 138 (MED) Siknesse sitteþ me so sare..serwe wol neiȝ myn herte slo.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Fairf. 14) l. 24342 Our sorowing..satte vs baþ in flesshe & bane.

1488 (c1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) vi. l. 24 Ȝeit he desyrd the thing that sat him sor.

1532 (a1475) Assemble of Ladies in Wks. G. Chaucer f. ccxcvii^v/2 She felte great dysplesaunce..And no wonder, it sate her passynge nere.

c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 37^v Sothely your suster sittes vs not so harde.

a1542 T. Wyatt Coll. Poems (1969) xvii. 8 But rather restore it mannerly,..For to lese it it sitteth me to neere.

b. transitive. To cost (a person) a certain amount. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

society > trade and finance > management of money > expenditure > spend or incur expense [verb (intransitive)] > cost

costen?c1225

costc1384

sitc1400

c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. iii. l. 48 We han a wyndowe a wirchyng wil sitten vs wel [emended in ed. to ful] heigh.

a1450 in J. Kail 26 Polit. Poems (1904) 85 Mannys loue sat me so sore, Nas neuere bargayn derrere bouȝt.

22.

a. Of clothes.

(a) intransitive. To fit (well, tightly, etc.). Frequently with prepositions, as about, on, to. Also in extended use (of other things). Cf. sitting adj. 4.

ΘΚΠ

the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > types or styles of clothing > [verb (intransitive)] > fit tightly

sitc1225

spen13..

pinch1693

felter1768

to fit like wax1859

c1225 (?c1200) St. Margaret (Bodl.) (1934) 44 Feierlec & strengðe beoð hise schrudes, & igurd he is ham on, þet a cumeliche fearen & semliche sitten.

a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) l. 2592 Þe skinnes sat saddeli sowed to hem boþe.

a1470 T. Malory Morte Darthur (Winch. Coll. 13) (1990) II. 459 His overgarmente sate overthwartely.

a1500 Roberd of Cisyle (Cambr. Ff.2.38) (1879) l. 286 (MED) All men wondurde fro whens he came, So well hys rayment sate hym one.

1593 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie Pref.18 Which cloake sitteth no lesse fit on the backe of their cause, then of the Anabaptists.

1602 T. Heywood How Man may chuse Good Wife sig. F4 He is such a slouen, That nothing will sit handsome about him.

1751 R. Paltock Life Peter Wilkins I. xx. 201 Tho' it had not one Plait about the Body, it sat very tight thereto.

1799 J. Austen Let. 8 Jan. (2011) 34 My Gown is made very much like my blue one, which you always told me sat very well.

1819 W. Scott Ivanhoe I. iii. 51 A close dress of scarlet which sate tight to his body.

1851 Eliza Cook's Jrnl. 19 July 177 Throwing also an occasional look down..his new Californian trowsers, seeing that they ‘sit’ well.

1884 G. Allen Philistia I. 52 Now just turn round and show me how it sits behind.

1990 Catch Feb. 52/1 I also have to..actually dress the model to make sure the clothes sit well.

2007 Wire May 61/3 Line it up alongside The Advisory Circle or the more eldritch sections of Position Normal's albums, and it sits just fine.

†(b) transitive. To fit or suit (a person, etc.). Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > [verb (intransitive)] > fit

sita1400

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 15286 Wit a tuell he belted him His side sitand ful mete.

?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Petyt) (1996) l. 658 Do þan þat lady witte how iuels wile hir sitte.

a1764 R. Lloyd Poet. Wks. (1774) II. 38 Suppose For once you wear the begger's clothes;..Bless me, they sit you to a hair.

1827 T. Carlyle tr. J. P. F. Richter in German Romance III. 129 Her morning-promenade dress of white muslin,..but, adds she, it will not sit her.

1894 R. O. Heslop Northumberland Words II. 644 The coat sits him weel.

b. intransitive. figurative. With adjectival or adverbial complement. Of an attitude, opinion, practice, etc.: to suit a person (well, etc.). With †about, on, †to, or upon specifying the person.

ΚΠ

?1608 S. Lennard tr. P. Charron Of Wisdome i. xiv. 64 If he be a friend, all sits well about him, his vices shall be vertues.

a1726 J. Vanbrugh Journey to London (1728) ii. i. 25 La. Ara. Do you ever play at hazard, Clarinda? Clar. Never; I don't think it sits well upon Women.

1821 W. Scott Kenilworth I. vii. 156 Her little air of precision sits so well upon her.

1862 T. Carlyle Hist. Friedrich II of Prussia III. xi. i. 35 A light stoicism sits gracefully on him.

1907 Youth's Compan. 9 May 20/2 An air of fragility sat upon her becomingly.

1998 Financial Post (Canada) 19 Feb. 14 This kind of arrogance doesn't sit well on Harper.

c. intransitive. Without complement: to feel natural or comfortable.

ΚΠ

1964 G. C. Kunzle Parallel Bars ix. 410 Make certain that you can do an individual movement with perfect technique before you include it in the exercise. Then try it out in minor competitions until it ‘sits’.

1971 B. Graham Spy Trap ii. 19 It was too pat, too smug, like a well-turned-out radio script. It didn't sit.

2015 S. Alderson Out of Control 91 It doesn't sit comfortably. It doesn't sit at all, actually. And I question it daily.

†23. Usually with non-referential it and infinitive or that-clause. To suit (a person or thing); to be suitable, fitting, proper, or seemly for (a person or thing). Cf. sitting adj. 5.

a. transitive, and intransitive with for, till, or to indicating the party affected. Cf. to sit with —— 2 at Phrasal verbs 2. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) i. l. 273 It sit a prest to be wel thewed.

c1405 (c1390) G. Chaucer Shipman's Tale (Hengwrt) (1871) l. 1353 But sith I am a wyf, it sit nat me To tellen no wight of oure priuetee.

c1425 J. Lydgate Troyyes Bk. (Augustus A.iv) i. l. 3860 (MED) To ȝouthe, force and hardines sitte.

c1440 Prose Life Alexander (Thornton) (1913) 72 It sitteȝ noȝte till an emperour..to lose his men þus.

c1475 Gregory's Chron. in J. Gairdner Hist. Coll. Citizen London (1876) 129 As hyt syttythe and semyþe so worthy a prynce and a pryncesse.

1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 719/2 It sytteth nat for your estate to weare so fyne furres.

1584 T. Lodge Alarum against Vsurers f. 39^v I doo..but now complaine of those, Who practise that that sits not their degree.

1604 M. Sutcliffe Full Answer to N. D. iii. x. 322 It sitteth not well for bastards, and barking hel-hounds.., to obiect either bastardy, or barking.

b. intransitive. Without prepositional phrase. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

society > morality > dueness or propriety > [verb (intransitive)]

shallc700

behovec1175

fallc1175

sita1393

fit1574

the world > relative properties > order > agreement, harmony, or congruity > suitability or appropriateness > be suitable, appropriate, or suit [verb (intransitive)]

fayc1300

sita1393

applya1450

fadec1475

frame?1518

agree1534

compete?1541

fadge1578

suit1589

apt1596

suit1601

quadrate1670

gee1699

a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) iii. l. 1674 Yit sit it wel that thou eschuie That thou the Court noght overhaste.

?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Petyt) (1996) i. l. 14888 Þei mette..to conseile þer and to wite how þat þing best mot site.

a1500 (a1450) tr. Secreta Secret. (Ashm. 396) (1977) 83 (MED) It sitteth [L. decet] þat þu chese thy scribes and writers þat have perfeccion, in eloquence ornat and in recordacion sotill.

1573 G. Gascoigne Hundreth Sundrie Flowres 345 It sitteth not, A Prince hir selfe to iudge the cause.

1579 E. Spenser Shepheardes Cal. Nov. 26 The Nightingale is souereigne of song, Before him sits the Titmose silent bee.

c. transitive. With well as complement. Esp. in it sits you (also him, her, etc.) well. Obsolete (Scottish and English regional (northern) and literary in later use).

ΘΚΠ

the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > [verb (intransitive)] > sit or hang

sita1393

set1804

a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) iv. l. 2335 It sit him wel that he travaile Upon som thing which mihte availe.

c1400 J. Gower Eng. Wks. (1901) II. 483 It sit hem wel to do pite and grace.

a1425 (?a1400) G. Chaucer Romaunt Rose (Hunterian) (1891) l. 750 It sat hir wondir wel to synge.

1489 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (Adv.) i. 394 In spek sumdeill wlispyt he; Bot that sat him rycht wondre weill.

1557 Earl of Surrey et al. Songes & Sonettes (new ed.) f. 39 It sits me well myne absent wealth me semes for to lament.

1846 W. E. Brockett J. T. Brockett's Gloss. North Country Words (ed. 3) II. (at cited word) ‘It sits him well,’ of a pretentious person.

1860 C. R. Weld Two Months in Highlands xxviii. 311 It sits ye weel to be sae nice-gabbit!

1878 J. J. Aubertin tr. L. de Camoens Lusiad II. viii. lxiv. 129 With a proud confidence, which sat him well.

1915 M. Moore in Egoist 2 Aug. 126/1 Pride sits you well, so strut, colossal bird; No barnyard makes you look absurd. Your brazen spurs are staunch against defeat.

24.

a. intransitive. Of the wind: to blow from, or be in, a particular quarter. Now chiefly in figurative phrases: see how the wind sits at Phrases 8.

ΘΚΠ

the world > the earth > weather and the atmosphere > weather > wind > blow (of the wind) [verb (intransitive)] > blow from a particular quarter

standc1275

sitc1400

lie1604

hang1671

c1400 (?c1380) Patience l. 133 Ewrus and Aquiloun þat on est sittes, Blowes boþe at my bode.

1597 W. Shakespeare Richard II ii. ii. 123 The winde sits faire for newes to go for Ireland, But none returnes.

1610 P. Holland tr. W. Camden Brit. i. 587 When the winde sitteth West, it is alwaies raine.

1689 R. Milward Selden's Table-talk 10 A good Miller that knows how to grind which way soever the Wind sits.

1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 10. ¶5 By that Time they are pretty good Judges of the Weather, know which Way the Wind sits [etc.].

1762 Gentleman's Mag. Mar. 137/1 The wind sat North.

1872 Scribner's Monthly Apr. 694/1 If the chimney ever smokes, it smokes when the wind sits in that quarter.

1954 Country Life 2 Sept. 728/1 When the wind sits in the west, the..district is visited by whiffs..of disagreeable fumes.

†b. intransitive. Of the tide: to set, to flow. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > tide > type of tide > types of tide [verb (intransitive)] > ebb or flow

makea1685

sit1751

set1777

to make up1898

1751 R. Paltock Life Peter Wilkins (Dublin ed.) I. xxiv. 188 Shooting from Shelf to Shelf, as the Tide sat[London ed. set].

25. intransitive. Of food: to be digested (easily or otherwise). See also to sit on —— 6 at Phrasal verbs 2.

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > food > qualities of food > [verb (intransitive)] > be digested or undergo digestion

defyc1315

digest1568

enduec1575

concoct1620

sit1645

settle1944

1645 W. Powell Summons for Swearers 113 Like a raw morsell that sits ill in the stomach, he is more safely cast out, then retained.

1737 J. Byrom Jrnl. 22 Apr. in Private Jrnl. & Lit. Remains (1856) II. i. 123 (transcript from orig. shorthand) Had a cheesecake..by the way, which..did not sit so easy, being buttery.

1822 J. M. Good Study Med. I. 146 A little toast-and-water alone..will often sit easy, when nothing else will remain.

1846 Water-cure Jrnl. 15 Mar. 117/2 The water sits heavily.

1908 Amer. Farmer (Indianapolis) July 3/3 Use the pure extracts of its juice, when your food sits heavy.

2017 D. S. Levinson Tell me how this ends Well 187 She was suddenly queasy, her stomach churning from the fried calamari, which was not sitting well.

26. intransitive. To be disregarded; to remain untouched or unused.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > disadvantage > uselessness > non-use > remain unused [verb (intransitive)]

atliec1000

lie1377

to lie by the wall (or walls)1579

to lie by1642

sit1839

1839 L. Bryan Kentucky Housewife 377 Pour the water in them boiling hot, cover them and let them sit till the water gets nearly cold.

1846 Amer. Penny Mag. 30 May 272/1 Put the veal into a tureen, and let it sit for several hours.

1914 Commerc. Amer. July 31/2 Nothing is to be gained by letting the milk sit all day.

1987 N.Y. Times 2 July c10/2 I had two choices: Let the place sit, or fix it up like a Hollywood home.

2015 BBC Gardeners' World (Special Subscriber ed.) Aug. 106/1 Take the pan from the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes.

III. To seat oneself, settle, and related uses.

27.

a. intransitive. To seat oneself; to take a seat; to sit down. Cf. to sit down 1 at Phrasal verbs 1. Also with to (the table, a meal, etc.).

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > be sitting or seated [verb (intransitive)] > sit down

sitOE

to sit adownc1275

to sit downc1300

to make one's seata1400

to set adowna1400

to set downc1400

seat1596

pitch1796

roost1816

take a pew1898

OE Beowulf (2008) 489 Site nu to symle.., swa þin sefa hwette.

a1250 (?c1200) Prov. Alfred (Galba) (1955) 129 Sune min so leue, site nu me bisiden.

a1325 St. Vincent (Corpus Cambr.) l. 32 in C. D'Evelyn & A. J. Mill S. Eng. Legendary (1956) 26 Þe tormenturs sede [c1300 Laud seten a-doun] & clupede help þo hy weri were.

a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Jer. xiii. 18 Sei to the king,..Beth mekid, sitteth.

a1425 Rule St. Benet (Lansd.) (1902) 16 (MED) Þan sal alle site, And nym þre lescuns.

a1450 Castle Perseverance (1969) l. 492 (MED) Pes, pepyl, of pes we ȝou pray, Syth and sethe wel to my sawe.

1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VIII f. vj^v Then satte the Ambassadours.., as thei were Marshalled by the kyng, who would not sit, but walked from place to place.

1592 T. Kyd Spanish Trag. i. sig. C [They] sit to the banquet.

?1611 G. Chapman tr. Homer Iliads i. 98 Thus, he sate, and up..Heroic Agamemnon rose.

1662 J. Davies tr. A. Olearius Voy. & Trav. Ambassadors 19 This done, they sate to the Table, and some Gobelets..were drunk about.

1757 E. Burke Philos. Enq. Sublime & Beautiful iv. §17. 146 When we intend to sit on a chair, and find it much lower than was expected, the shock is very violent.

1788 Answer of Philip Francis, Esq. to Charge brought against Sir John Clavering 95 He came chearfully into the room.., but would not sit.

1831 W. Scott Count Robert i, in Tales of my Landlord 4th Ser. II. 10 Sit then, Brenhilda, since the good man will have it so.

1873 O. W. Holmes Addr. Opening Fifth Avenue Theatre 100 The hurrying crowd..smooths its caudal plumage as it sits.

1939 D. Heyward Country Bunny & Little Gold Shoes This littlest one of all always pulls my chair for me when I sit to table.

2015 D. Pendelton Insurrection ii. 41 He sat, then looked back across the desk.

b. transitive (reflexive). To seat oneself, take a seat. Cf. to sit down 2a at Phrasal verbs 1.In Old English usually with reflexive pronoun in the dative.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > sit down [verb (reflexive)]

siteOE

seta1300

to sit downa1393

to set downa1400

seat1589

swapa1592

bench1608

pitch1844

eOE King Ælfred tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (Otho) (2009) I. xxiv. 493 Sitte him on minum hrædwæne; ðocrige him on minne weg; ic bio his ladðeow [L. meo ductu, mea semita, meis etiam uehiculis].

OE Ælfric Lives of Saints (Julius) (1881) I. 156 Hwæt ða on sumum dæge sæton him ætgædere Florus and Maurus to middan þam wyrhtum.

c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 12964 Adun he warp þa dede swin & him-seolf sæt þer-bi.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 17845 Sundri þai þam fra oþer saite, And aiþer be him-seluen wrate.

c1500 Melusine (1895) 243 Thenne he satte hym at dyner nygh to Eglantyne.

1686 J. S. Hist. Monastical Convent. 183 The Prayer of the Mass..being sung, he sat him self again in his seat.

1766 J. Fleetwood Hist. Holy Bible ix. 69/2 She..disguised herself in the habit of a harlot, and sat herself in an open path.

1830 H. Angelo Reminisc. (new ed.) I. 185 Bach..would sit himself in his place.

1898 H. R. Haggard Dr. Therne 202 He sat himself upon the marble edge of the basin.

1995 Independent 14 Mar. 19 Daniel appears, sits himself on the edge of my desk,..and murmurs, ‘How are you fixed for Friday?’

c. transitive (in passive). to be sat: to be sitting, to be in a seated position. Cf. to sit down 2b at Phrasal verbs 1. Now British colloquial.In the 19th and 20th centuries, regional and nonstandard, but increasingly common since the late 20th century.Some Middle English and early modern English examples may show either the perfect tense formed with be rather than have or the passive of sense 1b (as in we being sat ‘we, having sat down’ or ‘we, being caused to sit’).

ΚΠ

c1300 Childhood Jesus (Laud) l. 1720 in C. Horstmann Altengl. Legenden (1875) 1st Ser. 57 To þe bord huy beoþ i sete.

c1380 Sir Ferumbras (1879) l. 48 Al on murȝþe was he y-sete wiþ a fair baronye.

c1480 (a1400) St. Matthew 9 in W. M. Metcalfe Legends Saints Sc. Dial. (1896) I. 190 In þe tolbuth set lewy, þat as a tollare þare wes sate.

1609 W. Shakespeare Louers Complaint in Sonnets sig. K2^v Hee againe desires her, being satte.

1655 tr. C. Sorel Comical Hist. Francion vii. 12 We being sate, and she likewise, Clerantes said [etc.].

1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 122. ¶6 The Court was sat before Sir Roger came.

1774 ‘J. Collier’ Musical Trav. 26 He was sat against a glass practising.

1864 J. Ramsbottom Phases of Distress 12 At th' eend o' th' day..aw'm sat at whoam.

1902 Longman's Mag. Dec. 147 I used to feel so proud lookin' about me of an arternoon when I was sat at my knittin'.

1981 J. Sullivan Only Fools & Horses (1999) I. 1st Ser. Episode 4. 37 (stage direct.) Pauline is sat at a table.

2017 @carolinefoste5 23 Oct. in twitter.com (accessed 9 Nov. 2017) I should be doing work but instead I'm sat on my bed watching Strictly.

28. intransitive. To raise oneself to a more erect posture. Chiefly with upright; occasionally also with erect, †on end (obsolete). See also to sit up at Phrasal verbs 1. Cf. to sit back 1 at Phrasal verbs 1.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > be sitting or seated [verb (intransitive)] > come to a sitting posture

to sit upOE

sita1400

to sit down1859

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 19790 Quen sco o petre had a sight, Bi hir self sco satt vp-right.

c1405 (c1395) G. Chaucer Merchant's Tale (Hengwrt) (1873) l. 1844 And vp right in his bed thanne sitteth he.

1585 R. P. tr. D. Ortúñez de Calahorra Second Pt. First Bk. Myrrour of Knighthood xxxvi. f. 127^v Her Damsels..tooke the Princesse by the hand, & made hir to sit vpright vpon hir rich bed.

1692 tr. G. P. Marana Lett. Turkish Spy V. iii. xviii. 250 The Patient sneez'd; and sitting upright in his Bed, spoke.

1793 J. Trusler Life II. iv. 52 Macanochy..drew back the sliding partition suddenly, and sitting bolt upright, terrified poor Mr. Campbell.

1822 W. Scott Fortunes of Nigel III. i. 19 The female..sate by the expiring fire with her limbs outstretched... ‘Do not leave me,’..she said, sitting upright.

1874 G. J. Whyte-Melville Uncle John II. xix. 217 He emptied..[the tumbler] at a draught, sat on end, and looked about him.

1884 T. Speedy Sport in Highlands xiii. 212 It being a habit of the mountain hare..to run one or two hundred yards, and then, kangaroo-like, sit on end and look back.

1911 R. Cullum One-way Trail xxvi. 289 From a low bending attitude over his horse's neck the man had suddenly sat erect.

2001 New Yorker 19 Mar. 97/1 Suddenly he sat upright with a look of shock.

†29. intransitive. To cling; to stick or adhere. Also with to. spec. (English regional (northern) and Scottish): (of food, esp. milk) to adhere to the side of the pan when boiling so as to burn. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > wholeness > mutual relation of parts to whole > fact or action of being joined or joining > attachment > be or become attached or affixed [verb (intransitive)] > remain attached > adhere

cleavec897

to stick (cleave, cling, etc.) like a burc1330

sita1398

clinga1400

clengec1400

engleim?1440

adhere1557

clag1563

clasp1569

clencha1600

clung1601

clam1610

yclingec1620

affix1695

clinch1793

to stick (to one) like wax1809

cleam-

a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xvii. cxi. 1004 While þey ben on þe tre..he [sc. beries of olyue] hongeþ and sitteþ þe faster [L. difficilius cadunt].

a1400 tr. Lanfranc Sci. Cirurgie (Ashm.) (1894) 188 (MED) It wole make hise heeris longe & make hem sitte faste.

c1450 in W. R. Dawson Leechbk. (1934) 64 (MED) Iff ther be ij styrreres, it is the bettyr, for bot if it be strongly stired, it well syet to the vessell & then it is lost.

a1475 (?a1350) Seege Troye (Harl.) (1927) l. 1827 (MED) The speris hede sat in his side.

1808 J. Jamieson Etymol. Dict. Sc. Lang. (at cited word) Any food, prepared in a pot, is said to sit to, when, from not being stirred, it is allowed to burn.

1888 S. O. Addy Gloss. Words Sheffield 216 Sit, to adhere firmly, to be burnt. ‘That milk has sit.’

†30. intransitive. Chiefly poetic. Of the sun: to set. Obsolete. [Earlier currency may be implied by sun sitting n. at sun n.¹ Compounds 5a, although see also note at that entry.]

ΘΚΠ

the world > the universe > sun > solar movement > move [verb (intransitive)] > set

nipeeOE

grindc1050

to go to gladec1200

settlea1375

fall?c1400

shaftc1400

rebash1481

to go to1584

sinka1586

welk1590

wave1592

verge1610

sit1621

western1858

1621 R. Montagu Diatribæ Hist. Tithes 358 He heard the Sunne hisse, sitting in the West Ocean.

1702 J. Dennis Monument 28 Thus all the Day the God of Battel rag'd; And the Sun sat in Horror and in Blood.

1821 R. Gooch Orig. Poems 19 But her sun sat at noon!—No art could save, She sunk, in all her bloom, into the grave!

1848 C. M. Sedgwick Facts & Fancies for School-day Reading 119 ‘Mama always says the sun sits. Sun-sits, I know sit is right’, muttered Agnes Lee, in very ill humor.

Phrases

P1. to sit on (also upon) one's knees (also †knee). Formerly also †to sit aknee (see aknee adv. 1) (obsolete).Senses Phrases 1a and Phrases 1b show considerable overlap, since the action may be viewed as either beginning or continuing.

a. To rest the body on the knees; to be in a kneeling posture. Now chiefly U.S. and Scottish.

ΚΠ

eOE tr. Orosius Hist. (BL Add.) (1980) iii. ix. 73 Þeh þe hie hiene meðigne on cneowum sittende metten.

a1300 Passion our Lord l. 106 in R. Morris Old Eng. Misc. (1872) 40 He hit bitauhte iudas, þat alle hit myhte iseo, Þer he wes bivoren him and set on his kneo.

a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) i. l. 3359 This Maiden, which sat on hire knes Tofore the king.

1593 in J. Morris Troubles Catholic Forefathers (1877) (modernized text) 3rd Ser. 155 All the time he was before them, the President forced him to sit upon his knees.

c1610 J. Melville Mem. Own Life (1827) 120 He sitting vpon his knees before hir, keping a gret grauite.

a1650 G. Boate Irelands Nat. Hist. (1652) xx. 155 On that dry place where the mud is poured forth, sit certain women upon their knees.

1706 tr. E. Y. Ides Three Years Trav. Moscow to China viii. 34 They sit on their Knees with clasped Hands.

1821 W. Scott Kenilworth III. vii. 115 While he sat on his knees before me, mopping and mowing.

1954 Mason City (Iowa) Globe-Gaz. 22 Nov. 8/3 After sitting on her knees for a long period of time, her entire left side fell asleep.

2013 @madibridgess 24 Sept. in twitter.com (accessed 27 Oct. 2017) I was the only one who had to cross their arms and sit on their knees for pictures.

b. To get down on one's knees; to kneel down. Cf. to sit down 3 at Phrasal verbs 1. Now chiefly U.S. and Scottish.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > posture > action or act of kneeling > kneel or assume kneeling posture [verb (intransitive)] > assume kneeling posture

to bend, bow, drop, fold, put the (one's) kneec950

kneec1000

to sit on one's kneesOE

to sit downa1450

to strike down1616

OE Daniel 180 Þa hie for þam cumble on cneowum sæton.

OE Ælfric Old Test. Summary: Esther (transcript of lost MS) in B. Assmann Angelsächsische Homilien u. Heiligenleben (1889) 96 Se cyning..het hi ealle sittan on cneowum to him, swa swa to þam cyninge.

c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) l. 2709 Þou wost ful wel..Þat aþelwold þe dide site On knes.

a1350 St. Juliana (Ashm.) (1957) 83 Heo sat akne and bad our lord þat he hire scholde lere.

1483 W. Caxton tr. J. de Voragine Golden Legende f. lxxxxv^v/2 Assone as the preestys were gone and departed she satte on hir knees.

1648 Parliaments Dreames 4 That the Priest may have the more..attendance of all the people, to raile at his pleasure on those Delinquents.., before he command them to sit on their knees.

1844 Newcastle Courant 9 Aug. 3/1 He..took hold of both my hands, sat upon his knees, and said God would bless me.

1995 alt.sex.stories 15 Apr. (Usenet newsgroup, accessed 10 Nov. 2017) He led her into the other room and forced her to sit on her knees in front of him.

2008 R. Van Meers & D. Chase Lost in Fog iii. 19 We had to turn our chairs around real quiet, sit on our knees, and put our hands up on the back of the chair.

†P2. whether one sits, walks, or stands, and variants: whatever one does; in all circumstances. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

OE Rule St. Benet (Corpus Cambr.) vii. 31 Þæt sy æghwær, ge on weorce, ge on gebedhuse,..and swa hwær swa he sy sittende, standende, oðþe gangende [L. sedens uel ambulans uel stans].

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 20840 (MED) Ihesus, do me to luue þe sua þat quer i sitt [a1400 Fairf. sitte, a1400 Coll. Phys. site] or stand or ga þat lijf ne ded ne wil ne wa Mai neuer turn mi hert ne fra.

?a1475 Ludus Coventriae (1922) 51 (MED) Saue us all wher so we be, whethyr we syttyn, walk, or stonde.

1581 T. Rogers S. Augustines Manuel xxvii. 27 Whether he sitteth, or walketh, or resteth, or whatsoeuer he doth, his heart is with God.

1600 J. Perrott 1st Part Consideration Humane Condition vi. 15 For as a man, which is in a shippe sailing on the seas, whither he sitte, stande, or walke, the shippe still goeth on her way, and he that is in her, goeth with her.

1702 C. Beaumont J. Beaumont's Psyche (new ed.) i. ccxviii. 13 Whether she walks, or sits, or stands, or lies, Her wretched self still in her self she fries.

P3. to sit in (formerly †at) judgement. Frequently with on or upon, occasionally also with of.Compare earlier instances of the parallel construction with doom n. at main sense 3a.

a. To preside as or in the manner of a judge at a trial.

ΚΠ

c1430 Acts Parl. Scotl. (1844) I. 5 That na iustice, schireff [etc.]..sal sit at iugment to be done apon the folowyng.

1435 in J. F. South & D. Power Memorials Craft of Surg. (1886) App. 317 Whanne the maistris..sitte in iugement or in examinacioun or in cominicacioun of the seid craft with the hool felowschip.

1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VI f. clxj The kyng hymself came into Kent, & there sat in iudgement vpon the offendors.

1617 F. Moryson Itinerary i. ii. ii. 111 A little fouresquare hall, in which the Parliaments are yeerely held, and the Viceroyes weekely sit in iudgement.

a1645 W. Browne Wks. (1772) III. 157 In the morn, they hang and draw, And sit in judgement after.

1748 H. Walpole 2nd & 3rd Let. to Whigs 52 The only Man on whom he ever sat in Judgment, was innocent.

1853 L. A. Buckingham Bible in Middle Ages 77 There can be no hope of a fair trial when the prosecutor sits in judgement.

1933 G. Faber Oxf. Apostles x. vi. 434 The Vice-Chancellor selected six Doctors to sit in judgment upon the sermon.

2001 Philadelphia Inquirer 9 Oct. a 2/4 Gacaca , or traditional justice, involves members of a Rwandan community sitting in judgment of their peers suspected of committing a crime.

b. figurative. To make a judgement or criticism of someone or something, generally from a position of (assumed) superiority.

ΚΠ

1553 T. Wilson Arte of Rhetorique iii. f. 89^v Lette the learned sitte in iudgement vpon that matter.

1583 W. Fulke Def. Transl. Script. xiii. 372 Maister Whitaker taketh not vpon him to sit in iudgement of all the Doctors, although he may note some errour or other, in euery one of them.

1639 W. Laud Relation Conf. Lawd & Fisher 166 A man that lives religiously, doth not..sit in Iudgement, and Condemne with his mouth all Prophane Livers.

1791 C. Reeve School for Widows III. x. 45 I have no right to sit in judgment upon your conduct, Sir: I leave it to your own conscience to decide upon it.

1850 N. Hawthorne Scarlet Let. iii. 77 Less capable of sitting in judgment on an erring woman's heart.

1961 L. Gelber Amer. in Britain's Place v. 134 Not that these [complaints] are always warranted or come from those who have earned the right to sit in judgment.

1995 N.Y. Rev. Bks. 13 July 22/2 The resentment many East Germans felt at West Germans sitting in judgment on them.

P4.

†a. to sit at (also close to, near, nigh, next) one's heart: to affect one deeply. Similarly to sit near one's skirts: see skirt n. 3. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > emotion > intense emotion > affect intensely [verb (intransitive)]

settlea1300

sinka1375

soundc1374

sticka1400

to sit at (also close to, near, nigh, next) one's hearta1425

to lie (also come, go) nearc1475

set1607

to go (also come) neara1616

penetratea1616

a1425 (?a1400) G. Chaucer Romaunt Rose (Hunterian) (1891) l. 2846 Iwys he sittith so nere myne herte To speke of hym at eve or morwe It cureth me of all my sorwe.

c1450 (?a1405) J. Lydgate Complaint Black Knight (Fairf.) l. 18 in Minor Poems (1934) ii. 383 My sekenes sat ay so nygh myn hert.

1584 B. R. tr. Herodotus Famous Hyst. ii. f. 106 There befell unto him another mischiefe, that sate as neere hys skirtes as the death of his dilling.

1611 J. Speed Hist. Great Brit. ix. iii. 429/1 Whose sinnes beganne to sit so neere his heart..that hee sore repented him of the same.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Measure for Measure (1623) v. i. 386 Your Brothers death I know sits at your heart.

1622 J. Mabbe tr. M. Alemán Rogue ii. 39 Of all my misfortunes, the greatest that ever befell mee, and which sits closest to my heart.

1713 J. Addison Cato i. iv When discontent sits heavy at my heart.

1754 W. Whitehead Crėu̇sa v. 68 This Action of the Queen sits near my Heart.

1821 W. Scott Kenilworth III. v. 65 The anguish and uncertainty which sat heavy at his heart.

b. to sit heavily (also heavy): to press or weigh heavily on a person, a person's heart, etc. Conversely to sit easy (also lightly). Cf. to sit on —— 5 at Phrasal verbs 2, to sit upon —— 5 at Phrasal verbs 2.

ΚΠ

1597 W. Shakespeare Richard II i. iii. 256 + 13 Woe doth the heauier sit, Where it perceiues it is but faintly borne.

1640 S. Harding Sicily & Naples iii. vii. 52 My wrongs Sit heavy here.

1700 J. Nesbitt Funeral Serm. 10 Now they [sc. your sins] seem light and sit easy.

1847 W. Hazlitt tr. A. de Vigny Cinq-Mars xvii. 198 I have kept great secrets in my heart, and believe me, they have sat heavily there.

2014 P. Matyszak Rom. Empire i. 29 Not only did Roman rule sit lightly, it is probable that many of the common people were unaware that they were Roman subjects at all.

P5. to sit on the (also one's) throne: to hold the position of ruler, to reign.

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > rule or government > sole rule > rule as monarch [verb (intransitive)]

reignc1325

rikec1350

to sit on the (also one's) throne1538

to wield the (also a, one's) sceptre1567

monarchize1592

regalize1599

royalize1606

thronea1616

monarcha1653

sovereignize1661

1538 Certeine Prayers & Godly Meditacyons sig. Bvi^v Thou..gauest hym a sone syttinge vpon his trone, as it is at this day.

1667 J. Dryden Indian Emperour i. ii. 12 That Monarch sits not safely on his Throne, Who bears, within, a power that shocks his own.

1853 1793 & 1853, in 3 Lett. 29 The result is, this present year 1853, a Bonaparte..sitting upon the French throne.

1989 L. Lochhead Mary Queen of Scots 23 And you think gin I sat on St Gile's hard pews on a Sunday I'd sit surer oan ma ain throne a' week lang?

2002 Independent 27 May 15/7 The Queen has sat on her throne for 50 years.

P6. to sit at the feet of: to be the disciple or pupil of (a person), to learn from (a teacher); (also) to pay homage to (a person).

ΘΚΠ

society > education > learning > [verb (transitive)] > be pupil of

to go to school (to, (also with))a1450

to sit at the feet of1578

to sit under ——1631

to be up to1874

1578 W. Gace tr. M. Luther Special & Chosen Serm. viii. 101 I will like vnto Marie, sit at his feete to heare his worde.

1597 P. Barker Prophecie of Agabus sig. B5^v Let him that sate in Moses chaire sometime sit at Gamaliels feete.

1702 C. Mather Magnalia Christi iii. ii. xxiii. 136/2 How Learnedly he now conveyed all the Liberal Arts unto those that sat at his Feet.

1852 W. M. Thackeray Henry Esmond III. iv. 110 You want a woman..to sit at your feet, and cry ‘O caro! O bravo!’ whilst you read your Shakspeares, and Miltons.

1926 G. M. Trevelyan Hist. Eng. v. iii. 557 They [sc. the Whigs] had sat at the feet of Edmund Burke.

1971 Nature 5 Mar. 2/2 It is clear that there are far more universities per square mile in Britain than are necessary to enable students to sit at the feet of some teacher or other.

2002 Times Higher Educ. Suppl. (Nexis) 20 Dec. 14 I was there to sit at the feet of the masters.

P7. colloquial. to sit on one's arse (also ass, backside, bum, etc.): to do nothing, to be idle; to fail to take action.rare before 20th cent.

ΚΠ

1589 Rare Triumphes Loue & Fortune iii. sig. C. iii Hee'le doo nothing all day long but sit on his arse.

1721 J. Kelly Compl. Coll. Scotish Prov. 295 Sit on your Arse, and call your Sorrans [i.e. Servants]. A Reproof to them that would have others do for them, what they ought to do themselves.

1945 W. S. Burroughs in W. S. Burroughs & J. Kerouac And Hippos were boiled in their Tanks (2008) iii. 27 Do you expect to have money sitting on your ass? Go to work in a shipyard.

1962 Hutchinson (Kansas) News 15 Oct. 4/2 Our senators have been sitting on their backsides doing nothing for us.

1993 Advertiser (Adelaide) (Nexis) 27 Feb. I don't like sitting on my bum so we work hard to get what we need.

2014 Herald (Glasgow) (Nexis) 15 Sept. hs7 It just felt better to come up and help than sit on our arses complaining.

P8. how the wind sits and variants: what the state of affairs is, how things are.

ΚΠ

1600 W. Shakespeare Much Ado about Nothing ii. iii. 98 That she should so dote on signior Benedicke... Bene. Ist possible? sits the wind in that corner ?

1605 G. Chapman Al Fooles i. i Sits the winde there? blowes there so calme a gale From a contemned and deserued anger?

1706 S. Centlivre Basset-table iv. i. 42 Ha, Captain, how sits the Wind between you and your Mistress?

1819 W. Scott Bride of Lammermoor ii, in Tales of my Landlord 3rd Ser. II. 23 So soon as the Marquis's political agent found how the wind sate, he began [etc.].

1893 R. L. Stevenson Catriona vi. 63 Is it so the wind sits?

1939 Irish Times 24 July 6/7 The whispers of peace..are generally regarded as a balloon sent up just to see how the wind sits.

2000 Times 27 June 27/5 The official British position is that majority voting on treaty changes..and funding..are..‘no go areas’. But that is not the way the wind sits.

P9. Nautical. to sit on (also upon) her anchor: (of a ship) to come to rest with the hull in contact with the anchor.

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > travel by water > action or motion of vessel > [verb (intransitive)] > be or remain inactive

to lie muzzledc1643

to sit on (also upon) her anchor1871

1871 Naut. Mag. June 414 It frequently happens,..that the range of tide given in the tide tables and charts is misunderstood, and the ship ‘sews’ or sits on her anchor.

1901 Daily Chron. 28 Dec. 9/2 Henriette (French barque), supposed sat upon her anchor in Astoria Harbour.

1990 Oil & Gas Jrnl. 2 July 41 As the vessel sat on the anchor, it probably caused the crown and tip of the shank to pierce No. 1 center tank.

P10. from where one is sitting: according to one's own perspective on a particular issue, situation, or problem; in one's opinion, from one's point of view.

ΚΠ

1907 Ada (Okla.) Weekly Democrat 1 Feb. From where we are sitting it looks to us as though that hide-bound type of politician and business is always let most severely alone by voters and the purchasing public.

1961 Establish Dept. Urban Affairs & Housing: Hearings before Subcomm. on Reorganization & Internat. Organization (87th Cong., 1st Sess.) 149 From where I am sitting it is just the old simple problem of selfishness.

2014 Mail on Sunday (Nexis) 23 Feb. Well, do you feel better off? Does it seem like a Goldilocks economic recovery from where you're sitting?

P11. Originally Air Force slang. to sit on a person's tail: to follow very closely behind a plane in order to shoot it down; (hence) to follow very closely behind a vehicle, person, etc., typically while waiting for a chance to overtake; cf. to be on someone's tail at tail n.¹ 11h.

ΚΠ

1917 Youth's Compan. 18 Oct. 576/1 An enemy descends on you from the clouds above and, ‘sitting on your tail’, weaves a wreath of bullets from a machine gun round you.

1936 Irish Times 18 May (City ed.) 7/3 There is nothing more unnerving than to have another driver, with a car apparently as fast as yours, sitting ‘on your tail’ for lap after lap.

1982 Globe & Mail (Toronto) (Nexis) 26 Aug. If you've got some guy who's sitting on your tail who's just about as fast as you are.., you just break the wind for him and he's nice and fresh at the end and for sure he's going to beat you.

2009 M. Beaumont Man who cycled World (2011) 341 A guy sat on my tail revving, despite loads of room to overtake.

P12. to sit on one's hands.

a. U.S. Of an audience, an assembly, etc.: to withhold or be sparing of applause.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > disapprove [verb (intransitive)] > withhold applause

to sit on one's hands1917

1917 N.Y. Times 30 Dec. x. 4/6 Vaudeville actors have a varied way of describing audiences when asked..: ‘How are they out front today?’ The answers range from ‘They're sitting on their hands’..to: ‘Great, kid; they eat it up.’

1926 E. Ferber Show Boat vi. 106 Well, they were sitting on their hands to-night, all right. Seemed they never would warm up.

1948 Newsweek 16 July 19/1 Listlessly, the convention sat on its hands at all mentions of Mr. Truman in the opening speeches.

1999 Vanity Fair Sept. 326/2 The Committee Against Silence ran ads..stating their opposition to the award and urging members of the audience at the Oscar ceremonies to ‘sit on their hands’ when Kazan appeared.

b. Originally U.S. To be inactive, to take no action.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > inaction > idleness, lack of occupation or activity > be idle or unoccupied [verb (intransitive)]

emptyeOE

to tell the clock1527

idle1668

to kick one's heels1703

twirl1777

gammer1788

to twiddle one's thumbs, or fingers1846

to make (also do) kef1852

goof1932

doss1937

to sit on one's hands1939

to bugger about ——1946

to spin one's wheels1960

1939 Washington Post 18 Oct. 11/6 Even assuming the German air force to be as great as the most extravagant rumors insist..Great Britain and France have not been sitting on their hands, either.

1959 Listener 1 Jan. 4/1 This helped to reduce the number of constituency associations, who had to be persuaded by MacDonald or Gladstone to sit on their hands or, worse still, toil for their ally.

1972 Guardian 19 May 12/3 Opposition MPs who only yesterday sat on their hands to let Herr Brandt's Ostpolitik treaties through the Bundestag were back on their feet again this morning.

2009 Independent 16 Feb. 29/1 Ministers are sitting on their hands while irresponsible retailers continue to sell alcohol at pocket money prices.

P13. slang (originally North American). sit on it and variants: used, with imperative force, to express hostility, contemptuous dismissal, or defiant indifference. Also in elaborated variants such as sit on it and rotate, sit on it and spin, sit on it and swivel, etc.Sometimes accompanied (on the part of the speaker) by the obscene gesture of a closed fist with raised middle finger (see finger n. Phrases 4t(a)(iii)).Quot. 1950 may show this sense, but could show to sit on —— 1c at Phrasal verbs 2.

ΚΠ

1950 H. E. Goldin Dict. Amer. Underworld Lingo 195/1 Sit on it! (Always spoken sharply or sarcastically) Keep it! Save it! Hoard it! [Note: This gross idiom is a favorite reply to convicts who are reluctant to lend or give when asked.]]

1965 A. Ginsberg Let. 19 Nov. (2008) 311 Now you got blood on your hands. And if you don't like that, sit on it.

1972 E. Grogan Ringolevio iii. 235 They began calling him..a cultural rip-off artist. Graham reacted..by raising his middle finger and inviting them all to ‘sit on this and rotate!’

1977 G. Hewitt Working for Yourself 264 The contract says I've got to wait five years for the copyright to belong to me. Well, they can just sit on it and spin as far as I'm concerned.

1996 alt.tasteless.jokes 4 Oct. (Usenet newsgroup, accessed 6 May 2020) Here are a couple of jokes..designed to offend almost anybody. If you dont [sic] like them, sit on it and swivel!

2015 S. King Finders Keepers 135 His mother..was teaching..at City College to make extra money. Morris knew she loathed those classes.., and that was just fine with him. Sit on it, Ma, he thought. Sit on it and spin.

P14. slang. to sit on a person's face: to sit, kneel, or squat over a sexual partner's mouth, in order to receive cunnilingus, anilingus, or fellatio.

ΘΚΠ

the world > physical sensation > sexual relations > sexual activity > oral sex > practise oral sex [verb (intransitive)]

gamahuche1880

to go downc1895

Frenchc1928

gobble1928

suck1928

plate1961

to sit on a person's face1968

1968 A. Warhol A 21 Certain days I guess my asshole must have a special flavor... If somebody says to you, ‘Oh please sit on my face’, what, what can you do?

1971 Great Speckled Bird 22 Nov. 7/1 It's an almost totally sexist movie. Women are 99% sex objects, nothing more. ‘I want to fuck the harpist’.., ‘come sit on my face’, and ‘all rock musicians are looking for pussy’.

2010 S. Woods Kisser xxxiii. 158 Somebody mounted him and somebody else sat on his face.

Phrasal verbs

PV1. With adverbs in specialized senses. to sit about

1. intransitive. To be left here and there, or carelessly out of place; to lie unused or untouched. Cf. to sit around 2 at Phrasal verbs 1.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > arrangement or fact of being arranged > absence of arrangement > be without arrangement [verb (intransitive)]

to sit about1849

to lie about1853

to sit around1913

1849 Scioto (Ohio) Gaz. 24 Oct. They keep their money sitting about in little buckets or tin pans, and in their trunks, where any body might slip in and steal several thousands of dollars in a few minutes.

1994 Record (Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont.) (Nexis) 6 May (Entertainm. section) c5 Are there really this many 30-something yuppies who have this kind of cash sitting about with no better use for it?

2013 @CTGrayToons 16 Feb. in twitter.com (accessed 5 June 2020) I have to clean at least once a week. I can't stand seeing stuff sitting about looking like a mess for too long.

2. intransitive. To sit in a place or various places nearby; to sit idly, to lounge about. Also figurative: to spend one's time unproductively.

ΚΠ

1859 Leisure Hour 21 July 451/2 A young fellow with his eyes about him, learns to know in what sort of places the pheasants lie, and to see the hares as they sit about under the brambles.

1941 ‘N. Blake’ Case of Abominable Snowman (1954) i. 10 She was the sort of woman who sat about making remarks.

1987 D. Simpson Elem. of Doubt (1988) xiii. 158 But meanwhile we can't sit about twiddling our thumbs. As soon as you're ready we'll go and see Mr Tarrant again.

2000 J. Williams Cardiff Dead (2001) ix. 117 A man who did stuff, didn't just sit about complaining how the world was against him.

† to sit adown

Obsolete (archaic in later use).

intransitive. To sit down; = to sit down 1 at Phrasal verbs 1, to sit down 3 at Phrasal verbs 1.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > be sitting or seated [verb (intransitive)] > sit down

sitOE

to sit adownc1275

to sit downc1300

to make one's seata1400

to set adowna1400

to set downc1400

seat1596

pitch1796

roost1816

take a pew1898

c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 6467 Þe swike set [c1300 Otho sat] adun. alse he wolde holden run.

c1300 St. Thomas Becket (Laud) l. 1088 in C. Horstmann Early S.-Eng. Legendary (1887) 137 Bi-fore ech ymage he op aros, and eft he sat a-doun a-kne.

c1405 (c1395) G. Chaucer Franklin's Tale (Hengwrt) (1874) l. 862 Thanne wolde she sitte adoun..And seyn right thus, with sorweful sikes colde.

1554 Hawes' Pastime of Pleasure (new ed.) xxxviii. Bb.ii. But la bell Pucell, full right gentilly Did sit adowne, by a windowe side.

1714 J. Gay Shepherd's Week iv. 21 Upon a rising Bank I sat adown, Then doff'd my Shoe.

1794 S. T. Coleridge Coll. Lett. (1956) I. 89 He sat adown..amid the most awful part of the Ruins.

1891 W. Morris Poems by Way (1896) 194 There on the grass they sat adown.

to sit around

1. intransitive. Originally U.S. To sit in a place or various places nearby; to sit idly, to lounge about. Also figurative: to spend one's time unproductively. Cf. to sit about 2 at Phrasal verbs 1.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > inaction > disinclination to act or listlessness > sloth or laziness > be slothful or lazy [verb (intransitive)] > idle or loaf

luskc1330

lubber1530

to play the truant, -s1560

lazea1592

lazy1612

meecha1625

lounge1671

saunter1672

sloungea1682

slive1707

soss1711

lolpoop1722

muzz1758

shack1787

hulkc1793

creolize1802

maroon1808

shackle1809

sidle1828

slinge1834

sossle1837

loaf1838

mike1838

to sit around1844

hawm1847

wanton1847

sozzle1848

mooch1851

slosh1854

bum1857

flane1876

slummock1877

dead-beat1881

to lop about1881

scow1901

scowbank1901

stall1916

doss1937

plotz1941

lig1960

loon1969

1844 Goshen (Indiana) Democrat 20 June The man who cuts his own firewood..—while his fifty negroes, fat and sleek, sit around, warming their backs in the sun.

1915 N. L. McClung In Times like These iv. 42 Personally I sympathize with the young man and believe it would be a happier home if she were as interested in the paper as he and were reading the other half of it instead of sitting around feeling hurt.

1979 Times 13 Nov. 2/8 I could not sit around twiddling my thumbs and doing nothing.

2004 Globe & Mail (Toronto) (Nexis) 26 July r6 Don't sit around waiting for things to happen—get out there and make them happen.

2. intransitive. To be left here and there, or carelessly out of place; to lie unused or untouched. Cf. to sit about 1 at Phrasal verbs 1.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > arrangement or fact of being arranged > absence of arrangement > be without arrangement [verb (intransitive)]

to sit about1849

to lie about1853

to sit around1913

1913 Gospel Trumpet 21 Aug. 521/1 The house is full of flies, especially the kitchen and pantry..—so many fragments of food sitting around.

1985 N. Pileggi Wiseguy (1987) xviii. 226 Lufthansa had been an inside job. How else would the six gunmen have known which of the twenty-two giant cargo warehouses..just happened to have six million dollars in cash and jewels sitting around over the weekend?

2005 Los Angeles Times 2 Apr. a18/3 He knew he shouldn't destroy all of these things but he didn't want to have a whole lot of classified documents sitting around in his office.

to sit back

1. intransitive. To lean back while sitting so that the trunk is supported (esp. by the back of a seat), typically so as to be more relaxed. to sit back on (also upon) one's heels: to shift the weight of the body back on to the heels while kneeling.

ΚΠ

1693 P. Festeau French Gram. (ed. 6) 285 Reculez vous un peu. Sit back a little.

1796 Narr. Captivity Mrs. Johnson 63 The squaws first fall upon their knees, and then sit back upon their heels.

1828 J. B. Fraser Kuzzilbash II. v. 75 I only sat back in my seat, resting my right hand over my left arm.

1885 Manch. Examiner 6 Aug. 5/5 Lord Redesdale beamed benevolently upon his contemporary as he sat back upon his bench.

1989 V. Glendinning Grown-ups (1990) viii. 103 Martha sat back on her heels, cloth in hand. She surveyed the kitchen floor with happiness.

2003 P. Lovesey House Sitter (2004) xii. 175 Diamond used the mouse to close the file and sat back in the chair.

2. intransitive. To adopt a relaxed or detached attitude; esp. to take no action, to choose not to become involved. Usually followed by and and another verb.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > inaction > not doing > do nothing [verb (intransitive)] > take no part in action

to stand bya1398

to stand (or keep, hold, etc.) aloof (from)1546

to sit back1869

1869 Georgia Weekly Tel. 22 Oct. 8/1 Now she [sc. a city] may sit back and enjoy the praise that is fleeing to her even from afar off, and gather in the dividends upon her investment from her increased trade.

1918 Boiler Maker Oct. 291/1 It is always well to sit back and take a good square hard look at ourselves occasionally.

1943 D. Powell Time to be Born (new ed.) xi. 276 One can't sit back and see one's brother..made a monkey of that way!

1982 Times 22 Feb. 1/3 We cannot sit back and let them walk all over us.

2014 M. Giudice & C. Ireland Rise of Deo 40 Before we go too crazy with this idea, why don't we just sit back? It's summertime, so let people..think about it.

to sit by

1. intransitive. To sit beside a person or group of people, esp. as an onlooker at some activity.

ΚΠ

1538 T. Elyot Dict. Assido, is, dere, to reste me, to sytte downe, to sytte by.

1548 J. Veron tr. H. Bullinger Holsome Antidotus sig. H.i^v Finally, if it be reuelated to an other syttyng by, let the other holde his peace.

1711 E. Ward Life Don Quixote v. xix. 373 Lovers..Steal a Squint at One another, When Jealous Governant sits by To Watch Each Motion of the Eye.

1735 London Mag. Aug. 450/1 Observe Clarinda with a beau, While you yourself are sitting by, She'll scarce vouchsafe you half an eye.

1888 Temple Bar Jan. 29 The Bishop..sat by with his watch on the table, for he had to minute each interview.

2009 J. Kellerman True Detectives viii. 68 He gave her the unlisted number he'd obtained from a source at the phone company, sat by as she punched numbers.

2. intransitive. To take no action to prevent the occurrence of something considered wrong or undesirable. Cf. to sit back 2 at Phrasal verbs 1.Now often in negative constructions.

ΚΠ

1677 A. Marvell Acct. Growth Popery 155 Men sit by, like idle Spectators, and still give money towards their own Tragedy.

1748 T. Gray Ode Death Favourite Cat v, in R. Dodsley Coll. Poems II. 268 (Malignant fate sat by and smil'd).

1848 C. Kingsley Saint's Trag. v. iii. 33 I'll not sit by, while helpless priests are butchered.

1936 Jefferson (Iowa) Herald 21 May 2/2 When the Italians got ready to gobble it [sc. Ethiopia] up the rest of the world sat by and let them do it.

1992 M. Williamson Return to Love ii. vi. 144 It's not enough to sit idly by while others hurt, using the catch-all phrase ‘It's not my responsibility’..as an excuse for a selfish stance.

2016 Irish Times (Nexis) 4 Oct. (Health section) 7 As a parent who loves him, you can't sit by and let him get into this trouble.

to sit down

a. intransitive. To seat oneself; to take a seat. Also occasionally: to come accidentally to the ground in a sitting posture; to fall on one's bottom. Cf. main sense 27a.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > be sitting or seated [verb (intransitive)] > sit down

sitOE

to sit adownc1275

to sit downc1300

to make one's seata1400

to set adowna1400

to set downc1400

seat1596

pitch1796

roost1816

take a pew1898

the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > be sitting or seated [verb (intransitive)] > come to a sitting posture

to sit upOE

sita1400

to sit down1859

c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) l. 2809 Nu wile ich þat ye doun site.

?a1425 (?a1350) T. Castleford Chron. (1996) II. l. 21573 Gadred þar wer þe princes grete, And ilke þar sette doune in his sete.

a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1994) I. xiv. 170 Syr kyngys, syt downe & rest you so.

1582 N. Lichefield tr. F. L. de Castanheda 1st Bk. Hist. Discouerie E. Indias 155 A place appointed for y^e captain generall to sit down on.

1674 tr. P. M. de la Martinière New Voy. Northern Countries 22 We sat down, fed as heartily as we could, and then taking leave [etc.].

1766 O. Goldsmith Vicar of Wakefield I. xv. 149 He entered, drew a chair, and sate down.

1817 W. Scott in J. G. Lockhart Mem. Life Sir W. Scott (1837) IV. iii. 97 I..am often six hours on foot without stopping or sitting down.

1859 Habits Good Society v. 212 To see a man sit down in a waltz.

1890 A. Conan Doyle White Company iv He sat down by the roadside to partake of his bread and cheese.

1921 Outlook 16 Mar. 434/2 Never once did he slip and sit down in a puddle!

2014 L. Erickson-Schroth Trans Bodies, Trans Selves xi. 236 A woman sat down next to me and flipped through a magazine.

b. spec. With reference to persons seating themselves, usually at a table, for the purpose of eating, drinking, gambling, etc.

(a) intransitive. With to (the table, a meal, etc.).

ΚΠ

c1405 (c1395) G. Chaucer Clerk's Tale (Hengwrt) (1873) l. 1028 Whan þat thise lordes wende To sitten doun to mete, he gan to calle Grisilde.

1598 W. Shakespeare Love's Labour's Lost i. ii. 239 The sixt houre, When..Men sit downe to that nourishment which is called Supper.

1707 E. Ward Wooden World Dissected 101 He..sits down to the Cards or Hazard.

1795 A. Hughes Jemima I. 206 Quietly submit to sit down to the table at which my late fellow servants are to wait.

1826 C. Lamb in New Monthly Mag. 16 225 Cannot we like Sempronia, without sitting down to chess with her eternal brother?

1884 Times (Weekly ed.) 19 Sept. 5/1 I sit down to ham and eggs.

1933 J. Buchan Prince of Captivity iii. i. 264 He sees the next job and sits down to it.

2011 J. C. Hormel & E. Martin Fit to Serve viii. 87 The three of us sat down to dinner on the screened-in porch.

(b) intransitive. Without prepositional phrase. Now rare.

ΚΠ

1580 A. Saker Narbonus i. 132 Repairing to his fathers house,..whome he found readie for supper, and prepared to sitte downe.

1600 W. Shakespeare Merchant of Venice ii. vi. 9 Who riseth from a feast with that keene appetite that he sits downe?

1739 T. Gray Let. 21 June in Corr. (1971) I. 113 You sit down, and play forty deals without intermission.

1863 Illustr. London News 8 Aug. 150/3 The inspection dinner..took place yesterday week... Between forty and fifty gentlemen sat down.

1900 H. James Little Tour in France xxiv. 166 I sat down with a hundred hungry marketers.

1975 C. Easton Search for Sam Goldwyn (1976) 88 If he invited you for dinner at eight o'clock, he meant eight o'clock. And he'd sit down at eight o'clock.

a. transitive (reflexive). To seat oneself, take a seat. Also in extended use: to settle (see quot. 1823). Cf. main sense 27b. Now somewhat colloquial.Sometimes, in recent use, in imperative in archaic form sit you down as a genteel invitation.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > sit down [verb (reflexive)]

siteOE

seta1300

to sit downa1393

to set downa1400

seat1589

swapa1592

bench1608

pitch1844

a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) vii. l. 2282 He satte him thanne doun.

1535 Bible (Coverdale) Luke x. Mary..sat hir downe at Iesus fete [L. sedens secus pedes Domini], and herkened vnto his worde.

?a1562 G. Cavendish Life Wolsey (1959) 70 My lord..called for a Chayer, And satt hyme self down in the myddes of the table.

1659 D. Pell Πελαγος 59 In every corner they walk into, or sit themselves down in.

1764 O. Goldsmith Traveller 3 I sit me down a pensive hour to spend.

1823 H. T. Colebrooke in State Cape Good Hope 374 The early colonists of South Africa sat themselves down on fertile spots.

1888 ‘J. S. Winter’ Bootle's Children xiii. 103 Come and sit you down by the fire.

1910 W. Riddle Cherished Memories of Old Lancaster x. 135 Sitting myself down on a lone mile-stone.., I drew forth the time-worn history.

1977 K. O'Hara Ghost of Thomas Penry viii. 67 Sit you down and I'll pop the kettle on.

2002 F. Sherwood Bk. of Splendour vii. 67 She sat herself down on a chair.

b. transitive (in passive). to be sat down: to be sitting down, to be in a seated position. Cf. main sense 27c. Now British colloquial.Apparently rare from the 19th century until the late 20th century.Some early modern English examples may show either the perfect tense formed with be rather than have or the passive of sense 4 (as in they were sat down ‘they had sat down’ or ‘they were made to sit down’).

ΚΠ

?1574 tr. H. Niclaes Exhortatio ix. f. 18 My beloued Children and thou Famelye of Loue: when yee are sat-downe at the Table to eate.

1632 J. Hayward tr. G. F. Biondi Eromena 185 As soon as they were sitten down [It. assisi].

1652 R. Brome Joviall Crew iii. sig. H2^v Yonder they are at peep. And now sitten downe as waiting for my purpose.

1763 Museum Rusticum (1764) 1 23 I am now sat down to give you a few scattered observations.

a1774 O. Goldsmith tr. P. Scarron Comic Romance (1775) I. xxiii. 273 They were scarcely sat down, before one of the house-maids came [etc.].

1787 R. Burns Let. 1 June (2001) I. 120 I'm sitten down here.

1880 ‘H. Lee’ Mrs. Denys of Cote III. xliii. 174 When he got indoors and was sat down in his chair, he said..: ‘Some misfortune's befallen the squire’.

1986 alt.folklore.computers 16 Dec. (Usenet newsgroup, accessed 24 Nov. 2017) James, our manager, was sat down, head in hands, hands between knees.

2012 K. Hudson Tony Hogan bought me Ice-cream Float 177 You could see an inch of grey sock and three inches of greyer skin when l was sat down.

3. intransitive. To go down on (also upon) one's knees. Cf. Phrases 1b. Chiefly English regional (northern) and Scottish after Middle English.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > emotion > suffering > state of being harassed > condition of being oppressed > oppress [verb (transitive)]

beareOE

charka1300

to weigh downa1340

besit1377

to bear (a person or thing) heavyc1384

oppressc1384

thringa1400

empressc1400

accloyc1425

to sit downa1450

threst1513

downtread1536

to weigh back, on one side, to the earth1595

to bear (a person or thing) hard (also heavily, heavy, etc.)1602

pressa1616

weight1647

to bear (a person or thing) heavily1702

weigh1794

freight1892

the world > space > relative position > posture > action or act of kneeling > kneel or assume kneeling posture [verb (intransitive)] > assume kneeling posture

to bend, bow, drop, fold, put the (one's) kneec950

kneec1000

to sit on one's kneesOE

to sit downa1450

to strike down1616

a1450 ( G. Chaucer Bk. Duchess (Tanner 346) (1871) l. 106 Doun on kneis she sat anone And wepte.

c1480 (a1400) St. Justina 604 in W. M. Metcalfe Legends Saints Sc. Dial. (1896) II. 169 With þat befor þe bischape rath he set done one [his] kneis bath.

a1578 R. Lindsay Hist. & Cron. Scotl. (1899) II. 187 [They] passit to the quenis grace and sat doune vpone thair kneis and askit pardone.

1626 in Quarter Sessions Rec. (N. Riding Rec. Soc.) (1885) III. 260 Untill such time as she shall sitt downe upon her knees and submitt herselfe to her mother, and crave her blessinge.

1733 C. Hunter Durham Cathedral 17 The Prior..did sit down upon his Knees with his Shoes off.

1818 J. Hogg Brownie of Bodsbeck II. 146 No gin they should a' hae sutten down on their knees wad she gae wi' him.

1950 in Sc. National Dict. (1971) VIII. (at cited word) Aa o a suddenty Jeems sat doun on's knees atween the trams o the barra and that was the eyn o'm.

2017 @sheeranaz 19 Sept. in twitter.com (accessed 27 Nov. 2017) This new boy at our school is so small that the teacher sat down on his knees to talk to him.

4. transitive. To cause (a person) to sit down. Now frequently (sometimes without implying an actual seated position) to put (a person) in a position designed to compel attention.rare before the 20th century and in earlier use, esp. in the past tense, not always distinguishable from uses of variant forms of set v.¹

ΚΠ

a1533 Ld. Berners tr. Arthur of Brytayn (?1560) lxxiii. sig. S.i^v/2 He sate her down on the ground, for she was in that case for fere that her legges would not bere her.

a1849 J. Kenney Spring & Autumn (1855) ii. 34 I met your husband, tipsy as a blind fiddler, who lays hold of me, and forcibly sitting me down to a table, makes me swallow a tumbler of scalding punch, familiarly calling me a jolly old cock!

1890 Chambers's Jrnl. 21 June 387/1 He promptly sat us down to such entertainment as his vessel furnishes.

1946 Billboard 20 Apr. 37/2 Bornstein tried to make them feel at ease, sat them down and said: ‘Kids, before you play your song, I want you to hear my latest plug.’

1992 Independent 6 Jan. 11/3 My father sat me down and talked to me about it. He said it was addictive, a waste of money and led to other things. I promised never to smoke it again while I was living at home.

2017 Sunday Sun (Nexis) 12 Nov. 30 I sat her down in a chair and called an ambulance.

a. intransitive. figurative. Of a person or thing: to calm down; to subside; to settle down. Esp. of the wind: to become less strong, subside (now regional).

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > become less violent or severe [verb (intransitive)]

allayc1275

softc1300

assuage1330

swagec1330

slakea1352

stanchc1420

overslakec1425

appeasec1440

to swage ofc1440

to sit downa1555

soften1565

slack1580

mitigate1633

moderate1737

gentle1912

the world > action or operation > inaction > quietness or tranquillity > be quiet or tranquil [verb (intransitive)] > become quiet or tranquil > settle down

to sit downa1675

the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > downward motion > move downwards [verb (intransitive)] > descend and settle

light?c1225

falla1300

alightc1330

settlec1380

lightenc1460

reside1616

to sit down1897

a1555 J. Bradford Godlie Medit. Lordes Prayer (1562) sig. P.vii No man is able to vnderstand, & therfore we shuld bidde our busye braine syt downe.

1599 A. Hume Day Estivall 182 Great is the calme, for euerie quhair The wind is sitten downe.

a1675 J. Lightfoot Rem. (1700) 203 There hath been many a good soul that hath sitten down in much sadness.

1780 J. Berington State Eng. Catholics p. viii Shall I sit down satisfied because the good humour of a magistrate chooses to indulge me.

1818 W. Scott Heart of Mid-Lothian iv, in Tales of my Landlord 2nd Ser. I. 107 We little thought to hae sittin doun wi' the like o' my auld Davie Howden, or you either.

1897 M. Kingsley Trav. W. Afr. 583 A terrific tornado, which has been lurking growling about, then sits down in the forest and bursts.

2015 @JohnSaltyjohn 1 Apr. in twitter.com (accessed 30 Nov. 2017) The wind has sat down here in Lancashire.

b. To put up with, be resigned to, or bear with something unwelcome.

†(a) intransitive. With by. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > language > statement > acquiescence > acquiesce [verb (transitive)]

to sit down1584

1584 R. Cosin Answer to Two Fyrst & Principall Treat. ii. xx. 345 Hir Highnesse must (at his request) sit downe by the losse.

1608 J. Dod & R. Cleaver Plaine Expos. Prov. xi–xii. 117 But men will laugh at our simplicity, if we sit downe by such indignities.

1766 J. Burrow Rep. Cases King's Bench 2 755 Each Party is to sit down by his own Costs.

†(b) intransitive. With with. Cf. to sit with —— 1 at Phrasal verbs 2. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > emotion > calmness > patience > endure patiently [verb (transitive)]

takec1175

dure1297

suffer1297

eata1382

to take in patiencec1385

to take awortha1387

endure1477

to go through ——1535

pocket1589

to sit down1589

hack1936

1589 E. Bunny Briefe Answer Quarrels R. P. 106 God bee thanked, that you are able to find no greater matters; but that you are faine to sit downe with these?

1614 T. Jackson Third Bk. Comm. Apostles Creede iii. 126 All were bound vpon paine of death to sit down with their priuate loss.

1674 R. Boyle About Excellency & Grounds Mech. Hypothesis 17 in Excellency Theol. A sober physician..will never sit down with so short an account.

1709 R. Steele Tatler No. 49. ⁋1 We are apt to sit down with our Errors, well enough satisfied with the Methods we are fallen into.

1818 W. Scott Heart of Mid-Lothian ix, in Tales of my Landlord 2nd Ser. IV. 203 He was compelled to sit down with the affront.

1881 W. H. Mallock Romance 19th Cent. I. 152 He was not a man tamely to sit down with dejection.

ΚΠ

1620 S. Denison Monument or Tombe-stone 110 She was content to sit downe vnder the wrong, being perswaded that God would cleare her innocencie as the light at noone day.

1723 W. Hendley Exhortation to Holy Communion (ed. 2) 49 A Man had better patiently sit down under the Loss, than endeavour to recover it by Law.

1830 F. S. Hutchinson Second Let. to Christian Examiner 1 Sitting down under the painful imputation of having been a ‘false accuser’.

1914 P. Geddes Let. 30 Oct. in P. Boardman Worlds of P. Geddes (1978) viii. 253 The loss..is hard... Of course we are not sitting down under it: quite the contrary, we are busy taking measures to reorganise as speedily as possible.

1993 H. A. Meynell in T. J. Farrell & P. A. Soukup Communication & Lonergan vii. 137 But is it really possible to sit down under the consequences of the belief that knowledge has no foundations?

†c. intransitive. To acquiesce in something. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > language > statement > acquiescence > acquiesce [verb (intransitive)]

condescend1579

acquiesce1642

to sit down1644

right-ho1936

1644 T. Weld Answer to W.R. 19 They use to submit to the rest, and sit downe in their votes.

1646 Sir T. Browne Pseudodoxia Epidemica i. viii The major part sit down in his authority.

a. intransitive. Originally Scottish. To establish oneself in a location or place; to settle, take up one's abode. Formerly also figurative, with on: †(of a feeling) to settle on, descend on (obsolete). In later use chiefly Australian. Now rare.Common in U.S. from the 17th to the 19th centuries.

ΘΚΠ

society > inhabiting and dwelling > [verb (intransitive)] > establish residence

wickc897

telda1325

buildc1340

nestlea1382

to take (up) one's inn (or inns)a1400

to hold (also keep, make, take, etc.) one's mansiona1425

to take one's lodgec1475

reside1490

inhabit1548

to settle one's rest1562

to sit down1579

to set up (or in) one's staff (of rest)1584

to set (up) one's rest1590

nest1591

to set down one's rest1591

roost1593

inherit1600

habituate1603

seat1612

to take up (one's) residencea1626

settle1627

pitch1629

fix1638

locate1652

to marry and settle1718

domesticate1768

domiciliate1815

to hang up one's hat1826

domicile1831

to stick one's stakes1872

homestead1877

to put down roots1882

to hang one's hat1904

localize1930

the world > existence and causation > causation > initiating or causing to begin > initiate [verb (intransitive)] > be or become established

morea1200

roota1382

to take roota1450

take1523

to take rooting1548

to be well warmed1565

seisin1568

to sit down1579

to come to stay1863

1579 in D. Masson Reg. Privy Council Scotl. (1880) 1st Ser. III. 241 [He]satt doun upoun the ground of the saidis landis,..and upliftit the dewiteis of the samin.

a1600 ( W. Stewart tr. H. Boece Bk. Cron. Scotl. (1858) II. 693 (heading) Donald Bane..efter his Deid sat doun and rang into his Steid.

1632 J. Winthrop Hist. New Eng. (1825) (modernized text) I. 87 The Braintree company, (which had begun to sit down at Mount Wollaston).

a1732 T. Boston Memoirs (1776) x. 309 In this time it began to sit down on my spirit very much..that I was unfit for them.

1799 in Farmer's Mag. Aug. (1801) 311 On the turn of middle age..the author sat down on a farm in Maryland.

1817 J. Bradbury Trav. Amer. 332 A comparison of their present state with their situation when they first sat down.

1820 Monitor (Sydney) 13 Nov. 2/6 The six men who were captured at Hunter's River with a very large number of cattle and horses..intended to sit down as the Blacks say ‘far from the busy haunts of men’.

1875 Couper Sandy ix, in W. Alexander Sketches Life among Ain Folk 139 I did not think it richt that he sud be latt'n sit doon amon's as a neebour onbeen enterteen't.

1921 Westville (Indiana) Indicator 29 Sept. By and by, she [sc. Europe] might have come over here and sat down on our farm.

1975 K. Willey Ghosts of Big Country ii. 31 He still ‘sits down’ in ‘The Loo’ for several months each year in a galvanised iron house.

1996 C. I. Macafee Conc. Ulster Dict. 305/1 Sit down, settle, make your home; specifically, take up the tenancy of a farm.

(a) intransitive. Of a military force or its commander: to encamp beside a town or fortified place in order to besiege it (frequently with before); (also) †to settle down to a siege (obsolete). Formerly also: †(of a siege) to commence (obsolete). Cf. main sense 7b.

ΘΚΠ

society > armed hostility > attack > action or state of siege or blockade > lay siege [verb (intransitive)]

to lay ensiege?a1500

to plant a siegea1500

to sit down1593

inleaguer1603

to set downa1616

to lie down1693

sit1802

1593 M. Sutcliffe Pract., Proc., & Lawes of Armes xvi. 215 Before we sit downe before any towne, let vs see what commodity we may get by taking it.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Coriolanus (1623) iv. vii. 28 All places yeelds to him ere he sits downe, And the Nobility of Rome are his.

1670 C. Cotton tr. G. Girard Hist. Life Duke of Espernon i. i. 6 His Father..resolv'd to send him..to the Siege of Rochelle, that was then sitting down.

1720 D. Defoe Mem. Cavalier 127 They sat down to the Siege of Coburgh Castle.

1829 W. Scott Anne of Geierstein III. xii. 333 The army of Burgundy sat down before Nancy, in a strong position.

1902 S. J. Weyman In Kings' Byways i. 137 In the summer of 1706..one of the Austrian captains sat down before the frontier town of Huymonde, in Spanish Flanders, and prepared to take it.

2010 P. F. Purton Hist. Late Medieval Siege ii. 77 King James..was wrongly informed that the city of Gaeta would open its gates to him...He found this was not true and sat down to besiege it.

(b) transitive. To cause (an army) to encamp.

ΚΠ

1927 H. Belloc Hist. Eng. II. iv. 406 He sat his army down before it.

1972 J. Haswell James II xxii. 245 The usurper William arrived and sat his army down outside Exeter.

1996 E.C. Fishel Secret War for Union Epil. 545 Grant sat the army down at Cold Harbor and pondered his next move.

7. transitive. To put or set (a thing or person) down. Cf. main sense 20c. Now chiefly U.S.rare before the 20th century and in earlier use, esp. in the past tense, not always distinguishable from uses of variant forms of set v.¹ (cf. quot. 1796 for to set down 4a at set v.¹ Phrasal verbs 2).

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > place > placing or fact of being placed in (a) position > place or put in a position [verb (transitive)] > put or lay down

allayOE

seta1000

to lay downc1275

to put downa1382

to set downa1400

deposec1420

to sit down1600

depositate1618

deposit1749

ground1751

plank1859

1600 T. Dekker in R. Allott Englands Parnassus 478 He [sc. Zephirus] sate vs downe, and thus we did ariue.

1798 C. Smith Young Philosopher IV. 224 If he would sit me down where he found me.

1824 W. Taylor in Monthly Mag. 57 511 When he took his lady from the horse Into his arms, he gently sat her down.

1940 J. Ross They don't dance Much (1975) v. 54 Smut drank his liquor and sat the cup down on the table.

2000 S. O'Flanagan Storm Clouds in J. Adams et al. Girls' Night In 448 It came in a huge bright yellow cup.., served by a pretty, gamine waitress who smiled cheerfully as she sat it down in front of me.

a. intransitive. To be or remain seated. Cf. main sense 1a.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > be sitting or seated [verb (intransitive)]

asitOE

sitOE

setc1275

to sit down1659

1659 T. Pestell Serm. & Devotions 91 There is a third, a wilfull and obstinate Ignorance, sitting down in darkness without Care or Endeavour to rise up from that bondage.

1791 J. Lackington Memoirs vi. 44 My good mistress would sit down for hours together, with her bible in her lap.

1844 Knickerbocker June 565 If there was no happiness, there was at least no unhappiness, in sitting down for hours, and brooding over my own idiosyncracies.

1916 J. Parr Let. 19 June in L. Housman War Lett. Fallen Englishmen (2002) 211 He sits down all day and does not attempt to help in any way except when I tell him to do things.

2015 Daily Express (Nexis) 24 Sept. 11 Fidgeting could help fight against the health dangers of spending all day sitting down in the office.

b. intransitive. to take (something) sitting down and variants: to accept or tolerate (something, esp. a setback, defeat, etc.) submissively, without complaint or reprisal; to acquiesce to. Cf. sense 5. Cf. also to take (a beating, defeat, etc.) lying down at lie v.¹ Phrasal verbs.Usually in negative contexts.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > difficulty > opposition > absence of resistance > offer no resistance [verb (intransitive)]

to turn the other cheek1529

to go down like ninepins1791

to take (a beating, defeat, etc.) lying down1888

to take (something) sitting down1899

1899 Kalgoorlie (W. Austral.) Miner 12 May 2/6 Please don't imagine every bikist [= cyclist] will submit to indignities..; some take it sitting down, others look for gore.

1917 Living Age 10 Nov. 351/1 The enemy front line and their reserve lines received a fearful pounding... The enemy, of course, did not take this sitting down, and very soon his guns began to pound away at our trenches.

1961 J. Carlova & O. Ruggles Healing Heart iv. 57 A rebel is a fighter. He doesn't accept defeat sitting down. He gets up and fights back.

2005 Nation 14 Feb. 13/1 We Democrats can't take this sitting down. We have to stand up..and figure out how we build this back into a majority party.

9. intransitive. To meet with a person, group, etc., typically for a formal, serious, or lengthy discussion; to hold a meeting. Cf. sit-down n. 3.Typically used with specific reference to meetings attended in person, as opposed to telephone conversations, etc., though now also sometimes used of meetings conducted online.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > language > speech > conversation > converse [verb (intransitive)] > face-to-face or in person

interview1548

see1548

to sit down1748

1748 S. Richardson Clarissa V. xxii. 199 When my active capacity begins to abate, I may sit down with the Preacher, and resolve all my past life into vanity and vexation of spirit.

1814 Q. Rev. Oct. 228 It is..curious to mark with what imposing gravity a committee will sit down to discuss the merits of a mouse-trap.

1922 Appleton (Wisconsin) Post-Crescent 27 June 1/3 Others are willing to sit down with the union spokesmen and negotiate new scales of wages.

1991 Times Educ. Suppl. 4 Jan. 42/4 Before any attempt is made at appraisal it would be wise for music teachers and headteachers to sit down together and determine a realistic job specification.

2002 L. G. Friedman Go-to-market Strategy ii. 64 The ongoing frenzy..leaves people too exhausted..to do anything useful.., such as..sitting down with prospective partners to see what it would take to drive deals together.

10. intransitive. Originally U.S. to sit down (hard) on: to denounce severely, to reject (a proposal); to snub (a person). Cf. to sit on —— 8 at Phrasal verbs 2. Now rare.

ΚΠ

1874 Cleveland (Ohio) Daily Herald 23 June 4/3 Congress has sat down hard on the independent government of the District... Washington is flattened out.

1885 Outing Sept. 697 But, my dear, that sounds very much like the rudeness which you gentlemen call ‘sitting down on people’.

1904 Boston Advertiser 5 Nov. 4 He sat down hard on the proposition that Canada should meet a penny of the ‘imperial’ expenses.

1984 Financial Times 17 May 2/8 The nimble-minded Premier had dreamed up a ‘wizard wheeze’... Washington is said to have sat down hard on this one.

11. intransitive. Of an aviator: to land an aircraft.

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > air or space travel > action of flying (in) aircraft > specific flying operations or procedures > [verb (intransitive)] > land

land1784

alight1786

to sit down1926

to put down1933

to touch down1933

to hit the deck1943

1926 National Geographic Mag. Jan. 18/1 After a while he guessed he'd better ‘sit down’... He got down all right.

1954 Life 25 Jan. 75/2 Descending, sometimes through a 40-knot blizzard, Thule's pilots sit down in an ancient glacier bed.

2013 San Marcos (Texas) Daily Rec. 18 Jan. 1/2 The pilot quickly sat down on Runway 82-6.

12. intransitive. Originally U.S. To sit down on strike in one's place of work; to sit down in a public place as a form of protest. Cf. sit-down adj. 4a. Now somewhat rare.

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > lack of subjection > rebelliousness > militancy > be militant [verb (intransitive)] > demonstrate or protest > specific

to sit down1936

to sit in1937

sit1959

to take a (also the) knee1960

1936 Sun (Baltimore) 2 Nov. 14/1 Various of the men reporting for picket duty yesterday came from ships where cooks had been the first to ‘sit down’ in sympathy with the West Coast strikers and hadn't had any food for forty-eight hours.

1962 P. Mortimer Pumpkin Eater xxi. 179 ‘She paints Ban the Bomb on everything.’.. ‘I suppose she sits down all over the place?’

2008 Leader-Post (Regina, Sask.) (Nexis) 11 Dec. b10 Barack Obama means to build a more equitable nation, but it would help him in that task if more workers sat down.

13. transitive. North American Sport. Esp. of a coach or manager: to remove (a player) from a game; (also) to exclude (a player) from a team or squad; to leave on the bench. Cf. bench v.¹ 3d.Cf. sense 19 and to sit out 1c at Phrasal verbs 1.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > sport > types of play, actions, or postures > [verb (transitive)] > other actions or types of play

outshoot1545

football1599

pitch1717

make1819

to warm up1868

to draw out1893

bench1898

foot1900

cover1907

cannonball1911

telegraph1913

unsight1923

snap1951

to sit out1955

pike1956

to sit down1956

wrong-foot1960

blindside1968

sit1977

1956 N.Y. Times 17 Nov. 27/3 I've kept Bernie on the bench an average of a quarter a game this season, but I'm not going to sit him down against Lindenhurst tomorrow.

1989 Guardian 20 Sept. (Sports News section) 19/7 I will not leave a player out. I would not have the heart to sit a player down.

2001 R. Lazenby Mindgames viii. 215 Last year in San Antonio, any tirade Dennis threw, it was ‘Get him out of the game! Sit him down! Teach him a lesson!’

to sit in

I. Senses involving being present at, taking part in, or observing an activity.

a. intransitive. To take part in an activity, esp. a card game. Frequently with on; also with at.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > play (a game) [verb (transitive)]

playeOE

to sit in1601

shoot1926

the world > action or operation > doing > activity or occupation > occupy or engage (a person) [verb (transitive)] > have to do with or be involved in or with > take part in

leadOE

to take partc1384

to sit in1601

enter1603

1601 B. Jonson Fountaine of Selfe-love iv. iii. sig. H Prophecies? wee cannot all sit in at them; we shall make a confusion.

1691 G. Miege New State Eng. iii. vi. 63 These Judges, and those of the two former Courts of King's Bench and Common Pleas, make up the Number of Twelve; who all sit in on their Tribunals in Robes, and square Caps.

1868 S. Hale Let. 5 Jan. (1919) ii. 44 Before we got to lunch two Englishmen sot in.

1903 A. Adams Log of Cowboy xii. 179 When one was frozen out another sat in and took his place.

1962 D. Francis Dead Cert ii. 19 I took ten of Henry's chips and sat in with them. Joan dealt.

1973 ‘H. Howard’ Highway to Murder viii. 102 You weren't invited to sit in on this deal, but you elected to take a hand.

2011 Daily Disp. (S. Afr.) (Nexis) 16 June Invite someone to sit in on the [video] game as the second player.

b. intransitive. Originally U.S. To join in playing or singing with a jazz band or other musical ensemble of which one is not a regular member. Also with with.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > the arts > music > performing music > perform (music) [verb (transitive)] > join in with

to sit in1936

1936 Delineator Nov. 102/ Those on the drawn-up chairs are sitting in; they have dropped in with their instruments to jam.

1937 New Republic 24 Nov. 69/2 Jess saw Bix Beiderbecke and sat in with him later.

1949 L. Feather Inside Be-bop i. 8 On these occasions Kansas Fields or Jack Parker might sit in on drums.

1965 G. Melly Owning-up vii. 75 Buying a barrel of cider for the musicians who came along to sit in.

2016 Las Cruces (New Mexico) Sun-News (Nexis) 7 July t10 Any musician can sit in on the sessions.

†2. intransitive. With to. To begin in earnest to do something; to apply oneself to. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > undertaking > beginning action or activity > begin or enter upon (an action) [verb (transitive)] > begin an action or fall to doing something > resolutely or vigorously

to sit in1736

strap1823

to get down1826

tackle1841

to buckle down (to)1865

to bite on1904

to wade into1904

to get stuck into1910

to get one's teeth into1935

to sink one's teeth into1935

to get stuck in1938

to get to grips with1947

1736 W. R. Chetwood Voy. W. O. G. Vaughan I. 101 When our Business was over, we sat in to Drinking.

1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones VI. xviii. xiii. 298 The Squire sat in to his Cups.

1860 E. Epps Living among Dead xii. 154 They sat in to their game, while the others talked.

a1922 T. S. Eliot Waste Land Drafts (1971) 5 Sopped up some gin, sat in to the cork game.

3. intransitive. to sit in for: to carry out temporarily the duties or obligations of (another person). Cf. to stand in 7 at stand v. Phrasal verbs 1.

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > delegated authority > action or function of a delegate or deputy > act as delegate or deputy [verb (intransitive)] > temporarily

to sit in for1915

to hold the fort1936

1915 Washington Post 14 Sept. 6/5 (header) Woman mayor of big city. ‘Sits in’ for Chief Magistrate of Los Angeles during latter's absence.

1963 ‘C. Keene’ Nancy's Mysterious Let. (rev. ed.) xix. 61 Say, how about sitting in for me, Nancy, in my Shakespeare class? You might pull an A for me.

1992 Washington Post 23 Mar. d10/1 Larson sat in for Katie Couric recently on the morning show and did well.

2011 M. Brown in Animal Res. in Global Environment, Proc. 2008 Internat. Workshop (National Res. Council (U.S.)) 67 Unfortunately, I have to leave after my talk; Sari has agreed to sit in for me in the panel this afternoon.

4. intransitive. To attend an event or occasion as a spectator or observer. Usually with on; also with at.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > place > presence > be present at [verb (transitive)] > be present at (a proceeding or meeting)

tend1460

to make one1542

frequent1555

assist1603

attend1646

to sit in1919

1919 C. S. Parker Amer. Idyll ii. ii, in Atlantic Monthly Apr. 501/1 I sat in on a meeting of the Building-Trades Board.

1945 A. Huxley Time must have Stop (new ed.) viii. 91 Paul De Vries had already sat in at a number of the old lady's séances.

1962 ‘S. Ransome’ Without Trace iii. 31 ‘He has something to talk over with me.’.. ‘Would he mind if I sat in?’

1967 Daily Tel. 15 May 9/4 To sit in at a play of this sort is to realise quite soon that you are being asked a riddle.

1977 Spare Rib July 17/1 If you sat in on some of the interviews I've been through you'd know.

2016 Star Tribune (Minneapolis) (Nexis) 12 Dec. 13 c They got to see us practice and how we coach, and sit in on meetings, and so they get to see everything.

5. intransitive. To cooperate; to collaborate. Also with with, on.Only in P. G. Wodehouse.

ΘΚΠ

society > society and the community > social relations > co-operation > co-operate with [verb (transitive)]

coadjuvate1601

rally1706

to work in1875

to sit in1925

1925 P. G. Wodehouse Sam the Sudden xiii. 96 Do you mean to say..that if Soapy was sitting in with the Archbishop of Canterbury on a plan for skinning a sucker, the archbish wouldn't split Even Stephen?

1937 P. G. Wodehouse Lord Emsworth & Others ii. 96 Can I count on your co-operation?.. Sit in, and I shall be able to marry the girl I adore. Refuse to do your bit, and I drift through the remainder of my life a soured, blighted bachelor.

a1975 P. G. Wodehouse Sunset at Blandings (1977) xi. 77 Jeff refused to sit in on your chuckleheaded idea of eloping for a very good reason.

II. Other senses.

†6. intransitive. English regional (northern). To adhere (see quot. 1828). Cf. main sense 29. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

1828 W. Carr Dial. Craven (ed. 2) (at cited word) ‘Sit in’, to adhere, as any extraneous matter does in a recent wound.

7. intransitive. Originally U.S. To occupy a building as a demonstration of protest. Cf. sit-in adj. and n.Frequently hyphenated.

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > lack of subjection > rebelliousness > militancy > be militant [verb (intransitive)] > demonstrate or protest > specific

to sit down1936

to sit in1937

sit1959

to take a (also the) knee1960

1937 N.Y. Times 12 May 10/5 (headline) 1,700 Philadelphia workers sit in or walk out—ask recognition of unions.

1961 Look 25 Apr. 46/2 Negroes who picket, sit-in, crowd our jails, advance on white schools and otherwise approach prevailing privilege.

2007 W. C. Hogan Many Minds, One Heart iii. 68 On 22 November the students sat-in at the white waiting room of the bus terminal.

8. intransitive. In a race: to stay close behind another person, horse, etc., typically with the aim of reducing air resistance or conserving energy for a final effort to overtake and win. Frequently with behind.Originally and frequently in the context of horse racing.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > race [verb (intransitive)] > in specific manner

to make (all) the running1824

stay1834

sprint1841

to come with a wet sail1876

to stay the course1885

to sit in1952

1952 Irish Times 2 Oct. 2/7 Mr. Cox was content to sit in behind for most of the way, but.., driving High Velocity through on the inside coming to the last hurdle, he got the better of Soaring High on the run-in.

1999 Coventry Evening Tel. (Nexis) 17 Dec. (Sport section) 58 Jockey Adrian Maguire was content to sit in at the back of the five-runner field..before challenging the front-running Annie Buckers in the straight.

2013 S. Yates & J. Deering It's All about Bike (2014) 192 I rode on the front all day every day.., Malcolm sitting in behind us in the leader's jersey and conserving energy.

to sit on

1. intransitive. To continue to sit (in various senses); esp. to remain seated. Also Scottish: to continue in occupation, to stay on as tenant. Cf. on adv. 5a. Sc. National Dict. (at cited word) records the Scottish sense as still in use in Perthshire in 1970.

ΘΚΠ

the world > movement > absence of movement > [verb (intransitive)] > remain as opposed to go

bidec893

yleaveOE

leaveOE

wonc1000

abideOE

worthOE

beliveOE

atstutte-nc1220

stuttea1225

atstuntc1230

astinta1250

beleavea1325

lasta1325

stounda1325

stinta1340

joukc1374

restaya1382

to leave over1394

liec1400

byec1425

onbidec1430

keep1560

stay1575

delay1655

to wait on1773

stop1801

to sit on1815

to hang around1830

to stick around1878

to sit tight1897

remain1912

stay-down1948

1815 Parl. Deb. 1st Ser. 29 888 An Act was passed on the 31st December, (parliament sitting on till after Christmas for the purpose).

1861 F. Guise Cravens of Beech Hall II. ix. 171 He sat on until the glimmering daylight began to appear.

1880 Hansard's Parl. Deb. 3rd Ser. 253 137 The tenant sat on from year to year on the same terms as he had previously held the land.

1916 J. Rankine Law of Leases in Scotl. (ed. 3) Index 980 Notice of claim by tenant not to be made after determination of tenancy..; except where tenant sits on as to part of the farm.

1932 D. L. Sayers Have his Carcase xix. 255 She sat on right through the programme, but when it came to God Save the King, she chucked it.

2015 D. Park Stone Kingdoms We sat on until the smouldering fire had died almost to nothing.

2. intransitive and transitive (in passive). English regional (northern) and Scottish. Of milk or cooked food: to be stuck or burnt to the pan. Sc. National Dict. (at cited word) records the sense as still in use in Perthshire, Lanarkshire, Galloway, and Roxburghshire in 1970.

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > food > food manufacture and preparation > cooking > undergo cooking [verb (intransitive)] > burn or catch on bottom of cooking pot

to set toa1610

burn1725

catch1767

to sit on1824

1824 W. Carr Horæ Momenta Cravenæ 109 Sitten-on, When milk is burnt in the pan.

1835 ‘S. Oliver’ Rambles Northumberland iv. 131 When a dumpling, hasty-pudding, potatoes, &c. have sitten on to the bottom of the pan in which they are boiled, they are said to be bishopped.

1894 R. O. Hesop Northumberland Words II. 644 To sit-on, to stick to the cooking utensil. ‘The dumplin's sitten-on’.

to sit out

a. intransitive. To sit apart from others, or to remain seated, so as take no part in an activity (esp. a game or dance). Now also spec.: (of a player) to take no part in a match or part of a match. Also figurative. Cf. 1b.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > entertainment > [verb (intransitive)] > take no part

to sit out1558

society > society and the community > social relations > lack of social communication or relations > separation or isolation > separate [verb (intransitive)] > stand aloof or take no part

keep cut?a1400

to stand out?1496

to sit out1558

society > leisure > dancing > ball or dance > take part in ball [verb (intransitive)] > sit out

to sit out1775

1558 Speciall Grace after Banket at Yorke sig. b.viii A woonder was it to see sum oother again, of our great Iusticers & learned men (that would not sit out) how wickedly and willingly thei becam their rackers & tormentours.

1565 J. Calfhill Aunswere Treat. Crosse f. 106 I perceiue you wil play small play, rather than sit out.

a1627 T. Middleton Mayor of Quinborough (1661) i. i. 13 If I see any kneel, and I sit out, That hour is not well spent.

1664 J. Wilson Andronicus Comnenius ii. ii Who was the prouder pray; Diogenes, that spurn'd at every thing, Or Alexander, that sate out at nothing?

1775 R. B. Sheridan Rivals v. iii You won't be so cantanckerous as to spoil the party by sitting out.

1886 ‘E. Lyall’ Won by Waiting xxix. 303 She danced with Claude, however, several times, only refusing him once when she wanted to sit out with Cornelia.

1927 Everybody’s Jan. 111/1 ‘Bes' li'l' poker player in this hull state. Wanna sit in, stranger?’ ‘No, I want you to sit out.’

2014 Sports Illustr. 13 Oct. 42/2 The Seminoles' starting quarterback, sophomore James Winston, sat out with a suspension.

b. transitive. To sit apart from others, or to remain seated when others do not, so as to take no part in (a game, dance, or other social activity). Now also spec.: (of a player) to take no part in (a match or part of a match). Also figurative.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > inaction > not doing > not do [verb (transitive)] > take no part in (an action)

to sit out1659

society > society and the community > social relations > lack of social communication or relations > separation or isolation > separate or isolate [verb (transitive)] > stand aloof from > specifically a dance or game

to sit out1659

to set out1815

society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > play a card [verb (transitive)] > actions or tactics

to hold up?1499

decardc1555

to turn up1580

discard1591

pulla1625

to sit out1659

face1674

to make out1680

to lay out1687

to throw away1707

lead1739

weaken1742

carry1744

to take in1744

force1746

to show down1768

throw1866

blank1884

block1884

cover1885

unblock1885

pitch1890

society > leisure > dancing > ball or dance > take part in ball [verb (transitive)] > sit out

to sit outc1869

1659 H. Neville Shufling, Cutting, & Dealing 3 I was somewhat scrupulous, whether Play was lawful, or not; and so sate out the last Game.

c1869 T. Taylor & A. W. Dubourg in M. R. Booth Eng. Plays of 19th Cent. (1973) III. 251 I didn't sit out one dance.

1885 ‘F. Anstey’ Tinted Venus 15 I've never had to sit out a waltz before.

1957 Economist 19 Oct. 208/2 Only two countries—Holland and Australia—gave a majority in favour of getting involved [in a war with Russia]. In the rest, all but two of which are allies of America, most people said they would rather sit this one out.

1969 Internat. Herald Tribune (Paris) 6 Nov. 13/1 Baltimore's Wes Unseld..sat out much of the game because of foul trouble.

1978 G. A. Sheehan Running & Being xv. 211 I hadn't realized this..until the 1976 Boston Marathon... Any thinking adult would have sat this one out.

2017 Dayton (Ohio) Daily News (Nexis) 5 May z3 24% are likely to sit out the election, possibly eroding Macron's lead.

c. transitive. Sport (chiefly North American). Esp. of a coach or manager: to exclude (a player) from a team or squad; to leave on the bench. Cf. bench v.¹ 3d. Cf. sense 19 and to sit down 13 at Phrasal verbs 1.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > sport > types of play, actions, or postures > [verb (transitive)] > other actions or types of play

outshoot1545

football1599

pitch1717

make1819

to warm up1868

to draw out1893

bench1898

foot1900

cover1907

cannonball1911

telegraph1913

unsight1923

snap1951

to sit out1955

pike1956

to sit down1956

wrong-foot1960

blindside1968

sit1977

1955 Winnipeg (Manitoba) Tribune 16 Feb. 21/1 As long as the goaler has no broken bones.., no person ever seems to think of sitting him out.

1991 Hamilton (Ont.) Spectator (Nexis) 21 Nov. (Sports section) e3 He was fined for missing Tuesday morning's practice. ‘I thought about sitting him out, but I did not want to punish the team for the indiscretion of one player.’

2019 Pantagraph (Bloomington, Illinois) (Nexis) 15 May (Sports section) b1 When I was struggling with my hitting last year and coach would sit me out, it brought out more determination in me.

a. transitive. To keep one's seat throughout the course of (something); in later use esp. to remain where one is until the end of (an uncomfortable experience). Also with non-referential it as object. Cf. to sit through —— at Phrasal verbs 2.

ΘΚΠ

the world > movement > absence of movement > [verb (intransitive)] > remain as opposed to go > for a purpose

to sit out1579

stay1592

staya1616

the world > movement > absence of movement > render immobile [verb (transitive)] > remain in (a place) > for a purpose

to stay for ——1554

stay1570

to sit out1579

to set out1714

to sit through ——1809

1579 E. Hake Newes out of Powles Churchyarde newly Renued v. sig. E.i^v He neuer must repine Although it be to sit it oute all night in costly game.

1598 F. Meres Palladis Tamia f. 33 As we can easily and with pleasure sit out long playes: so..we should at the least be as willing to sit out long Sermons.

1630 Bp. J. Hall Occas. Medit. §lxxxi What a Penance must be done by every accumbent; in sitting out the passage through all these dishes.

1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 101. ¶7 An Audience would sit out an Evening to hear a Dramatical Performance.

1809 B. H. Malkin tr. A. R. Le Sage Adventures Gil Blas III. viii. ix. 325 I cannot conceive how a clever fellow like you can sit it out with such loutish guests.

1888 J. Johnston Cent. Conf. Missions I. 450 This is the only meeting, except the first, which it has been my privilege to sit out.

1949 Irish Times 19 Sept. 7/3 You will not..sit out the film without feeling queasy.

1969 A. Bennett Forty Years On in Forty Years On & Other Plays (1991) 7 Hugh and Moggie..sit out the Second World War in the basement of Claridge's.

2012 Daily Mirror (Nexis) 30 Nov. (Ireland ed.) 7 You have no control over it—you just have to sit it out.

b. transitive. Originally: to remain longer than (another person) when paying a visit. Now more generally: to keep one's seat longer than (another person), to outsit.

ΘΚΠ

the world > time > duration > have duration [verb (transitive)] > outstay or overstay

outdwell1600

overstand1600

sit1602

to ride out1603

outstaya1616

overstay1641

outsit1661

tarry outa1662

stay1749

to sit out1752

to overstay one's welcome1858

stay1858

society > leisure > social event > visit > visiting > visit [verb (transitive)] > remain longer than (another)

to sit out1752

1752 H. Fielding Amelia II. v. v. 127 She resolved to come to an Eclaircissement, and having sat out some Company that came in, when they were alone together, [etc.].

1808 J. Austen Let. 9 Dec. (1995) 157 We found M^rs Lance at home & alone, & sat out three other Ladies who soon came in.

1902 Smart Set July 79/1 There were two or three chaps there before me, and they tried to sit me out—stubborn little cads!

1904 Collier's 14 May 22/3 Peter tried to sit her out, but it was no good; when she saw that was his game she put the door open and let the fire out, in order to chill him up to bed.

1996 W. Witney In Door, into Fight, Out Door, into Chase 217 I sat him out. He got tired of waiting for me to open the conversation and moved over.

3. intransitive. To sit in the open air.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > condition of being external > be external [verb (intransitive)] > sit outdoors

to sit out1616

the world > matter > gas > air > fresh air > [verb (intransitive)] > expose oneself to open air

to sit out1616

air1633

the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > be sitting or seated [verb (intransitive)] > in open air

to sit out1616

1616 T. Roe in S. Purchas Pilgrimes (1625) I. iv. xvi. 583 The King sits out in three seuerall places, thrice euery day, except some occasion preuent him: an houre at noone to see his Elephants fight; at foure till fiue to entertayne all commers..; nine till mid-night, with his principall men in more familiaritie.

1805 E. Cavanagh Let. 20 Aug. in M. Wilmot & C. Wilmot Russ. Jrnls. (1934) ii. 179 I sat out & made a Gown while we were going along.

1908 E. Fowler Between Trent & Ancholme 109 I am now sitting out, for the first time.

2013 A. Forna Hired Man xxi. 289 It's still warm enough to sit out.

to sit up

I. Senses directly implying a sitting posture.Senses 1a and 2 show considerable overlap, since the action may be viewed as either beginning or continuing.

a. intransitive. To raise one's body from a recumbent to a sitting posture, or from a leaning or slouching posture to an upright sitting posture. Also of an animal: to balance on the hindquarters, with the front paws raised and the body upright.In quot. c1225 transitive (passive).

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > be sitting or seated [verb (intransitive)] > sit up or upright

to sit upOE

the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > be sitting or seated [verb (intransitive)] > come to a sitting posture

to sit upOE

sita1400

to sit down1859

OE Old Eng. Hexateuch: Gen. (Claud.) xlviii. 2 Ða cydde man Ysrahele þæt Iosep his suna wær [probably read wære] cumen; þa elnode he hine & sæt up.

c1225 (?c1200) St. Katherine (Bodl.) (1981) l. 585 Þa ha weren iseten up, sehen as þe engles..smireden hire wunden.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 3683 ‘Fader,’ he said, ‘sitt vp and ete’.

a1500 St. Jerome (Lamb.) in Anglia (1880) 3 343 He satt up and cryed ‘I shall not..thow lyest’.

1526 Bible (Tyndale) Luke vii. f. lxxxv I saye vnto the, aryse. And the deed sate vp.

1757 Tryal of Lady Allurea Luxury 61 Sometimes I am somewhat indolent after Sitting up, and find a little Palpitation at my Heart.

1847 Ld. Tennyson Princess v. 97 She heard, she moved,..and up she sat.

1854 J. G. Wood Sketches Animal Life 98 Four cats..had taught themselves the art of begging like a dog... They waited until they saw the dog sit up in the begging position, and immediately assumed the same attitude.

1908 R. Bagot Anthony Cuthbert xxvii Sonia sat up excitedly. ‘I will not have a doctor,’ she exclaimed.

1965 D. G. Dodds Wild Captives 53 The mouse sits up, pawing at the giant.

1996 P. Morgan et al. Female Body 14 Mom was right when she told us to sit up. Absolutely correct when she told us not to slouch.

1998 A. Geras Silent Snow, Secret Snow 105 Carlo sat up in bed and hugged his knees through the duvet.

2013 M. Lawson Deaths vi. 171 ‘Sit up straight! It's bad for your digestion, eating like that.’

b. intransitive. to sit up and beg: (originally, of a dog) to balance on the hindquarters with the front paws raised expectantly in the hope of a reward (cf. beg v. 2i); (subsequently figurative) to be compliant, pliable, or subservient.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > easiness > do or accomplish something easily [verb (intransitive)] > be easy to deal with or control

to sit up and beg1869

the world > space > relative position > vertical position > [adjective] > upright or erect

upstandingc1000

standing1180

erectc1386

upright1398

standard1538

top-right1562

steya1586

upstraight1598

struttinga1643

straight reacheda1649

surrect1692

stand-up1749

stick-up1808

to sit up and beg1869

the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > [adjective] > up or upright > specific miscellaneous

to sit up and beg1869

society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > vehicle propelled by feet > [adjective] > attitude of vehicles (planes, bikes, etc.)

to sit up and beg1869

society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > vehicle propelled by feet > [verb (intransitive)] > bicycle > assume attitude

to sit up and beg1869

1869 Quiver 17 Apr. 447/2 He [sc. a dog] found it just as long to the next stone that way, so in despair he sat up and—begged.

1911 Times 6 July 16/6 His second service is not formidable, and..he could not make friends with the half-volleys; to Mr. Dixon they sit up and beg.

1917 R. Barnes Let. 20 July in M. Gilbert W. S. Churchill (1977) IV. Compan. i. 105 Pile up the guns & shells & we will make the Hun sit up & beg, but we haven't got enough yet.

1935 G. Stein Let. in E. Burns & U. E. Dydo Lett. Gertrude Stein & Thornton Wilder (1996) App. V. 365 For the first time in his life Basket had sat up and begged and not gotten what he asked he was disillusioned and..he has never been quite the same trusting dog since.

1978 Times 4 July 19/4 Ramirez tucked away a net cord by his opponent that sat up and simply begged.

2017 @JeanieOsc 18 July in twitter.com (accessed 7 Dec. 2017) And when he whistles Russia is going to sit up and beg! Uh huh. Yeah, sure.

c. intransitive. to make (a person) sit up: to astonish, startle, or have a powerful effect on (a person).

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > expectation > surprise, unexpectedness > surprise, astonish [verb (transitive)]

gloppena1250

abavea1400

ferlya1400

forferlya1400

supprisec1405

stonish1488

surprend1549

stagger1556

thunderbolta1586

admire1598

startle1598

thunderstrike1613

siderate1623

dumbfound1653

surprise1655

stammer1656

strange1657

astartlea1680

dumbfounder1710

knock1715

to take aback1751

flabbergast1773

to take back1796

stagnate1829

to put aback1833

to make (a person) sit up1878

to knock, lay (out), etc., cold1884

transmogrify1887

rock1947

to flip out1964

1878 City Jackdaw 29 Mar. 153/2 We'll make 'em sit up one of these days, I tell you.

1889 Daily News 23 July 5 When her [George Sand's] novels first made the world ‘sit up’, if we may venture to use such a phrase.

1922 ‘R. Crompton’ Just—William iii. 60 Crumbs! he'd jolly well make people sit up.

2017 Herald (Glasgow) (Nexis) 5 Oct. 5 That made me sit up and think I really need to do something.

d. intransitive. to sit up and take notice: (originally, of a sick person) to raise oneself up from a prostrate position and pay attention to one's surroundings; (now usually) to become suddenly interested, to start paying attention. Also with of.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > attention and judgement > attention > pay attention [phrase]

to nim or take yemec1175

to bow the eyec1230

give tenta1300

to take (nim) heed13..

to have respect toa1398

to have an eye to (also in)1425

to give, pay heed (to)?1504

to make reckoning of1525

to take notice1573

to take into consideration1652

to return to our sheep1871

to sit up and take notice1886

1886 Weekly New Era (Lancaster, Pa.) 17 July 5/2 By the time she is able to sit up and take notice and get from the bed to the fire, she surrounds herself with every treatise she can find on the proper method of training infants.

1909 N.Y. Evening Post 6 Mar. 1/3 The crowd that fell upon Washington was of such a size that the District authorities sat up and took serious notice.

1940 K. Furse Hearts & Pomegranates xxviii. 387 I was amused to see that women who had succumbed and been carried to the lamp-post islands by St. John Ambulance stretcher-bearers, could sit up and take notice as we passed.

1954 A. Huxley Let. 18 Jan. (1969) 694 If you want them to sit up and take notice, prepare your way with a barrage of heavy guns from respectable institutions.

1968 H. C. Rae Few Small Bones ii. viii. 141 Look at him..stuffed full of pet theories, praying I'll sit up and take notice of him.

2005 N.Y. Times 10 Apr. 15/1 The competition for resources and the health of the planet is causing many analysts and political leaders to sit up and take notice.

a. intransitive. To be in a sitting posture, in contrast to lying down. Frequently in to sit up and take nourishment (said of patients who have reached a particular stage of convalescence).

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > be sitting or seated [verb (intransitive)] > upright

to sit upa1535

to sit up1848

to sit up like Jacky1918

to sit tall1976

the world > health and disease > healing > recovery > recover or be healed [verb (intransitive)]

wholeeOE

botenc1225

cover1297

amendc1325

recovera1375

warisha1386

recovera1387

healc1390

recurec1400

soundc1402

mendc1440

convalesce1483

guarish1489

restore1494

refete?a1505

revert1531

to gather (or pick) up one's crumbs1589

cure1597

recruit1644

to perk upa1656

retrieve1675

to pick up1740

to leave one's bed1742

to sit up and take nourishment1796

to get round1798

to come round1818

to pull through1830

rally1831

to fetch round1870

to mend up1877

to pull round1889

recoup1896

recuperate1897

a1535 T. More Dialoge of Comfort (1553) i. xviii. sig. D.viii Some haue I sene euyn in their last sycknes sytte vp in theyr death bed vnderproppted w^t pillous take ther play feloes to them & comfort them selfe wyth cardes.

1651 Severall Proc. Parl. No. 112. 1727 The Lieut. Gen. doth now, blessed be God, begin to sit up and recover.

1699 A. Boyer Royal Dict. (at cited word) To sit up in one's Bed, se tenir assis dans son Lit.

1769 W. Buchan Domest. Med. ii. 194 He may sometimes sit up in bed for a short space.

1796 L. Ussher Let. 18 May in E. Ussher et al. Extracts Lett. (1812) 85 She is able to sit up and take nourishment, and I trust, in a little time, will be enabled to leave her room.

1858 ‘G. Eliot’ Janet's Repentance xxvii, in Scenes Clerical Life II. 375 The pale wasted form in the easy-chair (for he sat up to the last).

1909 P. G. Wodehouse Mike lv. 311 ‘How's Adair?’.. ‘Sitting up and taking nourishment once more.’

2001 N. H. Wilson Mountain Pose xxv. 175 She was sitting up in bed reading one of the teen magazines.

2003 G. Carter Survivor ii. 31 I..headed for church, determined to preach as long as I had breath and could still sit up and take nourishment.

b. intransitive. To sit habitually with an upright posture, instead of leaning or slouching.to sit up like Jacky: see Jacky n. 3b.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > be sitting or seated [verb (intransitive)] > upright

to sit upa1535

to sit up1848

to sit up like Jacky1918

to sit tall1976

1848 Mass. Teacher 15 July 214 Shall he be contented if his boys sit up erect, make not too much noise with their boots, and ‘answer up’ well on examination day?

1871 M. L. Byrn Myst. of Med. Explained 71 Learn to sit up, young man..; for the unnatural position which you have assumed will never make you a good writer.

2010 S. Cowley Getting Buggers to Behave (ed. 4) xi. 175 Get them to sit up straight, cross their legs, fold their arms, and keep themselves to themselves.

c. intransitive. To remain in a seat during an overnight train journey, in contrast to taking a sleeper. Now rare or merged with sense 5a.

ΚΠ

1947 L. P. Hartley Eustace & Hilda i. ix. 162 ‘But could you cancel your wagon-lit ticket?’ ‘I don't need to. I'm going to sit up.’

1967 O. Wynd Walk Softly vii. 107 ‘You've got a sleeper reservation?’ ‘No, I was going to sit up.’

2015 S. Bradley Railways viii. Each train also includes ordinary saloon coaches, for those prepared to sit up all night in exchange for a lower fare.

3. transitive. To place (a person, a doll, etc.) in an upright sitting posture.

ΚΠ

1748 Proc. Old Bailey 16 Jan. 32 They sat him up, his Legs across the Saddle, and his Body lay over the Horse's Mane.

1895 Daily News 9 Oct. 7/5 The man is so bad that we can't sit him up.

1975 E. L. Doctorow Ragtime (1985) viii. 53 She took Nesbit's hands and sat her up on the edge of the bed.

1998 G. Adams Casualty (BBC TV Production draft) (O.E.D. Archive) 13th Ser. Episode 6. 101 stage direct. The radiographer moves straight in on Lucy, sits her up and puts a board behind her back.

2014 J. Green Serpent's Egg 51 Sitting the doll up in the basket.

4. intransitive. U.S. regional. To draw one's chair close to the table in order to join in a meal.

ΚΠ

1843 B. R. Hall New Purchase I. ix. 64 She sung out the ordinary summons: ‘Well! come, sit up.’

1856 S. Warner Hills of Shatemuc xvi. 162 ‘Will you sit up, cousin?’..: the meaning of the request being that he should move his chair up to the table.

1923 Ladies' Home Jrnl. Mar. 133/1 A demure little Mennonite maid..will invite you cordially to ‘sit up’ to a table arrayed with the wealth of cup cheese and pot cheese and sugar cakes.

1982 J. Brooks Quicksand & Cactus 327 You've timed it just right. We're just ready to sit up. Come and join us.

II. Extended senses.

a. intransitive. To defer the hour for retiring to bed until late. Also: to wait up for; to stay awake through the night (or some part of it) with a person.

ΘΚΠ

the world > physical sensation > sleeping and waking > state of being awake > be or remain awake [verb (intransitive)] > intentionally

watchc1000

to sit upc1450

stay1526

to burn (etc.) the midnight oil1635

to set up1697

to wake it1766

to watch up1852

to wait up1855

to stop up1857

the world > physical sensation > sleeping and waking > sleep > bed related to sleep or rest > go to bed or retire to rest [verb (intransitive)] > stay up or out of bed during the night

wakec900

to sit upc1450

stay1526

to set up1697

to wake it1766

to watch up1852

to stop up1857

c1450 How Wise Man tauȝt Sonne (Lamb. 853) in Babees Bk. (2002) i. 50 Sonne, sitte not up at euen to longe.

1472 in J. Raine Vol. Eng. Misc. N. Counties Eng. (1890) 24 (MED) William, servaunt of Herry Couper, is a ryotter on nyghtes, sittyng up at uncovable tyme.

1599 W. Shakespeare Romeo & Juliet iv. iii. 10 Let the Nurse this night sit vp with you.

1672 Duke of Buckingham Rehearsal ii. 19 I sate up two whole nights in composing this Air.

1711 J. Swift Jrnl. to Stella 9 Mar. (1948) I. 212 The surgeon sat up with him: he is asleep again.

1786 J. Woodforde Diary 18 Feb. (1926) II. 228 The Captain..did not return till 12 at Night, just as I was going to bed after sitting up for him till that time.

1869 ‘G. Eliot’ Let. 15 Nov. (1956) V. 67 I admire your courage and endurance in sitting up for the meteors.

1891 E. Peacock Narcissa Brendon II. 86 They sat up talking till far into the night.

1928 A. Huxley Point Counter Point xi. 174 ‘You oughtn't to have sat up for me,’ he said, with tender reproachfulness.

2000 J. Hahn in Y. Chang & J. Teo Capsule 18, I have also sat up all night comforting them.

b. intransitive. English regional (north-western), U.S. regional, Caribbean, and South African. To stay up for part of the night (with a person) as a sign of or during courtship; to keep company with. Cf. sense 17a. [With South African use compare Afrikaans opsit (see opsit v.).]

ΘΚΠ

the mind > emotion > love > courtship or wooing > court or engage in courtship [verb (intransitive)] > sit up late as method of courtship

opsit1880

to sit up1880

1878 H. A. Roche On Trek in Transvaal 136 The question of questions is, whether she will ‘sit up and keep company with him!’ If she has consented to do this she has virtually consented to ‘sit up’ with him as long as they both shall live.]

1880 J. Nixon Among Boers ix. 214 I have often been curious to know how the young ‘vrijer’, or lover, manages to make known to the fair one his wish to ‘opzit’, or sit up, for the purpose of courting.

1893 West Cumberland Times (Holiday No.) 6/2 (E.D.D.) The custom being for the lad to sit up with the lass.

1951 L. Craig Singing Hills 99 Then he asked if he could sit up with me that night. He was merely asking for a date so I said yes.

1961 D. Rooke Lover for Estelle 36 He had solemnly shown a candle which he carried in his pocket as a hint to Estelle that they should sit up together that night.

1974 Daily Dispatch (East London, S. Afr.) 29 Mar. 12 Clinton, you've been sitting up with Nellie..an car riding and nothings come of it.

2014 D. Boling Undesirables xxix. 234 He wanted to sit up with me. He had come to respect our ways and knew my parents would appreciate this as proof he wanted to be one of us.

†6. intransitive. Anglo-Indian. To be ‘at home’ for an extended period to visitors wishing to pay their respects (see quot. 1780). Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > social event > visit > visiting > visit [verb (intransitive)] > receive visitors

to sit up1777

receive1830

1777 in H. E. Busteed Echoes Old Calcutta (1888) vi. 136 Lady Impey sits up with Mrs. Hastings; vulgo toad-eating.

1780 I. Munro Narr. Milit. Operat. (1789) 56 When a young lady arrives at Madras she must, in a few days afterwards, sit up to receive company, attended by some beau as master of the ceremonies, which perhaps continues for a week.

1795 T. Munro Let. 15 Sept. in G. R. Gleig Life Sir Thomas Munro (1830) I. 169 I am not to be forced to sit up, and receive male or female visitors.

7. intransitive. Golf. Of a ball: to be unobstructed by the lie of the land; to be easy to hit. Later also in other sports: (of a bouncing ball) to rise up higher than usual, esp. so as to present an easy target.

ΚΠ

1902 Golf Illustr. 31 Jan. 88/2 The turf in general is of the short springy sort, upon which a golf ball ‘sits up’ well.

1912 Country Life 1 June 839/2 The ball sits up absolutely asking to be hit.

1958 Irish Times 11 Apr. 2/6 The ball sat up so well that he was able to reach the green with a spoon.

1983 Observer 1 May 37/3 When the ball sat up outside his off stump he cut as if it were harvest-time.

1998 C. Harmon & J. Andrisani Butch Harmon's Playing Lessons 36 You were right to try to finesse the ball from sand. The lie was level and the ball was sitting up.

2009 A. Agassi Open xxvi. 344 On grass my newly augmented topspin makes the ball sit up like a helium balloon.

PV2. With prepositions in specialized senses. to sit at ——

intransitive. To be seated at (table, a meal, an occupation, etc.).

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > sit on [verb (transitive)] > for a specific purpose

to sit at ——OE

to sit to ——OE

OE Ælfric Catholic Homilies: 2nd Ser. (Cambr. Gg.3.28) xxxii. 272 Efne ða comon fela gerefan..and sæton æt ðam gereorde mid þam hælende and his leorningcnihtum.

OE Old Eng. Hexateuch: Exod. (Claud.) xi. 5 Oð þære wylne frumcennedan sunu þe sit æt ðære cweornan.

c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 15560 Menn att bordess sætenn þær. Wiþþ sillferr forr to lenenn.

c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) l. 1215 Þer after hii sete at hor mete wiþ gret nobleie echon.

1495 Rolls of Parl.: Henry VII (Electronic ed.) Parl. Oct. 1495 §62. m. 34 Laborers..long sitting at ther brekfast, at ther dyner and nonemete.

1535 Bible (Coverdale) Tobit ix He founde Tobias syttinge at y^e table.

1582 G. Gifford Briefe Disc. Relig. (new ed.) f. 26 I praye yee did yee neuer sitte at Cardes all night?

1610 P. Holland tr. W. Camden Brit. i. 819 When we had sitten at supper untill it was two houres.

1741 S. Richardson Pamela III. xvii. 88 One Day, as she and I sat together, at our Needles.

1847 C. Dickens Dombey & Son (1848) xviii. 169 They..sit long at meals, making much of their meat and drink.

a1927 M. Webb Over Hills & Far Away in J. Aaron View across Valley (1999) xii. 128 She would take the chair..into the orchard or the barn, and sit at her work.

2014 J. Nelms Last Time I Died v. 15 I'm sitting at dinner with friends.

to sit in ——

intransitive. To be seated in (a chair, throne, saddle, etc.). Also figurative.

ΚΠ

OE (Northumbrian) Lindisf. Gospels: Matt. xix. 28 Cum sederit filius hominis in sede maiestatis suæ : miððy sittes sunu monnes in seðel godcunndmæhtes his.

c1300 Evangelie (Dulwich Coll.) l. 238 in Publ. Mod. Lang. Assoc. Amer. (1915) 30 560 Ihu schal..In dauiis sete sitte an deme.

c1475 (?c1425) Avowing of King Arthur (1984) l. 209 Þe king in his sadul sete.

1526 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfection i. sig. Bi^v Whiche sawe..a persone setyng in the trone of god.

1597 W. Shakespeare Richard II v. v. 26 Like seely beggars..sitting in the stockes.

1684 T. Comber Disc. Excommunic. 109 They would not have sitten any longer in their Thrones than the Pope pleased.

1711 R. Steele Spectator No. 78. ⁋4 Nothing was wanting but some one to sit in the Elbow Chair.

1754 in J. A. Picton City of Liverpool: Select. Munic. Rec. (1886) II. 166 Persons who rent seats..after they quitt sitting in them.

1820 Catal. Prints, Paintings, MSS, Bks. T. Lloyd (Sotheby, London) 58 She wears a royal crown, and with her right hand is presenting an Apple to the Infant, who is sitting in her lap.

1921 Boy Scouts Year Bk. 191/1 He found him, still sitting in the saddle with both feet in the stirrups.

2009 New Yorker 26 Oct. 67/2 Cameron sat in his chair twelve hours a day, looking at effects shots.

to sit on ——

a. intransitive. To be seated on (a chair, horse, object, etc.).Also in figurative phrases, as to sit on the fence at fence n. 5c, to sit on one's skirts at skirt n. 3, to sit on the splice at splice n. 1c, to sit on thorns at thorn n. 2.See also Phrases 1, Phrases 5, Phrases 9, Phrases 11, Phrases 12, Phrases 13, Phrases 14.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > high position > position upon > be upon something [verb (intransitive)]

to sit on ——eOE

leanOE

restOE

to sit upon ——c1300

set1570

insist1598

seat1607

inside1657

repose1799

eOE Leechbk. (Royal) (1865) iii. xlviii. 340 He [sc. the patient] sitte on stole ofer þære beþinge þæt hio hine mæge tela gereocan.

OE Beowulf (2008) 286 Weard maþelode ðær on wicge sæt.

c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 5807 Þær he satt onn hiss sæte.

?a1430 Compleynte Virgin (Huntington) l. 75 in Minor Poems T. Hoccleve (1970) i. 2 O thynke how..on my knee Thow sat.

1542 N. Udall tr. Erasmus Apophthegmes f. 305 He cutte the benche y^t Darius had sitten on.

1598 R. Tofte tr. M. M. Boiardo Orlando Inamorato iii. sig. G4 Charles hearing this, scarce on his horse could sit.

1614 W. Browne Shepheards Pipe ii. C vij b He..That sits on yonder hill, And tooteth out his notes of glee.

a1640 P. Massinger City-Madam (1658) iv. sig. H1^v He shall not Sit long on pennilesse-bench.

1763 H. Walpole Vertue's Anecd. Painting III. i. 18 A Bacchanal of..naked boys, sitting on a tub, the wine running out.

1797 Encycl. Brit. XVI. 609 A stone, on which..Telamon sat to view the Salaminian ships.

1894 T. G. Allen & W. L. Sachtleben Across Asia on Bicycle i. 34 The merchant sits on his heels on the booth floor.

1954 Househ. Guide & Almanac (News of World) 90/2 The holes for the nails should be countersunk, so that they will not catch in..clothing when the chair is sat on.

2001 Mojo Aug. 83/1, I was sitting on the floor talking.

b. intransitive. To support one's weight on (the backside, haunches, etc.).

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > support > [verb (intransitive)] > be supported

rideOE

restOE

to sit upon ——1481

rely1572

stay1585

to sit on ——1605

seat1607

bottoma1640

step1791

heel1850

bed1875

1605 G. Chapman Al Fooles ii. i. sig. E^v And there sate he on his posteriors, Like a Baboone.

1793 J. Morse Amer. Universal Geogr. (new ed.) II. 452 They sit on their hams, with their legs and arms disposed in the manner of monkeys.

1894 A. B. Gomme Trad. Games I. 191 A game among children, in which they hop round in a ring, sitting on their hams.

1925 Cent. Mag. Jan. 397/1 Three wolf-dogs, scenting the blood, came out from under the snow and sat on their haunches.

2006 F. Kiernan & G. Hemphill Still Game: Scripts I. iii. 89 (stage direct.) Arthur turns round to see Winston motioning him to sit on his arse.

c. intransitive. figurative. To have (a large sum of money, substantial assets, valuable property, etc.) at one's disposal (often with the implication that this is not being exploited).

ΚΠ

1931 V. Palmer Separate Lives 186 He's sitting on twelve thousand since he got rid of his cobalt show, and he can't spend that here.

1980 Daily Tel. 29 Mar. 24/5 Investment trust shareholders who are sitting on large gains or have some disposals in mind..are well advised to sell or ‘bed-and-breakfast’ their shares before April 5.

2001 Estates Gaz. 30 June 40/3 Kempner is sitting on a rare gold mine. It is not often that this much space becomes available in the West End.

a. intransitive. Of a thing: to be situated on; to rest, lie, or be supported on (something). Also figurative.In Old English frequently with strongly negative associations, with connotations of affliction (compare sense 21a) or of oppression (compare sense 5).

ΚΠ

OE Guthlac A 478 Ge sind forscadene, on eow scyld siteð.

OE Ælfric Catholic Homilies: 1st Ser. (Royal) (1997) xl. 528 Ðeah ðe him adl on ne sitte þeah forwel oft his hæl him bið adl.

OE Blickling Homilies 75 Efne swa seo hefige byrþen siteþ on þæm deadan lichoman þære byrgenne & þæs deaþes, & hie se stan & seo eorþe þrycce.

c1390 (a1376) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Vernon) (1867) A. vi. l. 11 An hundred of ampolles on his hat seeten.

1590 R. Greene Neuer too Late ii. sig. C4 Thy loue sits on thy tonges end.

a1625 F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Knight of Malta iv. ii, in Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. Mmmmm^v/2 Art thou a Knight? did ever on that sword, The Christian cause sit nobly?

1796 W. Withering Arrangem. Brit. Plants (ed. 3) IV. 114 Scarlet semi-globules sitting on the sides of the branches.

1885 Cent. Mag. 29 880/2 A little three-legged trivet on which a tankard..might sit with live coals beneath.

1999 M. Pendergrast Uncommon Grounds iii. xiii. 235 Despite the much-touted virtues of vacuum cans, the preground coffee gradually staled while sitting on the shelf.

2016 Dayton (Ohio) Daily News (Nexis) 10 July r4 The house sits on a half-acre lot.

b. transitive. To set or place (one thing) on (another).rare before the 19th century and in earlier use, esp. in the past tense, not always distinguishable from uses of variant forms of set v.¹ (cf. quot. 1430-40 at set v.¹ β. forms (past tense)).

ΚΠ

c1450 in T. Austin Two 15th-cent. Cookery-bks. (1888) 83 (MED) Drawe the broth..þorgh a streynour into a potte And sitte hit on the fire.

1828 L. Ewing Let. 16 Feb. in American Mag. (1988) Spring–Summer 48/2 After they had all seen it [sc. an automaton] one of the little boys sat it on the table.

1840 M. Pisani Banker-lord I. xi. 123 Just to sit the good turbot quietly and dacently on the table.

1978 MAC Flyer July 7/1 It's the maximum slope you can sit the helicopter on.

1990 Computer World 22 Oct. 54/4 You can sit this on a network, hook up a modem on it, and it will dial up the administrator.

2004 Delicious June (Jamie's BBQ Suppl.) 24/2 Cut the top and end off the pineapple. Sit it on a board and cut off the skin in wide strips from top to bottom, making sure you cut out any woody eyes.

3. intransitive. To sit in judgement on or deliberate on (a matter). Formerly also: †to sit in judgement on (a person) (obsolete).

ΘΚΠ

society > law > administration of justice > court proceedings or procedure > judging > judge or determine judicially [verb (transitive)] > sit in judgement on

to sit on ——c1390

to sit upon ——a1500

the mind > attention and judgement > judgement or decision > advice > advise [verb (transitive)] > deliberate on

to sit on ——1423–4

c1390 in C. Horstmann Minor Poems Vernon MS (1892) i. 154 Þe Meir sat on þe Ieuh him-selue, fforte beo Iuge of his trespas.

1423–4 Rolls of Parl.: Henry VI (Electronic ed.) Parl. Oct. 1423 §17. m. 2 That the clerc of the counsail be sworn, that every day that the counseill sitteth on ony billes bitwyx partie and partie, that he shall, as fer as he can, aspye which is þe porest suyturs bille, and that first to be redd and answered.

1462 M. Paston in Paston Lett. & Papers (2004) I. 279 It is seyd her þat..serteyn jwgys..schold come down and syt on syche pepyll as be noysyd ryotous.

1595 J. Colville Orig. Lett. (1858) 136 All the old officiatis of estate, the chancellour only excepted, ar discharged to sitt on suche matteris.

1608 G. Chapman Conspiracie Duke of Byron v. ii Must I be sat on now, by petty Judges.

1680 W. Lawrence Marriage by Morall Law of God ii. 279 In England they use to send two Judges in every Circuit, because one sits on Civil Causes in the Nisi prius side by himself, and the other on Criminals, in the Crown side.

1798 Hull Advert. 13 Oct. 3/2 A coroner's jury has sat on the body, and returned a verdict of lunacy.

1852 P. Hawker Diary (1893) II. 337 The select committee at Ordnance, who..sat on my new military carbine.

1939 N.Y. Times 22 Feb. 34/4 The entire commission would sit on the question of assigning radio frequencies.

2013 Weekly Law Rep. (Nexis) 25 Apr. 1263 A single judge, who it was not intended should sit on the application, gave permission for..the Howard League to intervene.

4. intransitive. To have a seat on or be a member of (a jury, commission, board of directors, etc.).

ΘΚΠ

the mind > attention and judgement > judgement or decision > advice > advise [verb (transitive)] > deliberate on > have a seat on (a deliberative assembly)

to sit on ——a1538

to sit upon ——1538

a1538 W. Holme Fall & Euill Successe Rebellion (1572) sig. H.iv After that the Duke had sitten on this Commission They were arained at London before the Kings Counsel.

1688 A. Shields Elegie J. Renwick sig. B2 He..boldly spake his mind without reserve, To Prelatists, and Papists, in their fury, And to Professors sitting on his jury.

1792 Proc. Catholic Meeting Dublin 8 Would it..take away their inheritance, that we sat together on Grand Juries?

1835 Mirror of Parl. (2nd Sess., 12th Parl.) 2 2041/2 Those who sit on courts-martial have a most important office to perform.

1895 Times 10 Jan. 9/6 He sat on the Royal Commission on Hospitals.

1978 L. A. Pérez, Jr. Intervention, Revolution, & Politics in Cuba, 1913–1921 viii. 131 Four attorneys of the firm..sat on the board of directors of the Manatí Sugar Corporation.

2012 D. Robertson in P. Keech Freelance Fashion Designer's Handbk. viii. 90 I was selected twice to sit on a jury and ended up doing service for three weeks.

5. intransitive. Of care, age, guilt, etc.: to press or weigh on (a person, a person’s heart, etc.), usually in a specified way.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > adversity > suffer (adversity or affliction) [verb (transitive)] > afflict > oppress or afflict

heavyc897

narroweOE

overlayOE

overseamOE

twingea1300

to weigh downa1340

grieve1340

besit1377

oppressc1384

foila1400

thringa1400

empressc1400

enpressc1400

aska1425

press?a1425

peisea1450

straita1464

constraina1500

overhale1531

to grate on or upon1532

wrack1562

surcharge1592

to lie heavy uponc1595

to weigh back, on one side, to the earth1595

to sit on ——1607

to sit upon ——1607

gall1614

bear1645

weight1647

obsess1648

aggrieve1670

swinge1681

lean1736

gravitate1754

weigh1794

1607 G. Markham First Pt. First Bk. Eng. Arcadia f. 38^v Heauie cares sit heauye on the soule.

1644 J. Milton Doctr. Divorce (ed. 2) To Parl. sig. A4 For no effect of tyranny can sit more heavy on the Common-wealth.

1755 E. Young Centaur ii. 119 I shall now give three short Maxims, which will sit light on their memories, and (I hope) in time, easy on their hearts.

1887 Congregationalist (Boston, Mass.) 10 Feb. (Cent. Dict.) His more than eighty years seemed to sit lightly on ‘the great taciturnist’.

1902 Harper's Weekly 2 Aug. 1027/1 The care of a great establishment will sit easily on a trained administrator.

1981 T. Morrison Tar Baby (2016) 192 She's got a lot of cleaning up to do with Michael. It's sitting on her heart and she's never going to have no peace until she cleans it up.

2015 Daily Mail 27 June That guilt can sit very heavily on their shoulders.

6. intransitive. Of food: to lie on (the stomach) in a specified way; to be (easily, poorly, etc.) digestible. Also figurative.

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > food > qualities of food > [verb (intransitive)] > be digested or undergo digestion > easily

to sit on ——1678

to sit upon ——1697

1678 B. Ashwood Heavenly Trade 171 What goes down easiest, or when down, sits easiest on your stomacks?

1737 H. Fielding Hist. Reg. 1736 i. i. 1 Our Beer and Beef sat but ill on my Stomach.

1822 J. M. Good Study Med. IV. 555 Such preparations of iron as may sit easy on the stomach.

1896 Black & White 1 Aug. 164/2 My food sat comfortably on my stomach and gave me strength.

1985 Jet 17 June 50 There was something about unfair recruiting practices that didn't sit well on his stomach.

2000 G. C. Robinson Great Expectations I. i. 32 The gravy did not sit well on his stomach.

7. intransitive. colloquial. to sit hard on: to come down hard on, be tough with (a person). Cf. Phrases 4b.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > harshness or severity > be harsh or severe upon [verb (transitive)]

to be sharp upon1561

to come down1611

to be severe on (or upon)1672

spitchcock1674

to sit hard on1715

to handle without gloves1827

to handle with gloves off1828

to catch or get Jesse1839

to jump upon1868

to give (one) snuff1890

to give (a person) the works1901

hardball1984

1715 J. Collier Answer to Exceptions in Bishop Burnet's 3rd Pt. Hist. Reformation 3/1 He is pleas'd to..charge me..: That I sit hard on the Memory of our reforming Princes.

1892 Literary World 31 Dec. 497/1 A barmaid..married a well-born imbecile, and for a time sat hard on him and all his relations.

1918 G. D. H. Cole Self-Govt. in Industry (ed. 3) ii. 28 ‘We have sat hard on the workers during the war; we must sit no less hard on the employers when it is over’, a prominent Government official is reported to have said.

2016 J. D. Robb Apprentice in Death (2017) 127 Baxter, you're going to sit hard on Patroni, put the fear of God into him, if necessary.

8. intransitive. colloquial. To snub or put down (a person); to squash (an idea, a proposal, etc.).

ΘΚΠ

the mind > emotion > humility > humiliation > humiliate [verb (transitive)]

anitherOE

fellOE

lowc1175

to lay lowc1225

to set adownc1275

snuba1340

meekc1350

depose1377

aneantizea1382

to bring lowa1387

declinea1400

meekenc1400

to pull downc1425

avalec1430

to-gradea1440

to put downc1440

humble1484

alow1494

deject?1521

depress1526

plucka1529

to cut (rarely to cast down) the comb of?1533

to bring down1535

to bring basec1540

adbass1548

diminish1560

afflict1561

to take down1562

to throw down1567

debase1569

embase1571

diminute1575

to put (also thrust) a person's nose out of jointc1576

exinanite1577

to take (a person) a peg lower1589

to take (a person) down a peg (or two)1589

disbasea1592

to take (a person) down a buttonhole (or two)1592

comb-cut1593

unpuff1598

atterr1605

dismount1608

annihilate1610

crest-fall1611

demit1611

pulla1616

avilea1617

to put a scorn on, upon1633

mortify1639

dimit1658

to put a person's pipe out1720

to let down1747

to set down1753

humiliate1757

to draw (a person's) eyeteeth1789

start1821

squabash1822

to wipe a person's eye1823

to crop the feathers of1827

embarrass1839

to knock (also take, etc.) (a person) off his or her perch1864

to sit upon ——1864

squelch1864

to cut out of all feather1865

to sit on ——1868

to turn down1870

to score off1882

to do (a person) in the eye1891

puncture1908

to put (a person) in (also into) his, her place1908

to cut down to size1927

flatten1932

to slap (a person) down1938

punk1963

1868 Judy 25 Nov. 51/2 The Admiral has sat on me freely.

1894 E. Œ. Somerville & ‘M. Ross’ Real Charlotte I. vi. 76 If you're going to sit on me every time I open my mouth, I'd better shut up.

1936 N. Streatfeild Ballet Shoes xiv. 225 In the tube going home, Pauline and Petrova pestered Posy for criticism of the production; but the moment she made any, they sat on her, asking her what she thought she knew about it.

1969 New Yorker 14 June 46/2 Someone should have sat on him when he was young.

1975 Guardian 22 Jan. 1/2 The TUC general secretary..proceeded to sit heavily on the CBI's suggestion.

2013 A. Schofield Malarky (new ed.) That was when I firmly sat on the horse plan.

a. intransitive. To suppress (something troublesome), to keep hidden or from public view.

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > subjection > subjecting or subjugation > subject [verb (transitive)] > suppress, repress, or put down

nithereOE

adweschOE

overtreadOE

quellOE

to trample or tread under foot (also feet)c1175

adauntc1325

to bear downc1330

oppressc1380

repressc1391

overyoke?a1425

quencha1425

to bear overc1425

supprisec1440

overquell?c1450

farec1460

supprime1490

downbeara1500

stanch1513

undertread1525

downtread1536

suppress1537

to set one's foot on the neck of1557

depress?a1562

overbear1565

surpress1573

trample1583

repose1663

spiflicate1749

sort1815

to trample down1853

to sit on ——1915

to clamp down1924

crack down1940

tamp1959

1915 A. Huxley Let. Nov. (1969) 85 What an odd business it was about the suppression of Lawrence's book, The Rainbow. It is always the serious books that get sat on.

1925 R. Hall Saturday Life iv. 51 But she sat on her conscience.

1972 D. McLachlan No Case for Crown iii. 39 I want this story sat on till midnight.

1996 K. S. Olmsted Challenging Secret Govt. iv. 71 If you hear anything about CIA and the ocean, you sit on it until you have had a chance to talk to me.

b. intransitive. To fail to either take action on or pass to anyone else (information, a report, etc.).

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > inaction > not doing > abstaining or refraining from action > abstain or refrain from (action) [verb (transitive)] > keep to oneself without acting upon

to sit upon ——1906

to sit on ——1948

1948 N.Y. Times 19 May 26/2 Some of his House colleagues have been suggesting that his Committee ‘just sit on it [sc. a bill]’ for a while.

1983 M. Hinxman Corpse now Arriving vii. 45 She'd ‘sat’ on the article..until..a deadline had galvanized her into putting words on paper.

2002 A. Grinyer Cancer in Young Adults v. 76 The doctor..had..sat on the information over the Friday night, and had phoned the Hall of Residence early on the Saturday morning.

2010 Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Nexis) 15 Apr. 16 The Tories did nothing. They just sat on the report. The problem was that making these changes would bump recorded crime figures up.

10. intransitive. In medical contexts: to defer treatment pending further observation of (a patient or condition).

ΚΠ

1947 Amer. Practitioner 1 619/1 It is the same old question of choosing between risks, isn't it? Probably your best bet now is the conservative attitude, to sit on it, rather than even contemplate elective surgery.

1958 Spectator 11 July 62/2 Two children..were brought to my hospital..suffering from appendicitis, which had been treated conservatively (or in hospital slang ‘sat on’) for several days.

1966 I. Jefferies House-surgeon vi. 118 I couldn't make up my mind either, so we decided to sit on her and see what happened.

2016 A. Brayley Our Vietnam Nurses (e-book, accessed 11 Dec. 2017) At the last minute, the doctors decided to sit on him for a night.

to sit over ——

1. intransitive. To linger over (a meal, a drink, etc.) while sitting. Also: to be occupied with (a book, or other matter) while sitting.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > attention and judgement > attention > earnest attention, concentration > fix the attention, concentrate [verb (transitive)] > examine carefully

to sit over ——1606

society > education > learning > study > [verb (transitive)] > study diligently or hard

to make a study ofa1591

nit1596

to sit over ——1606

to mouse over1808

to work out1830

bone1832

work1840

to work up1852

mug1868

swot1901

the world > action or operation > doing > activity or occupation > occupy or engage (a person) [verb (transitive)] > engage in or busy oneself about > be occupied with while sitting

to sit over ——1606

1606 Returne from Pernassus i. iii. sig. B3^v Will you walke on M. Ingenioso, weele sit ouer a cup of wine and agree on it.

1781 J. Bentham Corr. (1968–81) III. 92 Barré loves to sit over his claret.

1858 Harper's New Monthly Mag. Mar. 791/1 I was sitting over a book in my quiet room one day, when a terrific knock at the door aroused me.

1861 M. Pattison in Westm. Rev. Apr. 413 The garden..where..the elder merchants sat over their pipe and beaker of Rhine wine.

1936 G. Mayer Friederich Engels 93 Marx had sat over an article for a whole day without bringing it into a reasonable shape.

1971 ‘E. Ferrars’ Stranger & Afraid vi. 112 They..had lunch, sitting over it until about two o'clock.

2003 A. Donovan Buddha Da (2004) 181 We used tae come in here, sit for hours over a coffee.

2. intransitive. Cards. In bridge, whist, and similar games: to be seated to the left of, and consequently in the advantageous position of playing after (a player or hand).

ΚΠ

1885 C. F. Pardon Card Games iv, in Bow Bells 14 Jan. 95/1 The Lead... No. 1 can lead right through his adversaries down to his partner, and this he does by confidently playing out his big cards, being certain that his partner, sitting over the other two players, can husband his own strength.

1902 A. Dunn Bridge Bk. 114 The effect of an original trump lead would be to put the leader's partner completely at the mercy of the strong hand sitting over him.

1921 A. E. M. Foster Auction Bridge 84 A good bid by second hand over a ‘One no trumps’ called by the dealer is—when his cards justify it—‘Two no trumps’, because he is sitting over the declared strength.

2000 B. Seagram & M. Smith Bridge xii. 109 This time, it is the opponents who have the strong hand sitting over you.

to sit through ——

intransitive. To stay until the end of (a performance, presentation, etc.), often with the implication of tedium.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > place > presence > be present at [verb (transitive)] > continue to be present at

to sit through ——1809

the world > movement > absence of movement > render immobile [verb (transitive)] > remain in (a place) > for a purpose

to stay for ——1554

stay1570

to sit out1579

to set out1714

to sit through ——1809

1809 London Rev. Aug. 8 No hearer can sit through five long acts of continual lamentation.

1889 J. L. Toole Reminisc. I. viii. 263 Quite different in its acceptance of fun or pathos from the audience that sits through the same piece the next night.

1981 L. Deighton XPD xxix. 236 Sir Sydney..gallantly sat through another half-hour of finer points of script editing.

2015 New Indian Express (Nexis) 24 May The latter part of the film is particularly a chore to sit through.

to sit to ——

intransitive. To apply oneself, while seated, to (a meal, an occupation, etc.); to sit down in order to consume (a meal, drinks, etc.).

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > sit on [verb (transitive)] > for a specific purpose

to sit at ——OE

to sit to ——OE

OE tr. Felix St. Guthlac (Vesp.) (1909) xvii. 157 Þa hi þa to gereorde sæton.., þa locode Guthlac to þam [perhaps read þæs] biscopes þegnum.

a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1961) Josh. Prol. l. 45 We han demed..to sittyn [L. incumbere] to þe explanacion of þe prophetys..seþþe paumachie anholy man & merueylous þis same þyng askeþ by lettris.

c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Luke ix. 14 Make hem to sitte [L. discumbere] to mete.

1492 tr. Dyalogus Salomon & Marcolphus sig. civ The king sat to sowper.

1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VIII f. lxxxii^v The two kynges washed and satte to meate vnder their clothes of estate.

1673 Pleasant Treat. Witches ii. 5 This Solemnity being finished, they sit to Table where no delicate meats are wanting to gratifie their Appetites.

1719 D. Defoe Farther Adventures Robinson Crusoe 30 They could hardly sit to their Oars.

1852 W. M. Thackeray Henry Esmond I. i. 40 Little Trix was promised to sit to supper that night.

1889 W. Taylor Madrasiana (ed. 3) xiii. 68 After sitting to their wine, some one..proposed a visit to the host's stables.

1980 B. Targan Kingdoms 182 She sat to her task and did it well.

2013 E. Tricker Cosmic Joker viii. 39 Individuals would sit to dinner together..and..send messages to people sat yards away from them.

to sit under ——

intransitive. Originally: to regularly attend or listen to (a minister or his preaching); to be a devotee of (a minister or his preaching). Later also: to study under the direction of (a teacher), to be the pupil of. Now rare.

ΘΚΠ

society > education > learning > [verb (transitive)] > be pupil of

to go to school (to, (also with))a1450

to sit at the feet of1578

to sit under ——1631

to be up to1874

society > faith > worship > church-going > attend (church) [verb (transitive)] > of particular minister

to sit under ——1631

1631 R. Bolton Instr. Right Comf. Affl. Consciences 180 Litle doe people thinke, who sit under our Ministry, unwrought upon by the word, what a grievous..sinne they commit.

1644 J. Milton Of Educ. 6 There would then also appear in Pulpits other visages, other gestures,..then what we now sit under.

1754 Connoisseur No. 27. ⁋5 The..audience that sits under our preachers.

1797 R. Storry in J. Forster Poems Relig. Subj. To Rdr. The privilege which he enjoyed in sitting under the ministry of the late..Mr. Adam.

1878 J. A. Symonds in Brown Life (1903) 338 Your sermon on Faith..makes me wish that I had the privilege of ‘sitting under’ you.

1899 J. London Let. 20 Sept. (1966) 56 Stopped over at Stanford, where I..sat under the various profs.

1952 ‘J. Tey’ Singing Sands iii. 39 He ‘sat under’ a bank clerk in Glasgow, a chap from Uist, and swotted up some Gaelic.

2011 A. P. F. Sell Bible in Church, Acad., & Culture i. 16 I had the pleasure of sitting under Dr. Evans at the University of Manchester.

to sit upon ——

a. intransitive. To be seated upon (a chair, an object, the ground, etc.); = to sit on —— 1a at Phrasal verbs 2. Now somewhat archaic.Quot. OE shows equivalent use of up on; compare discussion at upon prep.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > high position > position upon > be upon something [verb (intransitive)]

to sit on ——eOE

leanOE

restOE

to sit upon ——c1300

set1570

insist1598

seat1607

inside1657

repose1799

OE Ælfric Lives of Saints (Julius) (1881) I. 48 Eac se stan tobærst and heo [sc. the saint] sæt up on þam wætere.]

c1300 St. Brendan (Laud) l. 577 in C. Horstmann Early S.-Eng. Legendary (1887) 235 Þe ston þat ich op-on sitte.

1566 W. Painter Palace of Pleasure I. xi. f. 32^v His wife sitteth vpon the grounde.

1613 R. Harcourt Relation Voy. Guiana 41 This Idole is fashioned like a man sitting vpon his heeles, holding open his knees.

1650 T. Bayly Herba Parietis 3 So many tripartited walls, with benches for to sit upon.

1781 C. Johnstone Hist. John Juniper I. 8 A settle-bed, which served the double purpose of being sat upon, and slept in.

1884 N. J. Floyd Thorns in Flesh xx. 329 ‘What!’ exclaimed the general, springing up from the train of a gun carriage, upon which he was sitting.

1914 Forest & Stream 25 Apr. 543/2 I sat upon a rock in mid-stream and pondered.

2011 Jrnl. Musicol. 28 79 The visual focus of the scene is Mary, who sits upon a throne.

b. intransitive. To support one's weight upon (the backside, haunches, tail, etc.).

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > support > [verb (intransitive)] > be supported

rideOE

restOE

to sit upon ——1481

rely1572

stay1585

to sit on ——1605

seat1607

bottoma1640

step1791

heel1850

bed1875

1481 W. Caxton tr. Hist. Reynard Fox (1970) 18 He satte vpon his hammes.

1664 C. Cotton Scarronides 104 And likewise there was finely put, A Cushion underneath her Scut. There as she sate upon her Crupper, She bad her Folks to bring in Supper.

1857 M. Reid Young Yägers iv. 23 Having joined the lion, she squatted beside him; and both now sat upon their tails, like two gigantic cats.

1998 B. Elton Blast from Past (1999) xv. 89 Slowly she slid down the wall, her back cold against the plaster until she sat upon her haunches.

2. intransitive. Of a thing: to be situated upon; to rest, lie, or be supported upon (something); = to sit on —— 2a at Phrasal verbs 2. Frequently figurative (chiefly poetic and literary).

ΚΠ

c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) l. 735 Þer sat is ship up-on þe sond.

1495 Rolls of Parl.: Henry VII (Electronic ed.) Parl. Oct. 1495 §63. m. 34 The litell boone that sitteth upon the greate fynne.

1594 J. Lyly Mother Bombie iii. iv. sig. E4^v Me thought there sate vpon a shelfe three damaske prunes in veluet caps.

1676 T. Hobbes tr. Homer Iliads ii. 20 That sleep all night upon his eyes should sit.

1766 O. Goldsmith Vicar of Wakefield II. ix. 126 A fatal paleness sate upon her cheek.

1820 W. Scott Monastery III. xii. 302 Your Father and Abbot will not disgrace the mitre which sits upon his brow.

1853 M. Arnold Sohrab & Rustum in Poems (new ed.) 38 Truth sits upon the lips of dying men.

1997 Washington Post (Nexis) 19 July a20 Azerbaijan sits upon large reserves of both natural gas and oil.

3. intransitive. To sit in judgement upon or deliberate upon (a matter). Formerly also: †to sit in judgement upon (a person) (obsolete). Cf. to sit on —— 3 at Phrasal verbs 2.

ΘΚΠ

society > law > administration of justice > court proceedings or procedure > judging > judge or determine judicially [verb (transitive)] > sit in judgement on

to sit on ——c1390

to sit upon ——a1500

a1500 (?a1450) Gesta Romanorum (Harl. 7333) (1879) 21 Þe domys-man come to þe Cite, for to sitte vp on brekers of þe lawe.

1535 Bible (Coverdale) 2 Macc. xiv. 21 They appoynted a daye to syt vpon these matters quyetly amonge them selues.

1574 T. Cartwright tr. W. Travers Full Declar. Eccl. Discipline Table Deacons which he appointed..to sit vppon the offences that arise in the churches.

a1693 E. Ashmole Hist. & Antiq. Berks. (1719) I. 153 Her Father..caused her Corps to be taken up, the Coroner to sit upon her, and further Enquiry to be made.

1712 J. Addison Spectator No. 550. ¶3 At which time I intend to sit upon Business.

1863 St. James's Mag. Aug. 70 A medical commission had sat upon me.

1946 Times of India 5 Oct. 9/3 Mr. C. B. Cockaine..supported the amendment that a select committee be allowed to sit upon the Bill.

2012 Industr. Cases Rep. 788 797 He went on, in company with those others of their Lordships who sat uponthe case, to dismiss the appeal.

4. intransitive. To have a seat on or be a member of (a jury, commission, board of directors, etc.); = to sit on —— 4 at Phrasal verbs 2.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > attention and judgement > judgement or decision > advice > advise [verb (transitive)] > deliberate on > have a seat on (a deliberative assembly)

to sit on ——a1538

to sit upon ——1538

1538 T. Cromwell in R. B. Merriman Life & Lett. T. Cromwell (1902) II. 134 The kinges maiestye hathe appointed you..to sit vpon the tryall of knell being accused of Treason.

1609 P. Holland tr. Ammianus Marcellinus Rom. Hist. 282 We find not that there was any..commission sitten upon about their death.

1676 I. Mather Hist. King Philip's War (1862) 48 Indians as well as English sate upon the Jury.

1884 W. Trant Trade Unions ii. 41 The conference of delegates..urged upon the Government that a trade unionist representative should sit upon the commission.

1944 H. L. Mencken Diary 22 Apr. (1989) 315 In addition to their heavy teaching loads, they have to sit upon innumerable committees.

2009 Law & Hist. Rev. 29 717 Subsistence farmers..may..have sat upon juries in the less formal manor courts.

5. intransitive. Of care, age, guilt, etc.: to press or weigh upon (a person, a person's mind, etc.), usually in a specified way; = to sit on —— 5 at Phrasal verbs 2.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > adversity > suffer (adversity or affliction) [verb (transitive)] > afflict > oppress or afflict

heavyc897

narroweOE

overlayOE

overseamOE

twingea1300

to weigh downa1340

grieve1340

besit1377

oppressc1384

foila1400

thringa1400

empressc1400

enpressc1400

aska1425

press?a1425

peisea1450

straita1464

constraina1500

overhale1531

to grate on or upon1532

wrack1562

surcharge1592

to lie heavy uponc1595

to weigh back, on one side, to the earth1595

to sit on ——1607

to sit upon ——1607

gall1614

bear1645

weight1647

obsess1648

aggrieve1670

swinge1681

lean1736

gravitate1754

weigh1794

1607 S. Collins Serm. Paules-Crosse 21 Our Fathers sins sit not heauie vpon our shoulders.

1695 J. Collier Misc. upon Moral Subj. 172 These Questions well answer'd, will..make a Man's Years sit easy upon him.

1729 Bp. J. Butler 15 Serm. (ed. 2) 451 There must therefore be some method of making it sit a little easy upon their minds.

1760 L. Sterne Life Tristram Shandy II. xiv. 88 To make reparation..for the insult he had given him, which sat still upon my father's mind.

1918 J. C. Beecham Argus Pheasant xi. 126 Responsibility was sitting heavily upon his shoulders.

2012 Times of India (Nexis) 1 Dec. (Crest ed.) Age sits lightly upon him.

6. intransitive. To come down heavily, hard, etc., upon; to be tough or ruthless with (a person). Cf. to sit on —— 7 at Phrasal verbs 2.

ΚΠ

1646 F. Taylor Danger of Vowes Neglected 16 By the same Gods that sit so heavie upon them that break covenants.

1737 L. Clarke Compl. Hist. Bible I. ix. 583 He..would never..give that Party any Favour..but on the contrary sat hard upon them on all Occasions.

1879 M. Arnold Pref. to Mixed Ess. in Internat. Jrnl. Ethics (1923) 33 277 To feel oneself over-tutored, over-governed, sate upon..by authority.

1883 Judy 12 Dec. 286/2 The chair is mine, sir... 'Tis my plan To sit upon it, and, as you Shall see, upon the nation too!

1977 Undercurrents June 18/1 These huge public charivari were sat upon heavily by the police.

†7. intransitive. Of food: to lie upon (the stomach) in a specified way; to be (easily, poorly, etc.) digestible. Also figurative. Cf. to sit on —— 6 at Phrasal verbs 2. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > food > qualities of food > [verb (intransitive)] > be digested or undergo digestion > easily

to sit on ——1678

to sit upon ——1697

1697 J. Pechey Plain Introd. Art Physick x. 65 The lightest Water is best..; but the meaning is, it sits lighter upon the Stomach and Bowels.

1712 W. King Art of Cookery (ed. 2) 10 You cannot imagine..how much easier they will sit upon your Stomach.

1773 O. Goldsmith She stoops to Conquer iv. 71 Good liquor will sit upon a good supper, but a good supper will not sit upon..my conscience.

1836 Q. Christian Spectator Sept. 444 When it is down, he is at special pains to observe how it sits upon his stomach.

1874 A. B. Garrod & E. B. Baxter Essentials Materia Medica (ed. 4) 129 Citrate of potash sits easily upon the stomach.

1911 Gaz. & Bull. (Williamsport, Pa.) 10 Oct. 4/1 He..eats a good-sized breakfast, which ‘sits well’ upon his stomach.

8. intransitive. colloquial. To snub or put down (a person); to squash (an idea, a proposal, etc.). Cf. to sit on —— 8 at Phrasal verbs 2.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > emotion > humility > humiliation > humiliate [verb (transitive)]

anitherOE

fellOE

lowc1175

to lay lowc1225

to set adownc1275

snuba1340

meekc1350

depose1377

aneantizea1382

to bring lowa1387

declinea1400

meekenc1400

to pull downc1425

avalec1430

to-gradea1440

to put downc1440

humble1484

alow1494

deject?1521

depress1526

plucka1529

to cut (rarely to cast down) the comb of?1533

to bring down1535

to bring basec1540

adbass1548

diminish1560

afflict1561

to take down1562

to throw down1567

debase1569

embase1571

diminute1575

to put (also thrust) a person's nose out of jointc1576

exinanite1577

to take (a person) a peg lower1589

to take (a person) down a peg (or two)1589

disbasea1592

to take (a person) down a buttonhole (or two)1592

comb-cut1593

unpuff1598

atterr1605

dismount1608

annihilate1610

crest-fall1611

demit1611

pulla1616

avilea1617

to put a scorn on, upon1633

mortify1639

dimit1658

to put a person's pipe out1720

to let down1747

to set down1753

humiliate1757

to draw (a person's) eyeteeth1789

start1821

squabash1822

to wipe a person's eye1823

to crop the feathers of1827

embarrass1839

to knock (also take, etc.) (a person) off his or her perch1864

to sit upon ——1864

squelch1864

to cut out of all feather1865

to sit on ——1868

to turn down1870

to score off1882

to do (a person) in the eye1891

puncture1908

to put (a person) in (also into) his, her place1908

to cut down to size1927

flatten1932

to slap (a person) down1938

punk1963

the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > destroy [verb (transitive)] > crush, stifle, or overwhelm (feelings, etc.)

shendOE

whelvec1000

allayOE

ofdrunkenc1175

quenchc1175

quashc1275

stanchc1315

quella1325

slockena1340

drenchc1374

vanquishc1380

stuffa1387

daunt?a1400

adauntc1400

to put downa1425

overwhelmc1425

overwhelvec1450

quatc1450

slockc1485

suppressa1500

suffocate1526

quealc1530

to trample under foot1530

repress1532

quail1533

suppress1537

infringe1543

revocate1547

whelm1553

queasom1561

knetcha1564

squench1577

restinguish1579

to keep down1581

trample1583

repel1592

accable1602

crush1610

to wrestle down?1611

chokea1616

stranglea1616

stifle1621

smother1632

overpower1646

resuppress1654

strangulate1665

instranglea1670

to choke back, down, in, out1690

to nip or crush in the bud1746

spiflicate1749

squasha1777

to get under1799

burke1835

to stamp out1851

to trample down1853

quelch1864

to sit upon ——1864

squelch1864

smash1865

garrotte1878

scotch1888

douse1916

to drive under1920

stomp1936

stultify1958

1864 J. C. Hotten Slang Dict. (new ed.) Sit-upon, to overcome or rebuke, to express contempt for a man in a marked manner.

1872 W. Black Strange Adventures Phaeton xviii ‘Bell, what is good for you, when you're sat upon?’ ‘Patience,’ says Bell.

1901 M. Franklin My Brilliant Career xxxvi. 298 Father sat upon the idea as a mad one.

a1944 F. B. Farris From Rattlesnakes to Road Agents (1985) 45 The young men felt very much ‘sat upon’ so they started looking for some way to get even.

2000 Sunday Times (Nexis) 19 Nov. One woman tries to recommend a particular stock... She is politely but firmly sat upon.

9. intransitive. To fail to either take action on or pass to anyone else (information, a report, etc.); = to sit on —— 9b at Phrasal verbs 2.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > inaction > not doing > abstaining or refraining from action > abstain or refrain from (action) [verb (transitive)] > keep to oneself without acting upon

to sit upon ——1906

to sit on ——1948

1906 R. Kipling in Tribune 15 Jan. 4/2 I told him the story of a three-million pound insurrection caused by a deputy Under-Secretary sitting upon a mass of green-labelled correspondence instead of reading it.

1938 N.Y. Times 27 Apr. 3/3 As to whether the Rules Committee would let the measure reach the floor, or sit upon it until too late for action,..the committee itself would have to answer the question.

2016 Pakistan Law Reporter (Nexis) 8 Nov. They sat upon the report of the Committee for almost three years.

to sit with ——

1. intransitive. Scottish and English regional (northern). To put up with or tolerate, to stand (a wrong, etc.). Cf. to sit down 5 at Phrasal verbs 1. Now rare.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > emotion > calmness > patience > endure patiently [verb (transitive)] > bear with or tolerate

forbearc897

tholec950

bearOE

abidec1300

bidea1325

takec1330

suffer1340

wielda1375

to have patience with (also in, toward)c1384

supportc1384

to sit with ——c1400

sustainc1400

thulgec1400

acceptc1405

to away with1528

brook1530

well away1533

to bear with —1538

digest1553

to comport with1565

stand1567

purse?1571

to put up1573

well away1579

comport1588

fadge1592

abrook1594

to come away1594

to take up with1609

swallow1611

embracea1616

to pack up1624

concocta1627

to set down bya1630

to take with ——1632

tolerate1646

brook1658

stomach1677

pouch1819

c1400 (?c1380) Patience l. 527 For he þat is to rakel to renden his cloþeȝ Mot efte sitte with more vnsounde to sewe hem to-geder.

1508 Golagros & Gawane (Chepman & Myllar) sig. aii^* That sege wald sit with none wrang Of berne that wes borne.

a1578 R. Lindsay Hist. & Cron. Scotl. (1899) I. 28 Ane man..nocht willing to seit with so mony wrangis as he had gottin onrewengit.

1678 G. Mackenzie Laws & Customes Scotl. i. 222 Nor is it probable that the person offended would have sitten long with such a wrong.

1714 in Cloud of Witnesses (1778) 5 God will not sit with all the wrongs done to him.

1995 J. M. Sims-Kimbrey Wodds & Doggerybaw: Lincs. Dial. Dict. 270/1 Well, if we can't do nuthin' about it we'll just atta sit wiyit then, woernt we?

2. intransitive. To be consonant or in harmony with, to agree with (a quality); to befit (a person). Now chiefly in negative contexts. Cf. main sense 22.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > order > agreement, harmony, or congruity > agree, harmonize, or be congruous with [verb (transitive)]

conspirec1384

accorda1393

to stand with ——c1449

to sit with ——a1500

correspond1545

resound1575

square1583

quader1588

to comport with1591

sympathize1594

beset1597

range1600

even1602

consort1607

to run with ——1614

countenancea1616

hita1616

sympathy1615

filea1625

quadrate?1630

consist1638

commensurate1643

commensure1654

to strike in1704

jig1838

harmonize1852

chime in with1861

equate1934

to tie in1938

to tune in1938

to tie up1958

a1500 (?c1450) Merlin xxv. 453 She..was clothed in a riche robe..that satte so well with hir bewte that all the worlde myght haue ioye her to be-holden.

1555 W. Waterman tr. Josephus in tr. J. Boemus Fardle of Facions sig. X.iiij It sitteth not with equitie, that the elder should be putte beside the enheritaunce of his father.

1579 E. Spenser Let. to G. Harvey in Wks. (Globe) 706/1 It sitteth with you now, to call your wits and senses togither.

a1631 J. Downe Christs Prayer for Church 141 in Certaine Treatises (1633) It sits not with the wisdome of God to doe things in vaine.

1642 T. Matthew tr. St. Teresa of Avila Flaming Hart xi. 121 But this, seemes not to be of a Suite; nor doth the one Stuffe, sitt well, with the other.

1874 H. Dickens Mill Wheel III. ii. 12 There was an amount of easy indifference which sat well with him.

1992 Independent 2 Mar. 15/6 Somehow her south London accent sits uneasily with her beach-babe appearance.

2011 Independent 8 Dec. 25/2 The business of Aurum doesn't sit with my personal politics and ethics.

3. intransitive. To be received in a manner specified by (a person) or in accordance with (a person's views, etc.).

ΚΠ

a1734 R. North Examen (1740) iii. viii. §45. 617 The Author has Qualms, and these Events do not sit well with him.

1854 W. Cowper Let. 13 Mar. in Gospel Standard Apr. (1876) 166 Fresh assurance sits well with my conscience.

1972 Listener 1 June 705/2 In the meanwhile sanctions would be continued, and this did not sit well with right-wing opinion inside the Conservative Party.

1985 G. Naylor Linden Hills 178 I don't know how all this is gonna sit with those folks from Linden Hills.

1994 B. A. Staples Parallel Time x. 186 Sparrow was a Unitarian minister and a conciliator by nature. The Panther routine sat badly with him.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2020; most recently modified version published online June 2022).

单词	sit
释义	sitn.¹ Brit. /sɪt/, U.S. /sɪt/ Forms: 1600s– sit, 1800s cit (Scottish), 1900s sitt (Scottish). Origin: Formed within English, by conversion. Etymon: sit v. Etymology: < sit v.Compare West Frisian sit, Middle Dutch sit (Dutch zit), Middle Low German sit, Middle High German siz (German Sitz), all in the senses ‘seat, sitting’. 1. a. Originally Scottish. A period of sitting. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > [noun] > spell of sitting1511 sita1628 downsitting1694 a1628 J. Carmichaell Coll. Prov. in Scots (1957) No. 382 Better is schort sit, nor lang stand. 1824 A. Hodgson Lett. from N. Amer. II. xxxiv. 116 After a short sit.., and an engagement to visit the College, I returned to Dr Morse's to dinner. 1852 W. E. Gladstone in J. Morley Life Gladstone (1905) I. iii. viii. 437 I have had a long sit with Lord Aberdeen to-day. 1971 N. Freeling Over High Side i. 8 He wanted a nice cup of tea and a sit. 2010 D. M. Cornish Monster Blood Tattoo: Factotum xix. 428 I'd rather a hard stroll to a better harbour than an easy sit here out o' doors. †b. British Criminals' slang. at the sit: engaged in picking pockets on public transport. Obsolete. ΚΠ 1907 Referee 17 Feb. 11/3 To be ‘At the Sit’ is to travel by 'buses and trams for the purpose of picking pockets. 2. Chiefly Scottish. A sinking or settling down of the ground, or of any structure built on it; (Mining) a subsidence or collapse due to undercutting. Also: the result of this; a sunken or caved-in area. Now rare. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > downward motion > [noun] > sinking down > instance of sit1679 sinka1718 subsidation1810 insinking1878 sinkage1882 1679 Sheriffhall Coal Acct. Bks. 21 Feb. in Dict. Older Sc. Tongue at Putting For puting throw ane sit on the west syde of the combe. 1762 Session Papers in Sc. National Dict. (1971) VIII. at Sit If a Sit happens in any Part of the Coal, the Rain or Water from above penetrates through the broken Metals. 1879 Cassell's Techn. Educator (new ed.) II. 98/1 If the roof were tender, it would be apt to break away and fill up the passage, which would be a sit. 1885 D. Beveridge Culross & Tulliallan II. 234 Many sits or depressions have taken place in the surface. 1951 Press & Jrnl. (Aberdeen) 3 Oct. He went to the surface and found a ‘sit’ about 10 ft. wide 30 ft. long and 2 ft. deep. 3. a. The way in which an article of dress, or a part of one, is arranged upon or about a person; positioning, arrangement. Cf. sit v. 22a. Now somewhat rare. ΘΚΠ the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > [noun] > sit or hang of sit1776 set1822 seat1824 1776 H. L. Thrale Let. 16 May in Lett. to & from S. Johnson (1788) I. 330 Long lectures about the sit of a cap, which you will not give me a minute to put on as it should be. 1814 M. Leadbeater & E. Shackleton Tales for Cottagers 69 Her clothes have such an easy sit upon her fine waist. 1892 Good Words Sept. 634/2 Rather concerned about the sit of a couple of folds in her dress. 1984 Jrnl. Royal Soc. Encouragement Arts, Manufactures & Commerce 132 712/1 He went to the Palace to advise The Queen on the sit of her crown. 2003 T. McEwen Who sleeps with Katz 70 He squirms in his chair. Rearranges the sit of his spectacles on his schnozz. b. The way in which something is set in relation to other things; (figurative) the inherent disposition or character of something. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > [noun] standing?c1400 situationa1484 setting?1523 disposition?1541 position1556 collocation1605 posture1605 standa1684 lie1697 lay1819 presentation1833 sit1857 gisement1864 orientation1875 the mind > mental capacity > disposition or character > [noun] heartOE erda1000 moodOE i-mindOE i-cundeOE costc1175 lundc1175 evena1200 kinda1225 custc1275 couragec1300 the manner ofc1300 qualityc1300 talentc1330 attemperancec1374 complexionc1386 dispositiona1387 propertyc1390 naturea1393 assay1393 inclinationa1398 gentlenessa1400 proprietya1400 habitudec1400 makingc1400 conditionc1405 habitc1405 conceitc1425 affecta1460 ingeny1477 engine1488 stomach?1510 mind?a1513 ingine1533 affection1534 vein1536 humour?1563 natural1564 facultyc1565 concept1566 frame1567 temperature1583 geniusa1586 bent1587 constitution1589 composition1597 character1600 tune1600 qualification1602 infusion1604 spirits1604 dispose1609 selfness1611 disposure1613 composurea1616 racea1616 tempera1616 crasisc1616 directiona1639 grain1641 turn1647 complexure1648 genie1653 make1674 personality1710 tonea1751 bearing1795 liver1800 make-up1821 temperament1821 naturalness1850 selfhood1854 Wesen1854 naturel1856 sit1857 fibre1864 character structure1873 mentality1895 mindset1909 psyche1910 where it's (he's, she's) at1967 1857 London Jrnl. 28 Mar. 49/3 The fraction of an inch in the depth of a man's neckcloth may affect the sit of his head as he walks through the streets that day. 1866 D. Greenwell Ess. 107 There are natures, the whole bent and sit of which is so powerfully attracted to good, that they will maintain their hold upon it. 1960 R. Creeley Let. 21 Sept. (2014) iii. 223 It isn't simply a question of slang, or small variants of like (dialect) order—but the whole sit of the words to their occasion. 1980 P. West Very Rich Hours Count von Stauffenberg xvi. 178 Haeften had tightened his jaw enough to alter the sit of his mouth, which looked almost withered. 2001 M. Branton Hired Gun (2003) ii. 23 Swedes with a service look to the sit of their jaw. 4. a. The manner in which a person sits or is sitting; a particular seated position. Cf. seat n. 2. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > [noun] > manner of sit1820 1820 M. Edgeworth Let. 10 Aug. (1979) 208 Their bodies look as if..they had taken an eternal sit from the stiff square stays of former day. 1894 M. Dyan All in Man's Keeping (1899) 259 The dignified step of the..black chargers, the rigid sit of the soldiers. 2008 M. Wanless Ride with your Mind Clinic ii. 41 If you do rising trot from an upright sit to an upright rise, you will topple backwards. 2014 M. S. Clark & S. Meissner Amish Blacksmith xxvi. 228 I attempted to loosen my grip, my legs, my sit, my control. b. The action or an act of a dog sitting down in response to a command to do so; (also) the sitting position assumed by a dog when commanded. Cf. sit v. 9b. ΚΠ c1948 E. H. S. Longhurst Dog Training 158 Tests for obedience classes... Recall from Sit or Down (dog to be recalled by handler when stationary). 1967 W. G. Strickland Expert Obedience Training for Dogs (1976) 69 Nor does it mean that the dog may slouch into a lazy sit. 2011 C. Terrill Part Wild x. 79 When Bonnie told us to stop we were supposed to turn abruptly to the left and halt, putting our dogs into a sit. 2017 F. Ho Schutzhund Training Man. iv. 289 When his sit is slow, I can use leading again to increase his speed. 5. colloquial (humorous and euphemistic). The buttocks, the backside. ΘΚΠ the world > life > the body > external parts of body > trunk > back > buttock(s) > [noun] flitcha700 arse-endseOE culec1220 buttockc1300 tail1303 toutec1305 nagea1325 fundamentc1325 tail-end1377 brawna1382 buma1387 bewschers?a1400 crouponc1400 rumplec1430 lendc1440 nachec1440 luddocka1475 rearwarda1475 croupc1475 rumpc1475 dock1508 hurdies1535 bunc1538 sitting place1545 bottom?c1550 prat1567 nates1581 backside1593 crupper1594 posteriorums1596 catastrophe1600 podex1601 posterior1605 seat1607 poop1611 stern1631 cheek1639 breeka1642 doup1653 bumkin1658 bumfiddle1661 assa1672 butt1675 quarter1678 foundation1681 toby1681 bung1691 rear1716 fud1722 moon1756 derrière1774 rass1790 stern-post1810 sit-down1812 hinderland1817 hinderling1817 nancy1819 ultimatum1823 behinda1830 duff?1837 botty1842 rear end1851 latter end1852 hinder?1857 sit1862 sit-me-down1866 stern-works1879 tuchus1886 jacksy-pardy1891 sit-upon1910 can1913 truck-end1913 sitzfleisch1916 B.T.M.1919 fanny1919 bot1922 heinie1922 beam1929 yas yas1929 keister1931 batty1935 bim1935 arse-end1937 twat1937 okole1938 bahookie1939 bohunkus1941 quoit1941 patoot1942 rusty-dusty1942 dinger1943 jacksie1943 zatch1950 ding1957 booty1959 patootie1959 buns1960 wazoo1961 tush1962 1862 Tony Pastor's Comic & Eccentric Songster 46 They clinched like two rampajious bars, And each fell on his sit. 1903 L. A. Harker Romance of Nursery 273 I climbed out of my cot and went downstairs, sit-first, bumpetty-bump on every step. 2015 @dyossaaa 4 Sept. in twitter.com (accessed 4 Sept. 2018) I just fell on my sit! took a min to recover. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2020; most recently modified version published online March 2022). sitn.² Brit. /sɪt/, U.S. /sɪt/ Forms: 1800s– sit, 1800s– sit. (with point). Origin: Formed within English, by clipping or shortening. Etymon: situation n. Etymology: Shortened < situation n. (compare sense 9b at that entry). Compare later sitch n.² colloquial (originally Printing). A paid position of regular employment, a post, a job; = situation n. 9b. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > position or job > [noun] steadc1000 noteOE officec1300 ministry?a1475 rooma1485 placea1500 roomth1544 place1558 post1562 berth1720 situation1766 job1781 sit1853 spot1859 billet1870 engagement1884 shop1885 gig1908 lurk1916 possie1916 number1928 site1930 sits vac1945 hat1966 1853 ‘M. Twain’ in Hannibal (Missouri) Jrnl. 5 Sept. I shall look out for a sit; for they say there is plenty of work to be had for sober compositors. 1878 W. Whitman Daybks. & Notebks. (1978) I. 110 Applied to Bart Bonsall, for a sit. for Harry. 1914 J. Joyce Dubliners 91 But Hogan has a good sit, hasn't he? 1994 Guardian 4 Apr. (Media section) 20/1 Sits wanted. Experienced Scenic Designer..seeks relevant work. Anything considered. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2020; most recently modified version published online March 2022). sitn.³ Brit. /sɪt/, U.S. /sɪt/ Inflections: Plural unchanged. Forms: 1900s– sit, 1900s– sit. (with point), 1900s– sitt, 1900s– sitt. (with point). Origin: Formed within English, by clipping or shortening. Etymon: sitting room n. Etymology: Shortened < sitting room n., originally as a graphic abbreviation. Compare earlier sitter n.² and later bed-sit n. at bed-sitting-room n. Derivatives. British. Esp. in estate agents' jargon: a sitting room (sitting room n. 1a) or other reception room. ΘΚΠ society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > room > room by type of use > [noun] > sitting room parlourc1384 street parlour1734 sitting room1763 keeping-room1771 room1795 voorhuis1822 voorkamer1827 lounge1881 sitkamer1897 sitter1899 sit1911 1911 Evening News (London) 15 July 6/1 House to let, 4 bed, 2 sit., bath room, motor house, conservatory. 1937 A. Christie Dumb Witness vi. 58 We've a nice bungalow at Hemel End, two bed., one sitt. 1973 Guardian 10 Jan. 16/2 ‘Mr Average’ with his need for a semi-detached three-bed two-‘sit’ will find that the local authority can almost certainly be more helpful to him than in the past. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2020; most recently modified version published online March 2022). sitv. Brit. /sɪt/, U.S. /sɪt/ Inflections: Past tense and past participle sat /sæt/; Forms: 1. Infinitive. α. Old English sittan, Old English sitton, Old English syttan, late Old English sitten, early Middle English sittenn ( Ormulum), early Middle English stitte (transmission error), Middle English cytte, Middle English sattand (present participle, probably transmission error), Middle English suttyn (perhaps transmission error), Middle English zitte (south-eastern), Middle English–1500s sytt, Middle English–1500s sytte, Middle English–1600s sitt, Middle English–1600s sitte, Middle English–1600s syt, Middle English– sit, late Middle English sithyng (present participle), late Middle English syth, 1600s sitten (archaic), 1800s zit (English regional (south-western)); Scottish pre-1700 satand (present participle, probably transmission error), pre-1700 sitte, pre-1700 syt, pre-1700 sytt, pre-1700 1700s–1800s sitt, pre-1700 1700s– sit, 1800s– sutten (present participle). eOE King Ælfred tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (Otho) (2009) I. v. 398 Hu meahtest þu sittan on middum gemænum rice??a1160 Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) (Peterborough contin.) anno 1137 He ne myhte..ne sitten ne lien.a1300 Passion our Lord l. 311 in R. Morris Old Eng. Misc. (1872) 46 Ich ine heuene schal sytte.c1350 Ayenbite (1866) App. 264 Riȝtnesse..ssel zitte amydde.1427 in H. Nicolas Proc. & Ordinances Privy Council (1834) III. 232 Þat..þei wolde sit upright.c1595 Capt. Wyatt in G. F. Warner Voy. R. Dudley to W. Indies (1899) 47 Beinge suffred to sitt..at libertie.1642 H. More Ψυχωδια Platonica sig. O A lamp, that men do sitten by.1795 T. Munro Let. 15 Sept. in G. R. Gleig Life Sir Thomas Munro (1830) I. 169 I am not to be forced to sit up.1888 F. T. Elworthy W. Somerset Word-bk. (at cited word) Plase to zit down.1979 Times 13 Nov. 2/8 I could not sit around twiddling my thumbs and doing nothing.2017 Tel-Jrnl. (New Brunswick) (Nexis) 6 Feb. c4 Life is too short to sit at home. β. (chiefly northern and north-east midlands in early use) Middle English seit, Middle English sete, Middle English siet, Middle English sijt, Middle English site, Middle English syet, Middle English syte, 1500s set, 1800s seet (English regional (northern and north-west midlands)); Scottish pre-1700 seit, pre-1700 set, pre-1700 sett, pre-1700 sete, pre-1700 site. ?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 123 Sedebit solitarius & tacebit. Me schal siten [c1230 Corpus Cambr. sitten] him ane & beon stille. ▸ c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) l. 366 His knictes dede he alle site [rhyme wite].a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 14734 Þair setles þat þai in can sete.?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Petyt) (1996) i. l. 14888 Þei mette at þe water of Duglas to conseile þer and to wite how þat þing best mot site.a1578 R. Lindsay Hist. & Cron. Scotl. (1899) I. 28 To seit with so mony wrangis.1820 R. Wilbraham Attempt Gloss. Cheshire 86 Seet, to sit. γ. U.S. regional 1900s– sot. 1944 H. Wentworth Amer. Dial. Dict. 581 Sot..to sit.1967 in Dict. Amer. Regional Eng. (2002) IV. 9 Just sottin' here. 2. Present indicative. a. 1st singular Old English sitto (Anglian), Old English–1600s sitte, Middle English site (northern), Middle English–1500s syt, Middle English–1500s sytt, Middle English–1500s sytte, Middle English–1600s sitt, Middle English– sit. eOE (Mercian) Vespasian Psalter (1965) xxv. 5 Cum impiis non sedebo : mid arleasum ic ne sitto.OE Riddle 24 7 Þær ic glado sitte.?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 264 Hwen ich sitte forto demen.a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Gött.) l. 20840 Queþer i sitt, or stand.c1450 Alphabet of Tales (1904) I. 21 I sit in my cell & duse noght.1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 719 I syt..amongest other folkes.?a1610 A. Montgomerie Poems (1887) 166 I sitt and sighis all soliter and sad.1786 J. Cobb Strangers at Home iii. 72 I sit on pins and needles!1847 Tait's Edinb. Mag. 14 340 I sit begloomed, and dull and sad.1948 Sat. Evening Post (Philadelphia) 4 Dec. 127/2 When I sit down, it hikes up.2004 National Post (Canada) (Nexis) 21 Feb. 3 I sit on a log and look out at the lake. b. 2nd singular. α. Old English sites (chiefly Anglian), Old English (Northumbrian, in prefixed forms)–Middle English sittes, Middle English sitis, Middle English sittis, Middle English sittus, Middle English syttes, Middle English syttys; Scottish pre-1700 sittis. eOE (Mercian) Vespasian Psalter (1965) ix. 4 (5) Sedes super thronum : ðu sites ofer ðrymseld. ▸ c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) l. 1316 Þat wite þw that sittes in trone!c1450 (?a1400) Wars Alexander (Ashm.) l. 1872 Þou..sittis..in sege.1568 A. Scott Poems (1896) i. 169 Sen so thow sittis in saitt. β. Old English–Middle English sitest, Old English 1500s–1600s sitst, Old English– sittest (now archaic), early Middle English sitthest, Middle English siȝst (south-eastern), Middle English sist, Middle English sittist, Middle English sittiste, Middle English–1500s syttest, 1500s sittyst, 1500s–1600s sit'st, 1500s–1600s sitt'st, 1600s sittst. OE Blickling Homilies 141 Þu þe sitest ofer cherubine.OE King Ælfred tr. Psalms (Paris) (2001) ix. 4 Ðu sitst on ðam hean setle.c1275 (?c1250) Owl & Nightingale (Calig.) (1935) l. 89 Þu sittest adai & fliȝt aniȝt. ▸ a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) v. l. 5742 O thou..That hihe sist.a1425 (c1395) Bible (Wycliffite, L.V.) (Royal) (1850) Deeds xxiii. 3 Thou sittist.1592 T. Kyd Spanish Trag. ii. sig. D2 The more thou sitst.1673 J. Milton Psalm LXXX in Poems (new ed.) 143 Thou Shepherd..That sitt'st between the Cherubs.1704 C. Darby Bk. Psalms cxxxix. 18 Thou sittest there on high.1850 J. S. Blackie tr. Æschylus Lyrical Dramas II. 93 Thou who sittest on the neathmost bench.1992 H. Carruth Coll. Shorter Poems 1946–91 330 O Jesus, thou who sittest up there on the right side of the fence. c. 3rd singular. α. Old English siteð, Old English sittaþ (in prefixed forms), Old English siteþ, Old English–early Middle English sitteð, Old English–Middle English sitteþ, early Middle English sithit, Middle English sitteþe, Middle English sittit, Middle English sittiþ, Middle English sittyþ, Middle English syȝt (south-eastern), Middle English sytteþ, Middle English sytth, Middle English syttyt, Middle English syttyþe, Middle English–1500s sittith, Middle English–1500s sittyth, Middle English–1500s sytteth, Middle English–1500s syttethe, Middle English–1500s syttyth, Middle English–1500s syttythe, Middle English–1600s sittethe, Middle English– sitteth (now archaic), late Middle English syttyh (perhaps transmission error), late Middle English syttyht (perhaps transmission error), 1500s syttith, 1600s sith. eOE (Mercian) Vespasian Psalter (1965) ix. 28 (8) Sedet in insidiis : siteð in searwum.OE (Mercian) Rushw. Gospels: Matt. xix. 28 Cum sederit filius hominis in sede : þonne sitteþ sunu monnes in sedle.a1300 in Archiv f. das Studium der Neueren Sprachen (1912) 128 368 To heuene he steg in ure manliche, ðar sitteð he in hijs faderes riche. ▸ a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) iv. l. 2724 Hou he sitteth be the fyr.a1450 Partonope of Blois (Univ. Coll. Oxf.) (1912) l. 6800 Pensyfe, thought-full alle day sytteth he.1504 in S. Tymms Wills & Inventories Bury St. Edmunds (1850) 102 The which tenement syttyth and lyyth [etc.].1609 J. Davies Humours Heau'n on Earth clxviii Heere, in a Chimney,..Sith Grimnesse.1654 R. Whitlock Ζωοτομία 160 Where the winde sitteth.1749 J. Wesley Let. 4 Jan. (1931) II. 376 The distance between a worm of earth and Him that sitteth on the circle of the heavens.1839 T. Stoddart Songs & Poems 157 The dew-lark sitteth on the ice, beside the reedless rill.1998 C. Channer Waiting in Vain (1999) xiii. 280 The one that sitteth on the holy throne of Mount Zion. β. Old English sittæs (Northumbrian), Old English (Northumbrian)–Middle English (northern) sites, Old English (Northumbrian)–1600s sittes, Middle English sitis (chiefly northern), Middle English sitteȝ, Middle English sittis, Middle English sittus, Middle English ssittes (northern), Middle English sytteȝ, Middle English syttis, Middle English–1500s syttes, 1500s syts, 1500s sytts, 1500s–1600s sitts, 1500s– sits; Scottish pre-1700 seittis, pre-1700 sittis, pre-1700 sytis, pre-1700 syttis, pre-1700 1700s– sits. OE (Northumbrian) Lindisf. Gospels: Matt. xix. 28 Cum sederit filius hominis in sede : miððy sittes sunu monnes in seðel.a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) l. 446 Þat he sittus in mi siȝt.c1440 Prose Life Alexander (Thornton) (1913) 72 It sitteȝ till hym.1596 J. Dalrymple tr. J. Leslie Hist. Scotl. (1888) I. 37 In fife..sittis the Primat.1693 N. Luttrell Diary in Brief Hist. Relation State Affairs (1857) III. 100 If the wind sitts fair.1759 R. Brown Compl. Farmer 71 A hen sits twenty days.1871 B. Jowett tr. Plato Dialogues II. 146 Old age sits lightly upon you.1997 Washington Post (Nexis) 19 July a20 Azerbaijan sits upon large reserves of both natural gas and oil. γ. Old English–Middle English sit, Old English–Middle English sitt, Old English–Middle English syt, Old English–Middle English sytt, early Middle English sid, early Middle English siyt, Middle English sitte, Middle English sytte, Middle English zit (south-eastern). OE West Saxon Gospels: Matt. (Corpus Cambr.) xix. 28 Þonne mannes sunu sitt [c1175 Royal sytt, c1200 Hatton syt].lOE King Ælfred tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (Bodl.) (2009) I. xxxix. 369 Sit se hehsta sceoppend on his heahsetle.a1300 (c1275) Physiologus (1991) l. 517 Bi hire make ȝe sit o niȝt. ▸ a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) viii. l. 2428 So sitte it wel that [etc.].c1430 (c1386) G. Chaucer Legend Good Women (Cambr. Gg.4.27) (1879) l. 1832 Sche sit [c1450 Fairf. 16 sytte] In halle. d. Plural.Since the Middle English period also used for the 2nd singular with ye or you (originally polite form); see esp. section δ. (sit is now the standard form). α. Old English sittað, Old English–early Middle English sittaþ, early Middle English sitteð, Middle English sittet, Middle English sitteþ, Middle English sittith, Middle English sittiþ, Middle English sytteþ. eOE (Mercian) Vespasian Psalter (1965) cxxxi. 13 (12) Filii eorum..sedebunt super sedem meam : bearn heara..sittað ofer seld min.c1275 in C. Brown Eng. Lyrics 13th Cent. (1932) 50 Ȝe þat sittet i-schrud wið skarlet. ▸ a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1865) I. 403 They..Stondeþ, sitteþ, liggeþ, and slepeþ.a1425 (a1382) Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Corpus Oxf.) (1850) Judges v. 10 Ȝe that stien vp vpon shynynge assis, and sittith aboue in doom. β. Old English sittas (Northumbrian), Old English (Northumbrian)–Middle English sittes, Middle English sitis (northern), Middle English sittez; Scottish pre-1700 sits, pre-1700 sittes, pre-1700 sittis. OE (Northumbrian) Lindisf. Gospels: Luke Luke i. 79 Qui in tenebris..sedent : ðaðe in ðiostrum..sittas [OE West Saxon Gospels: Corpus Cambr. sittað, c1200 Hatton sitteð].a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Fairf. 14) l. 15576 Þou sal couer & confort ham þat sitis in sorou.1480 Wardrobe Accts. Edward IV in N. H. Nicolas Privy Purse Expenses Elizabeth of York (1830) 127 Them that sittes and occupies his halle.?1507 W. Dunbar Tua Mariit Wemen (Rouen) in Poems (1998) I. 52 Thai all that sittis about [etc.].1625 in J. D. Marwick Rec. Convent. Royal Burghs Scotl. (1878) III. 182 The saids factouris does intrude theme selffis and sittis with the conservatour. γ. Middle English sittyn, Middle English syttyn, Middle English (1500s archaic) sytten, Middle English (1500s–1600s archaic) sitten. c1275 Lutel Soth Serm. (Calig.) l. 75 in R. Morris Old Eng. Misc. (1872) 190 [They] sitten þer to-gederes. ▸ a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) vii. l. 839 Ther sitten fyve Stones mo.c1400 (?a1387) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Huntington HM 137) (1873) C. xx. l. 206 Men..þat in meerk [read merke] sytten.1579 E. Spenser Shepheardes Cal. Mar. 1 Why sytten we soe?1642 H. More Ψυχωδια Platonica sig. G6 They sitten soft in the sweet rayes. δ. Middle English sete (northern), Middle English site (northern), Middle English–1500s syt, Middle English–1500s sytt, Middle English–1500s sytte, Middle English–1600s sitt, Middle English–1600s sitte, Middle English– sit. ?c1335 in W. Heuser Kildare-Gedichte (1904) 101 Þe sterris þat þou sest so briȝte, In heuen aboue..sit so fast.c1425 J. Lydgate Troyyes Bk. (Augustus A.iv) i. l. 3860 To ȝouthe, force and hardines sitte.c1586 Sir P. Sidney tr. Psalmes David xxxiv. vii Gods own eyes on good men sit.1602 W. Watson Decacordon Ten Quodlibeticall Questions 346 They sitte nerer his knee.1769 T. Gray Ode at Installation Duke of Grafton 4 There sit the sainted Sage, the Bard divine.1866 Routledge's Every Boy's Ann. 66 They sit their boat, and keep time as if they were two clock-work figures.1966 P. G. Wodehouse Plum Pie v. 121 And then we sit a good deal.2014 M. Henderson Geek Manifesto vi. 146 Only the most able pupils generally sit more than three A-levels. 3. Present subjunctive. a. Singular Old English–1600s sitte, Middle English–1500s syt, Middle English–1500s sytt, Middle English–1500s sytte, Middle English–1600s sitt, Middle English– sit. eOE (Mercian) Vespasian Psalter: Canticles & Hymns (1965) iv. 12 (8) Ut sedeat cum principibus : ðæt he sitte mid aldermonnum.?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 10 He weneð þet order sitte inþe curtel.a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 17583 Þof he sitt in heuen hall.c1450 (?a1400) Wars Alexander (Ashm.) l. 862 Þof it vn-semely me sytt.c1503 tr. Charter of London in R. Arnold Chron. f. x/2 Y^t the styward..sytte not from hensforward [etc.].1615 G. Sandys Relation of Journey (1637) 57 If the wind sit southward.a1794 W. Jones in S. Parr Wks. (1828) VII. 210 It is indifferent to me, as a friend to the people, whether of the two sit in Parliament.1822 W. Cobbett Cottage Econ. vi. 149 Even if he sit as he eats.1938 M. Mitchell Let. 18 Apr. in R. Harwell Gone With Wind Lett. (1986) 194 The other three urged, pleaded and entreated that he sit down.2001 J. Coe Rotters' Club (2002) 135 Good manners demanded that he sit on the sofa for a while. b. Plural Old English sitta (Northumbrian), Old English sitton, Old English–Middle English sitten, late Middle English sitte. In later use not distinguished formally from the indicative (see Forms 2dδ. ).eOE (Mercian) Vespasian Psalter (1965) c. 6 Ut sedeant hii mecum : ðæt hie sitten ðas mid mec.OE (Northumbrian) Lindisf. Gospels: Mark x. 37 Ut..sedeamus : þætte..we sitta [OE West Saxon Gospels: Corpus Cambr. sitton, c1200 Hatton sitten].c1225 (?c1200) St. Margaret (Bodl.) (1934) 44 Feierlec & strengðe beoð hise schrudes, & igurd he is ham on, þet a cumeliche fearen & semliche sitten. ▸ c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) l. 2098 Betere is i go miself, and se: Hweþer he sitten nou, and wesseylen. ▸ c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Matt. xx. 21 Seie that..my sonys sitten, oon at thi riȝthalf, and oon at thi lefthalf, in thi kyngdam.a1425 Dialogue Reason & Adversity (Cambr.) (1968) 13 Emperours & kynges sitte þei neuere so hiȝe, here trone trembliþ vndur hem but vertu holde hem vp. 4. Imperative. a. Singular Old English–Middle English site, Old English (Northumbrian)–1600s sitt, Old English–1600s sitte, Middle English sete, Middle English syte, Middle English–1500s syt, Middle English–1500s sytt, Middle English–1500s sytte, Middle English– sit. eOE (Mercian) Vespasian Psalter (1965) cix. 1 Sede a dextris meis : site to ðe swiðran minre.OE (Northumbrian) Lindisf. Gospels: Matt. xxii. 44 Sede a dextris meis : sitt to suiðra min.a1275 (?c1200) Prov. Alfred (Trin. Cambr.) (1955) 131 Sete þanne..besiden him-seluen.a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 3683 Sitt [Fairf. sete, Gött. sitt, Trin. Cambr. sit] vp and ete.a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1994) I. xviii. 211 Com, sytt. Soyn shall we se.1535 Bible (Coverdale) Ruth iv. 2 Syt you downe here.1658 J. Mennes & J. Smith Wit Restor'd 20 Pray you Madam sitt, ile shew good ware.1768 A. Ross Fortunate Shepherdess 25 E'en sit you still, an' rest you here wi' me.1853 E. C. Gaskell Ruth III. ix. 242 ‘To be sure, my dear! Sit down!’ said he.1997 Your Horse Nov. 130/1 Sit on the box seat with your feet firmly placed slightly forward on the floor.2013 M. Lawson Deaths vi. 171 ‘Sit up straight! It's bad for your digestion, eating like that.’ b. Plural. α. Old English sittaþ, Old English sittað, early Middle English sitteð, Middle English sittet, Middle English sitteth, Middle English sitteþ, Middle English sittyth, Middle English syth, Middle English sytteþ, Middle English syttith, Middle English syttyþ. OE (Mercian) Rushw. Gospels: Matt. xxvi. 36 Sedite hiic : sittaþ her.c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 11391 Sitteð sitteð swiðe. ▸ a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Jer. xiii. 18 Beth mekid, sitteth.a1400 (c1303) R. Mannyng Handlyng Synne (Harl.) l. 952 Syttyþ dowun vpp-on [ȝ]oure knees. β. Old English sittas (Northumbrian), Middle English sites, Middle English sittes, Middle English sittez. OE (Northumbrian) Lindisf. Gospels: Matt. xxvi. 36 Sedete hic : sittas her.a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 4975 Godmen sittes [Fairf. sites] a littel tom. γ. Old English sitte (before a personal pronoun), Middle English site, Middle English syt. In later use not distinguished formally from the singular (see section 4a for forms later than the 15th cent.).OE West Saxon Gospels: Luke (Corpus Cambr.) xxiv. 49 Sitte ge on ceastre.a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1994) I. xiv. 170 Syr kyngys, syt downe and rest you so.1768 A. Ross Fortunate Shepherdess 25 E'en sit you still, an' rest you here wi' me.2000 R. Topping Kevin & Perry go Large xiii. 121 Sit yourselves down, lads. 5. Past indicative. a. Originally 1st and 3rd singular. α. Old English saet (Northumbrian, in prefixed forms), Old English sætt, Old English sęt, Old English sętt (Northumbrian), Old English–early Middle English sæt, early Middle English seat (south-west midlands), early Middle English seæt (south-west midlands), Middle English–1700s satt, Middle English–1700s satte, Middle English– sat, 1800s sar (English regional (Yorkshire)). eOE King Ælfred tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (Otho) (2009) I. xxiii. 490 Se hearpere..sæt on ðæm muntum.a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1873) 2nd Ser. 101 He sat ofte and tahte wisdom.c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 1478 Þer he on æðelen seat. ▸ a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) vii. l. 2282 He satte him thanne doun.a1425 (c1333–52) L. Minot Poems (1914) 32 When sir Dauid..satt on his stede.1579 in D. Masson Reg. Privy Council Scotl. (1880) 1st Ser. III. 241 [He] satt doun upoun the ground.1676 T. Hobbes tr. Homer Iliads i. 101 This said, he sat.1714 E. Freke Remembrances (2001) 109 On the fowrtenth I satte on the justices bench by the justysies, maire, and recorder.1845 W. H. G. Kingston Lusitanian Sketches II. xxiii. 145 We sat but a short time after the hostess and her daughters had retired.1995 Abilities (Toronto) Spring 7/3 The tables sat four.2010 Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Nexis) 15 Apr. 16 The Tories did nothing. They just sat on the report. β. Old English (chiefly Anglian)–Middle English set, Old English (Anglian)–Middle English sett, Middle English zet (south-eastern), late Middle English sette; Scottish pre-1700 set, pre-1700 sett. Old English set is probably sometimes to be interpreted as reflecting a long vowel (particularly in Northumbrian; compare quot. OE); compare Forms 5aγ. .eOE (Mercian) Vespasian Psalter (1965) xxv. 4 Non sedi in concilio uanitatis : ic ne set in geðaehte idelnisse.OE (Northumbrian) Lindisf. Gospels: Matt. (headings to readings) lxx Sedit super asinae pullum : set ofer assales fola.a1300 Passion our Lord l. 562 in R. Morris Old Eng. Misc. (1872) 53 Þe on set at þe heuede.1340 Ayenbite (1866) 96 Þer he zet ase zayþ þet godspel.c1480 (a1400) St. Placidus 876 in W. M. Metcalfe Legends Saints Sc. Dial. (1896) II. 94 Ȝistyrday in myn In as I set. γ. Middle English seete, Middle English sete, Middle English (1700s–1900s English regional (northern and north-west midlands)) seet, 1800s seat (English regional (northern)); Scottish pre-1700 seit, pre-1700 sete. ?a1300 St. Eustace (Digby) l. 298 in C. Horstmann Altengl. Legenden (1881) 2nd Ser. 217 He seet stille and sihtte sore, Litel he spak and þouhte more.c1390 MS Vernon Homilies in Archiv f. das Studium der Neueren Sprachen (1877) 57 276 As þis Mesel bifore crist seete, Crist spac to him wordus swete.c1450 ( Nightingale (Calig.) l. 97 in O. Glauning Minor Poems J. Lydgate (1900) 5 She..seet in myddes of the tre.c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 168^v Yet sadly ho sete.1790 A. Wheeler Westmorland Dial. (1821) 35 In com thor sougers an seet dawn.1886 R. Holland Gloss. Words County of Chester 306 Seet, perf. tense of sit.1901 F. E. Taylor Folk-speech S. Lancs. (at cited word) Sit, seated; sat. ‘Hoo seet by th' foire’. δ. Middle English saat, Middle English saate, Middle English saitt (northern), Middle English (northern) 1500s (Scottish) sait, Middle English– sate (now archaic or Scottish). ▸ c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Dan. vii. 10 The dom sate, and bokis ben opnyd.a1500 ( J. Yonge tr. Secreta Secret. (Rawl.) (1898) 168 He..Saate in Iugement.1551 R. Robinson tr. T. More Vtopia sig. Giiii^v We came..& sate vs downe.1611 Bible (King James) Gen. xix. 1 Lot sate in the gate of Sodome.1768 T. Gray Descent of Odin in Poems 88 By the moss-grown pile he sate.1876 W. Black Madcap Violet xxxix She sate in a corner of the..waiting room.1954 V. Bell Let. in R. Marler Sel. Lett. Vanessa Bell (1993) 541 I did get a corner seat and just sate in it till I got to Paris.1987 B. Holton tr. S. Nai'an Men o the Mossflow iv, in Sc. Corpus Texts & Speech They gat doun frae their chairs an sate theirsels doun. ε. 1600s sitted; Scottish 1800s sittet. a1607 T. Brightman Revelation of Apocalyps (1611) 21 He sitted at the right hand of the father.1895 A. G. Murdoch Readings I. 31 Sometimes we sittet doon. ζ. 1600s–1900s sot (English regional), 1800s zot (English regional (south-western)); U.S. regional 1700s– sot; Irish English 1800s– sot. 1663 S. Pepys Diary 9 July (1971) IV. 222 Sir W. Batten and I sot a little this afternoon at the office.a1800 S. Pegge Anecd. Eng. Lang. (1814) 73 London... Sot, for sat.1861 C. Dickens Great Expectations I. ii. 14 ‘She sot down’, said Joe.1989 L. A. Pederson et al. Ling. Atlas Gulf States: Techn. Index in Dict. Amer. Regional Eng. (2002) IV. (at cited word) 9 infs, Sot—preterite. η. 1600s sitt, 1800s sut (English regional (north-west midlands)), 1800s–1900s sit (English regional); U.S. regional 1800s– sit; Scottish 1900s sud (before d), 1900s– sut; Irish English (northern) 1800s– sut. 1688 in Hist. MSS Comm.: 11th Rep.: App. Pt. VII (1888) 109 in Parl. Papers (C. 5612) LXII. 1 The..Jury..sitt upp all night about it.1800 in Rec. Columbia Hist. Soc. (1907) X. 89 Mr. T-Peter called and sit awhile.1987 D. Williamson & L. Williamson Thorn in King's Foot 84 De aul blacksmith sut and he sut and he sut.2002 Belfast News Let. (Nexis) 2 Feb. 20 Tha yin thaut sut oan tha table en tha parler wus a gless baul oan a bress staun. b. 2nd singular. α. Old English sæte, early Middle English sate (south-east midlands), Middle English seete, Middle English set, Middle English sete. OE King Ælfred tr. Psalms (Paris) (2001) xlix. 21 Þu sæte ongean þinne [broðor] and tældest hine.a1225 (c1200) Vices & Virtues (1888) 11 Sedens aduersus fratrem tuum loquebaris, ‘Ðu sate..aȝeanes ðine broðer... Aȝeanes him ðu spake god, bafte him euele’.?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 175 Þu sete biforme þoa ich slepte. ▸ a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Ecclus. xxxi. 21 If in the myddel of manye thou seete. β. late Middle English satist, 1500s–1600s 1800s satest. a1425 (c1395) Bible (Wycliffite, L.V.) (Royal) (1850) Ezek. xxiii. 41 Thou satist [E.V. a1425 Corpus Oxf. hast setyn] in a ful fair bed, and a boord was ourned bifor thee.1534 G. Joye tr. Jeremy Prophete f. v Thou satest downe by the wayes.1611 Bible (King James) Ezek. xxiii. 41 Thou..satest vpon a stately bedde.1885 R. Bridges Eros & Psyche viii. xiii. 97 Thou..Satest by Callichorus' sacred well. γ. late Middle English sittidist. a1425 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (New Coll. Oxf.) (1850) Deeds xxiii. 3 Sittidist and [c1384 Douce 369(2) Thou sittinge demest me vp the lawe]. δ. late Middle English 1600s–1800s sat. For examples of sat (now the standard form of the 2nd singular) with ye or you see Forms 5c and compare note at that section. ▸ ?a1439 J. Lydgate Fall of Princes (Bodl. 263) viii. l. 502 She [sc. Fortune] hath the cast in thraldam & seruage... Thou sat whilom in the consistorie As an emperour.a1605 Polwart Flyting with Montgomerie 667 Thou sat sa neir the chimney nuik.1790 R. Burns Tam o' Shanter in Poems & Songs (1968) II. 558 Thou sat as lang as thou had siller.1882 J. Walker Poems 225 On thy doup thou sat and suppit. ε. (archaic in later use) late Middle English sattist, 1500s satteste, 1500s–1600s satst, 1500s–1800s sattest, 1600s– sat'st, 1800s satt'st. a1450 tr. Aelred of Rievaulx De Institutione Inclusarum (Bodl.) (1984) 3 I wolde that pitously thou sattist stil and suffredist it.1535 Bible (Coverdale) Ezek. xxiii. 41 Thou sattest vpon a goodly bed.1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost i. 21 Thou..Dove-like satst brooding.1795 F. Wrangham Poems 27 Thou sat'st, unconscious of impending fate.1839 H. H. Milman Deborah's Hymn in Wks. II. 357 Why satt'st thou idle, Reuben, 'mid thy herd-stalls?1991 G. Ewart Coll. Poems 211 When Fate ordained that thou sat'st next to me. c. Plural.Since the Middle English period the plural form has also been used for the 2nd singular with ye or you (originally as polite forms); see esp. section β. (sat is now the standard form). α. Old English sæton, Old English sætun, Old English sætan, Old English setan (rare), Old English setton (Northumbrian), Old English setun (Anglian), Old English (non-West Saxon)–Middle English seton, late Old English–early Middle English sæten, early Middle English sætenn ( Ormulum), early Middle English seate (south-western), early Middle English sede (transmission error), early Middle English senten (transmission error), early Middle English setin, Middle English seet, Middle English seete, Middle English seeten, Middle English seetyn, Middle English set, Middle English sete, Middle English seten, Middle English setone, Middle English sett, Middle English sette, Middle English setten, Middle English settun, Middle English setyn, Middle English seyt, Middle English siete, Middle English sieten. eOE King Ælfred tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (Otho) (2009) I. xiv. 445 Þæt þær nane oðre an ne sæton buton þa weorðestan.OE (Northumbrian) Lindisf. Gospels: John xx. 12 Duos angelos in albis sedentes : tuoege engles in huitum gegerelum seton.c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 15560 Menn att bordess sætenn þær.c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 11361 Seoððen sete [c1300 Otho seten] þa eorles. ▸ a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) v. l. 3339 Ther they siete and spieke. ▸ a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) iii. l. 1809 Thei sieten alle stille.a1475 (?a1430) J. Lydgate tr. G. Deguileville Pilgrimage Life Man (Vitell.) l. 4612 Wher as they setyn on by on.a1500 (?a1475) Guy of Warwick (Cambr. Ff.2.38) l. 505 As they at the soper sete, Some dranke and some ete. β. Middle English satte, Middle English satten, Middle English–1500s satt, Middle English– sat. c1330 (?a1300) Arthour & Merlin (Auch.) (1973) l. 6518 Next hem..Sat þe kniȝtes of þe rounde table.1474 W. Caxton tr. Game & Playe of Chesse (1883) ii. v. 66 Many flyes satte vpon the soores.c1571 E. Campion Two Bks. Hist. Ireland (1963) ii. ix. 121 They satt upon him diversely affectioned.1699 N. Luttrell Diary in Brief Hist. Relation State Affairs (1857) IV. 481 Yesterday the lords satt till after candlelight.1855 R. Browning Toccata of Galuppi's 18 While you sat and played Toccatas.2013 N. Solomons Gallery Vanished Husbands 281 They sat on a felled oak. γ. Middle English saite (northern), Middle English saten, Middle English satun, Middle English satyn, Middle English soten, Middle English sotyn, Middle English sotyne, Middle English souȝt, Middle English– sate (archaic or Scottish in later use); also Scottish pre-1700 sait. ▸ c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Mark iii. 34 Biholdynge hem..that saten in the cumpas of hym.a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 17845 Sundri þai þam fra oþer saite [Gött. sate].c1451 J. Capgrave Life St. Gilbert (1910) 70 On-to hem whech soten a-boute him.c1475 St. Patrick's Purgatory (Yale Beinecke 365) in L. T. Smith Common-place Bk. 15th Cent. (1886) 94 The todys sotyne one euery herre.a1500 (?a1450) Gesta Romanorum (BL Add. 9066) (1879) 420 Such ij..satyn, and dronkyn.1526 Bible (Tyndale) Mark vi. f. lij^v They sate doune here a rowe and there arowe.1641 J. Milton Animadversions 15 Wherfore haue you sate still.1766 O. Goldsmith Vicar of Wakefield I. xi. 100 They sate down to hunt the slipper.1869 S. Lanier in Amer. Lit. (1931) 2 403 Queen-women, who sometimes sate on the early thrones of Germany and France and England.1945 V. Bell Let. in R. Marler Sel. Lett. Vanessa Bell (1993) 502 It was a very amusing evening and we sate on till after 11. 6. Past subjunctive. a. Singular. Old English sæte, Middle English sete, Middle English zete (south-eastern). In later use not distinguished formally from the indicative (see Forms 5aα. ).OE Blickling Homilies 17 Rihtlic þæt wæs þæt se blinda..sæte wædliende.a1300 (c1275) Physiologus (1991) l. 340 Ðat it..sete one ðe se-sond.a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) l. 1622 Þeiȝh i sete euer. b. Plural.In Old English the past subjunctive plural was originally formally distinct (showing the inflectional ending -en), but by late Old English the endings of the indicative and subjunctive had become homophonous in all dialects: see Forms 5c. 7. Past participle. α. Old English geseten, Old English sæton (in prefixed forms (not ge-), rare), Old English setan (in prefixed forms (not ge-), rare), Old English (in prefixed forms (not ge-))–Middle English seten, Middle English iseten, Middle English seeten, Middle English settyne, Middle English setun, Middle English setyn, 1500s setten; Scottish pre-1700 settin, pre-1700 1700s setten; N.E.D. (1911) also records a form late Middle English setten. eOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Parker) anno 918 Eall þæt folc..þe on Mercna lande geseten wæs.a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1873) 2nd Ser. 103 Ariseð þanne ge hauen seten.c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 9248 Þa heo weoren alle iseten [c1300 Otho isete].c1565 Adambel Clym of Cloughe & Wyllyam of Cloudesle (Copland) sig. C.ii They had not setten but a whyle.1639 in A. I. Ritchie Churches St. Baldred (1880) 246 John Kirkwood..having setten six several days, receivit at the morning.1731 in W. Fraser Bk. Carlaverock (1873) II. 363 If that be all the manners..you have learn'd in Gallowy, you might setten at home. β. early Middle English isethe, Middle English isete, Middle English isett, Middle English sete, Middle English ysete; Scottish pre-1700 set, pre-1700 sett, pre-1700 sete, pre-1700 yset (poetic). a1300 Passion our Lord l. 90 in R. Morris Old Eng. Misc. (1872) 40 Þo vre louerd wes isethe to his supere. ▸ a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1874) V. 415 In a tyme he hadde i-sete þere.a1500 (?a1400) Tale King Edward & Shepherd (Cambr.) (1930) l. 887 Þou shalt sitte here aboue, Instidde alle of þe Kyng. When he had wasshen and fayre isett.1617 in J. Maidment Misc. Abbotsford Club (1837) 311 This witt was sett smoaking..in ane obscure chymney corner at Leethe. γ. Middle English siten, Middle English sittene, Middle English sitton (in a late copy), Middle English sittun, Middle English sityn, Middle English syten, Middle English syttyn, Middle English sytyn, Middle English–1500s sytten, Middle English– sitten (now regional), late Middle English sitter (transmission error), 1800s sutten (English regional); Scottish pre-1700 sittene, pre-1700 sittne, pre-1700 sutin, pre-1700 suttn, pre-1700 syttin, pre-1700 syttyn, pre-1700 1700s– sitten, pre-1700 1800s– sittin, 1700s suttin, 1800s– sutten, 1900s suitten. ▸ a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1959) Gen. xxxviii. 22 Þe men of þat place seyden..neuer þer to han sytten [a1425 Corpus Oxf. sittun] a strompett.a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 11665 Quen sco had sitten [Gött. siten, Fairf. syten] þar a wei.1596 J. Dalrymple tr. J. Leslie Hist. Scotl. (1888) I. 189 Nocht weil sittin doune in the Jmpire.1644 K. Digby Two Treat. i. xxviii. 253 Strangers haue sitten by him.1787 R. Burns Let. 1 June (2001) I. 120 I'm sitten down here.1860 T. P. Thompson Audi Alteram Partem (1861) III. ciii. 8 One who might be comfortably sitten down with.1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick xxi Daavitie an' me hid sutten doon tae hae a bit furl at 'e tottum.2000 in Sc. National Dict. New Suppl. (Electronic text) at Sit [Ayrshire] Get sitten doun! δ. Middle English–1600s satte, 1500s–1600s satt, 1500s– sat. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Fairf. 14) l. 13491 Doun I. walde þe folk ware satte.a1577 G. Gascoigne Grief of Joye ii. iv, in Compl. Wks. (1910) II. 526 Had she satt in feeld.1665 E. M. Thompson Corr. Family of Hatton (1878) I. (Camden) 48 The King has satt..at a Councell of Warr.1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 122. ¶6 The Court was sat before Sir Roger came.1855 C. Kingsley Westward Ho! xxxiii Where he had sat when he was a..boy.1991 J. Caldwell Desperate Voy. (new ed.) xii. 116 Where had the wind sat when I was reading? ε. late Middle English–1600s sitte, 1500s syt, 1500s sytt, 1500s sytte, 1500s–1600s sitt, 1500s–1700s (1800s–1900s English regional and U.S. regional) sit, 1900s– sut (Irish English (northern)). 1455 in J. Nicholl Some Acct. Company of Ironmongers (1851) 26 Siluer, a cheueron of Gowles, sitte betwene three Gaddes of Stele of Asure.1528 in H. Ellis Orig. Lett. Eng. Hist. (1824) 1st Ser. I. 284 To have sit down.1532 Romaunt Rose in Wks. G. Chaucer f. cxxxv/2 And ful of grene leues sytte That sonne myght there none discende.1663 E. Hickeringill Apol. Distressed Innocence in Wks. (1709) I. 288 The better for being sit upon.1721 R. Wodrow Hist. Sufferings Church of Scotl. (1830) III. 109 He..had sit down in a fur.1888 S. O. Addy Gloss. Words Sheffield 216 That milk has sit.1973 in C. Major Calling Wind (1993) 357 You would of sit with them good-timers and bullshitters 'cross the room. ζ. late Middle English sotyn. 1462 J. Gloys in Paston Lett. & Papers (2004) II. 250 She seth..þat þis day sevennyght he shuld haue sotyn in Caystre by you vp-on accountes. η. 1500s–1900s sate; also Scottish pre-1700 sate. c1480 (a1400) St. Matthew 9 in W. M. Metcalfe Legends Saints Sc. Dial. (1896) I. 190 In þe tolbuth set lewy, þat as a tollare þare wes sate.?1533 W. Tyndale Expos. Mathew v. f. xl As though God had sate and ate..with them.1647 A. Cowley Gazers in Mistress ii We have both sate gazing.1700 S. L. tr. C. Frick Relation Voy. in tr. C. Frick & C. Schweitzer Relation Two Voy. E.-Indies 3 Being all sate down, we fell a talking.1847 W. M. Thackeray Vanity Fair (1848) vi. 46 She had sate by him.1903 T. S. Moore Rout of Amazons 17 The loins that had sate him so firmly. θ. English regional (Yorkshire) 1800s satten, 1800s sattun; Scottish 1800s sat'n, 1900s– satten. 1828 J. Wilson et al. Noctes Ambrosianae xxxviii, in Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Oct. 515 Sat'n in a chair on account of his gout.1939 J. Barke Land of Leal (1987) 432 I'm glad to get satten down for a minute. ι. 1800s– (U.S. regional) sot; English regional 1800s zot (south-western), 1800s–1900s sot. 1839 C. Clark John Noakes & Mary Styles 26 They down had snugly sot.1893 W. Raymond Gentleman Upcott's Daughter 22 Zomebody must ha' zot on un.1991 J. Still Wolfpen Notebks. 19 One said to me, ‘He's quit a good job and come over in here and sot down.’ Origin: A word inherited from Germanic. Etymology: Cognate with Old Frisian sitta (West Frisian sitte ), Old Dutch sitten (Middle Dutch sitten , Dutch zitten ), Old Saxon sittian (Middle Low German sitten ), Old High German sizzen (Middle High German, German sitzen ), Old Icelandic sitja , Old Swedish sitia (Swedish sitta ), Old Danish sitia (Danish sidde ), Gothic sitan < the same Indo-European base as Sanskrit sad- , ancient Greek ἕζεσθαι , classical Latin sedēre , Early Irish saidid (3rd singular present indicative), Old Church Slavonic sěděti , Lithuanian sėdėti , and also (with prefixation; compare nest n.) Armenian nstim (1st singular present indicative), all in the sense ‘to sit’.Form history: (i) partial merger with set v.¹ Forms of the past tense in Old English were 1st and 3rd singular indicative sæt (see Forms 5aα. ), beside Mercian (Vespasian Psalter gloss) and Kentish set (see Forms 5aβ. ), and plural sǣton (non-West Saxon sēton ). In Middle English, past tense forms of the set type (see Forms 5aβ. ) are thus chiefly found in west midland and south-eastern texts, continuing the Mercian and Kentish forms. Similar set forms developed in northern Middle English as a result of a sporadic raising of the original Old English æ before dentals. After the loss of final -e in sette , past tense of set v.¹, the past tense forms of sit v. and set v.¹ would potentially be identical in northern Middle English and Older Scots. The partial merger of the two verbs was assisted by occasional raising of the stem vowel of set v.¹ to i (compare set v.¹ Forms 1aγ. , 2ζ. ) in the same varieties, and further by a partial semantic overlap between the verbs (compare e.g. transitive senses 27b and 27c below, and also sense 20). The partial merger of the verbs in northern Middle English and Older Scots resulted in occasional use of forms of sit v. in senses of set v.¹ (compare e.g. set v.¹ Forms 1aβ. , 2β. , 2γ. , 2δ. ) and vice versa (compare e.g. set v.¹ 5, and also to set down 9c at Phrasal verbs 2). It is unclear to what extent the partial merger of the two verbs was driven by phonological developments in particular grammatical forms, or by semantic similarity. Since Middle English instances of sit- in senses of set v.¹ are better evidenced in the present than in the past tense, and since formal influence is evidenced in later dialects outside the northern area (for example in the south-west), semantics may have played a bigger role. The formal confusion between sit v. and set v.¹ means that it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between the two verbs, especially in Middle English and Older Scots. Quotations have been assigned based on the relative chronology and frequency of the relevant senses at both entries, and on the usage elsewhere in the cited texts. Form history: (ii) other formal developments. Extension of the vowel of the past plural to the singular is probably already attested in Old English (compare note on quot. OE at Forms 5aβ. ), and becomes more widespread in Middle English (compare Forms 5aγ. ). Influence of early Scandinavian is shown by Forms 1β. (compare Old Icelandic sitja ), with subsequent lengthening of the stem vowel in the open syllable to close long ē in northern dialects, and also by Forms 5cγ. and 5aδ. (compare Old Icelandic past plural sátu ). The origin of the past tense and past participle forms with short o (see 5aζ. , 7ι. , and perhaps 7ζ. ) is unclear. Corresponding forms in the present stem (see 1aγ. ) are after the past tense and past participle. Specific senses. With senses 3, 4, 22, and 23 compare Anglo-Norman seer , Old French, Middle French seoir (see séance n.) in the senses ‘to occupy the position of an official, judge, secular or ecclesiastical ruler, or member of an assembly’ (c1177), (of a court or assembly) ‘to be in session’ (c1300 or earlier), ‘to fit’ (a1250 or earlier), ‘to suit’ (c1170 or earlier). In senses 10a and 11 probably after early Scandinavian (compare Old Icelandic sitja in the senses ‘to sit something out, to ignore (a call)’ and ‘to endure, to put up with something’). With sense 30 compare earlier sun sitting n. at sun n.¹ Compounds 5a. Prefixed forms. In Old English the prefixed form gesittan (Middle English isitte ) to sit, to be seated, to settle, to occupy, to sit out, to finish, to preside over (a synod) (compare y- prefix) is also attested; compare also asittan asit v., ætsittan atsit v., besittan besit v., efnesittan , an element-by-element gloss of Latin considere to sit together (compare even adv.), eftsittan , an element-by-element gloss of Latin residere to sit down, to sit up (compare eft adv.), foresittan to preside over (compare fore- prefix), forsittan forsit v., ofersittan oversit v., ofsittan ofsit v., onsittan to seat oneself in, to occupy, to oppress, to assail (compare on- prefix), onsittan to fear, to dread (compare and- prefix), tōsittan to be separated (compare to- prefix²), undersittan , an element-by-element gloss of Latin subsidere to crouch down, to sink (compare under- prefix¹), ymbsittan to surround, to besiege, to sit over, to reflect upon (compare umbe- prefix). I. To be in a seated posture, and related senses. 1. a. Of a person: to be or remain in a resting posture in which the weight of the body is supported by the buttocks; to be seated. Also in figurative contexts. (a) intransitive. In general use. Frequently with prepositional complements, esp. in, on, or upon: see to sit in —— at Phrasal verbs 2, to sit on —— 1a at Phrasal verbs 2, to sit upon —— 1a at Phrasal verbs 2. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > be sitting or seated [verb (intransitive)] asitOE sitOE setc1275 to sit down1659 OE Beowulf (2008) 500 HVN ferð [read Unferð] maþelode..þe æt fotum sæt frean Scyldinga. OE Blickling Homilies 15 Þa sæt þær sum blind þearfa be ðon wege. c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 8933 Tære he satt to fraȝȝnenn hemm. Off þeȝȝre bokess lare. a1470 T. Malory Morte Darthur (Winch. Coll. 13) (1990) I. 42 As he sate so hym thought he herde a noyse of howundis. 1483 ( tr. G. Deguileville Pilgrimage of Soul (Caxton) (1859) i. xxi. 21 Sathanas satt for to wryte. 1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid vi. ii. 42 Sibilla Cumane..Quhair as scho sat rummesing in hir caif [i.e. roaring in her cave]. 1602 W. Watson Decacordon Ten Quodlibeticall Questions 346 [I do not believe] that they sitte nerer his knee, or foote stoole, then other penitent sinners doe. 1673 J. Ray Observ. Journey Low-countries 186 After that he hath sitten a while there..he is conducted..to his lodgings. 1779 Mirror No. 26 The rest of the company sat nearer or more remote from him according to their respective ranks. 1818 Ld. Byron Childe Harold: Canto IV i. 3 Venice sate in state, thron'd on her hundred isles. 1874 J. S. Blackie On Self-culture 41 A man may think as well standing as sitting, often not a little better. 1919 Commerce & Finance 23 Apr. 532/2 They were content to sit and wait, getting up each hour or two when a train from the metropolis arrived. 2017 R. Raisin Natural ii. 24 They sat next to each other at the table, laughing. (b) intransitive. spec. With reference to persons seated, usually at a table, for the purpose of, or while engaged in, eating, drinking, gambling, etc.Also with prepositional phrase denoting the occupation of the person while seated: see to sit at —— at Phrasal verbs 2, to sit to —— at Phrasal verbs 2. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > be sitting or seated [verb (intransitive)] > for specific purpose sitOE couch surf1989 OE West Saxon Gospels: Mark (Corpus Cambr.) xiv. 18 Sittendum & etendum [L. discumbentibus eis et manducantibus] sæde se Hælend: Soðlice ic eow secge þæt [etc.]. c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) l. 2098 Betere is i go miself, and se, Hweþer he sitten nou, and wesseylen. c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. vi. l. 265 Sitte nouȝt to longe, Arise vp ar appetit haue eten his fulle. 1597 Bp. J. Hall Virgidemiarum: 1st 3 Bks. ii. vi. 41 That he do, on no default, Euer presume to sit aboue the salt. 1605 Famous Hist. Capt. Stukeley sig. A3^v Ber Lady we haue sitten well my host tis one a clock. 1763 Brit. Mag. 4 38 A great club who sit till break of day to heel-tap the nation. 1790 R. Burns Tam o' Shanter 24 in Poems & Songs (1968) II. 558 That..ilka melder, wi' the miller, Thou sat as lang as thou had siller. 1845 W. H. G. Kingston Lusitanian Sketches II. xxiii. 145 We sat but a short time after the hostess and her daughters had retired. 1960 J. Beard Let. 20 Oct. in Love & Kisses & Halo of Truffles (1994) 39 I dined there on Tuesday night and sat late, talking to Joe. 1998 M. L. Settle Addie 156 One night they sat until late and forgot to send any of us to bed. b. transitive. With prepositional phrase as complement. To cause (a person) to be seated in a specified place or position.Frequently corresponding to intransitive prepositional verbs: with quot. c1300 cf. to sit at —— at Phrasal verbs 2, with quot. ?a1562 cf. to sit to —— at Phrasal verbs 2, etc. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > sit on [verb (transitive)] > seat or cause to sit setc888 settleOE sitc1300 to set downa1470 siegea1500 seat1623 plotz1969 c1300 St. Brendan (Harl.) (1844) 17 This procuratour com aȝen hem glad..And custe seint Brendanes fet, and the monekes echon, And sitte hem siththe atte soper..And siththe wosch here alre fet. 1485 Malory's Morte Darthur (Caxton) vii. ix. sig. mviii The grene knyghte took hym and sat hym at a syde table. 1557 T. North tr. A. de Guevara Diall Princes 379 In the bankets the kings of Persia made, they sate him whom they loved..on the left hand of the prince. ?a1562 G. Cavendish Life Wolsey (1959) 167 I went & sat the wayters to dynner. 1650 T. Bayly Herba Parietis 124 I like the seat no more than if he had sate me upon the stoole of sad repentance. 1735 Proc. Old Bailey 15 Oct. 161/2 He took her into a Back Room, and gave her a Dram, and sat her in his Lap. 1847 C. Dickens Dombey & Son (1848) xi. 103 Taking Paul up in his arms, and sitting him on another little table. 1916 Moving Picture World 24 June 2304/1 The teacher sits her next to Sonny Boy. 2001 J. Coe Rotters' Club (2002) 18 Take a few shop stewards, invite them upstairs, sit them round the conference table, make them feel important. c. transitive. Of a table, room, etc.: to be large enough to accommodate (a specified number of people) when seated. Cf. seat v. 1f. ΘΚΠ the world > space > [verb (transitive)] > make room for one > accommodate with seats > afford sitting accommodation for seat1887 sit1966 1966 Life 28 Oct. 74/1 Tourist cabin in Boeing SST sits six abreast. 1997 Harper's Mag. May 61/1 My father's old double-cab International truck sits three in the front, three in the back. 2001 T. J. Gilman No Miracles Here xiii. 184 Ehrgood hovered around the oval oak table that sat sixteen students. 2. a. intransitive. With adjectival or adverbial complement denoting the manner in which a person is seated (on a chair, a horse, etc.), or the place (within a room, about a table, etc.).See also to sit bodkin at bodkin n. 6, to sit still at still adv. 2b, to sit tall at tall adv. ΚΠ OE Ælfric Catholic Homilies: 2nd Ser. (Cambr. Gg.3.28) xxix. 257 Martha swanc ða swilce on rewette, and Maria sæt stille swilce æt ðære hyðe. OE Regularis Concordia (Tiber.) (1993) li. 105 Unus.., manu tenens palmam, quietus sedeat : an..mid handa healdende palmam gedefe sitte. ?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 195 Nule he naut wenden ouer ach he wule ful feste sitten. a1325 (c1280) Southern Passion (Pepys 2344) (1927) l. 64 Seint peter and seint phelip..ladde fforþ þe asse..& made oure lord an sege to sitte ffaste. a1475 (a1450) Tournam. of Tottenham (Harl.) (1930) l. 76 (MED) All þe gret cumpany com rydand to þe croft, Tyb on a gray mare..On a sek ful of sedys, for scho schuld syt soft. 1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 719/1 I syt hyest, or uppermoste at a table. a1627 T. Middleton Chast Mayd in Cheape-side (1630) iii. 34 Sit you all merry Ladyes. 1664 J. Wilson Cheats i. iii. 9 A Woman need not be asham'd to sit Jig by Joule, with the best of the Parish. 1687 A. Lovell tr. J. de Thévenot Trav. into Levant i. 72 They look very well, and sit as close as if they were nailed to the Horse. 1719 D. Defoe Farther Adventures Robinson Crusoe 319 The poor Beast..was no more to be govern'd by his Rider, tho' the Fellow sat well enough too. 1754 J. Shebbeare Marriage Act II. lxiii. 177 I shan't dare to sit cross-legg'd for you without Offence. 1887 Proc. Amer. Assoc. Advancement Physical Educ. 110 The teachers urge pupils constantly to sit as straight as possible. 1985 City Cyclist (Toronto) Summer 7/2 On a recumbent bike, you sit lower or lie flat. b. intransitive. In figurative and allusive contexts. With adjective, adverb, or prepositional phrase as complement, in expressions indicating a person's disposition, condition, or status, as in to sit aloft, to sit between two stools, to sit light, to sit soft, etc.See also to sit loose at loose adv. 1, sitting pretty at pretty adj. 3d, to sit tight at tight adv. 2b. ΚΠ OE Lambeth Psalter: Canticles iii. 8 De stercore erigens pauperem ut sedeat cum principibus et solium glorię teneat : of meoxe arærende þearfan þæt he sitte mid ealdrum & heahsetl wuldres healde. c1275 in C. Brown Eng. Lyrics 13th Cent. (1932) 50 Ȝe þat sittet i-schrud wið skarlet. a1382 Prefatory Epist. St. Jerome in Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1959) v. l. 40 Phylip come & schewid hym iesum, þe which closid, satt preue [L. latebat] in þe lettre. c1425 J. Lydgate Troyyes Bk. (Augustus A.iv) i. l. 2255 (MED) Fortune..Vnhappily hath wrouȝt..With þe whirlyng of hir whele..Þat caused wrecches ful lowe doun to loute, Whan þei best wene to sitten hiȝe alofte. 1560 J. Daus tr. J. Sleidane Commentaries f. xlv^v The Byshoppe, whiche as the master of a shyppe sitteth watching at the Healme. 1581 T. Newton tr. Seneca Thebais iv. in T. Newton et al. tr. Seneca 10 Trag. f. 54 Vnto them that do repyne to se him sit aloft, He may more rigour boldly shew. 1638 T. Herbert Some Yeares Trav. (rev. ed.) 315 The Mogull oft threatens to dethrone him; yet he sits close and keeps his owne. 1659 N. R. Proverbs 40 He sits not sure, that sits too high. 1718 M. Prior Alma i, in Poems Several Occasions (new ed.) 328 Poor Alma sits between two Stools. 1780 H. Walpole Vertue's Anecd. Painting (ed. 2) IV. i. 12 Between..the dearth of good masters, and a fashionable reputation, Jervas sat at the top of his profession. 1833 G. S. Faber Recapit. Apostasy 127 Striving..to sit light to all sublunary matters. 1844 W. M. Thackeray Contrib. to Punch in Wks. (1900) VI. 54 I wish to sit as soft as I can in this life. 1976 N. Maclean River runs through It 197 They'd been sitting soft all summer around a green table while we'd been getting case-hardened climbing high hills. 1993 Times Lit. Suppl. 9 Apr. 4/3 Jesus belonged to a type for which we have other evidence, that of charismatic teacher.., sitting light to the detailed regulations of official Judaism. c. intransitive. Coupled with another verb, emphasizing the action of the second verb (sometimes also implying relative inaction). ΚΠ OE Byrhtferð Enchiridion (Ashm.) (1995) ii. iii. 104 Eall swylce sum getyd wer sitte and sum meteruers mid his feðere awrite. c1275 (?c1250) Owl & Nightingale (Calig.) (1935) 1292 Þe niȝtingale sat & siȝte & hoh ful was & ful wel miȝte. a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) v. l. 6121 Therof wot nothing the wif..which loveth as hir lif Hir lord and sitt alday wisshinge After hir lordes hom comynge. c1450 (?a1400) Wars Alexander (Ashm.) l. 592 (MED) Folke..May sitt & carpe. 1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene iii. vi. sig. Hh2^v The gentle Shepheard swaynes, which sat Keeping their fleecy flockes, as they were hyr'd. 1662 J. Dryden Wks. (1884) IX. 65 Justice, that sits and frowns where public laws Exclude soft mercy from a private cause. 1722 D. Defoe Moll Flanders 233 I sat and cried and tormented my self Night and Day. 1871 F. T. Palgrave Lyrical Poems 92 Through year-long hours of hope and woe She sits and waits. 1984 J. Kelman Busconductor Hines (1992) iii. 111 I've been sitting worrying about you all fucking night. 2000 I. Edward-Jones My Canapé Hell (2001) i. 4 Then at the beginning of every week I've sat and stared at my cursor as it's willed me to write something of import and interest. 3. a. intransitive. To occupy a seat in the capacity of a judge. Also occasionally: to occupy a seat for the purpose of exercising an administrative function.See also to sit in judgement at Phrases 3. ΘΚΠ society > authority > office > [verb (intransitive)] > occupy official seat sitOE society > law > administration of justice > court proceedings or procedure > judging > judge or act as judge [verb (intransitive)] deemc825 sitOE justifya1400 judgec1400 to stand in judgement against1558 adjudicate1789 OE Old Eng. Hexateuch: Exod. (Claud.) xviii. 13 Ða on oðrum dæge sæt Moyses, & he wolde deman ðam folce þe him beforan stod. OE Homily: Sermonem Angelorum Nomina (Corpus Cambr. 419) in A. S. Napier Wulfstan (1883) 227 Ðæt is, þæt nan man on þysne dæg [sc. Sunday] on dome ne sitte ne að ne swerige. a1350 ( in R. H. Robbins Hist. Poems 14th & 15th Cent. (1959) 18 Þe iustices seten for þe knyhtes of scotlonde. c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. Prol. l. 96 Some..in stede of stuwardes sytten and demen. a1425 (a1400) Prick of Conscience (Galba & Harl.) (1863) l. 5636 Haly men and parfit, Þat with hym in dome þan sal sitt, And wyth hym deme. 1507 in I. S. Leadam Select Cases Star Chamber (1903) I. 257 He..syttith as stuard..and holdith theyre Courtes. 1681 A. Wood Life 17 Aug. The judges..went to the Guildhall yard where they sate from 9 to 12. 1752 T. Carte Gen. Hist. Eng. III. 320 Brooks, bishop of Gloucester, sitting as the pope's Subdelegate. 1835 Penny Cycl. III. 376 When the judges of each court sit together upon their several benches. 1910 in Minutes Evid. on Divorce & Matrimonial Causes (1912) II. 12/1 in Parl. Papers 1912–13 (Cd. 6480) XIX. 1 The stipendiary magistrate sits every day in the week. 2001 Daily Tel. 9 Oct. 18/2 The most serious cases will be heard by a Circuit Judge or High Court judge sitting in the Crown Division. b. (a) intransitive. To have a seat in, or be a member of, a council, legislative assembly, or other official body. Usually with in (Parliament, a council, etc.) or (more recently) on (a council, board, etc.). Also with as (a member). ΘΚΠ society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > deliberative, legislative, or administrative assembly > governing or legislative body of a nation or community > [verb (intransitive)] > be member of siteOE eOE tr. Bede Eccl. Hist. (Tanner) ii. iv. 108 Mellitus betweoh hy æt þæm seonoðe sæt. a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Jer. xv. 17 I sat [L. sedi] not in counseil of pleieres. a1475 J. Fortescue Governance of Eng. (Laud) (1885) 145 (MED) What lower man was þer sytinge in þat counsell þat durste say ayen the openyon off any off the grete lordis? ?1542 H. Brinkelow Complaynt Roderyck Mors Pref. sig. A3^v Them that sytte in the parlament. 1645 G. Wither Vox Pacifica 195 Since he hath sitten in this Parlament. 1675 T. Hobbes tr. Homer Odysses iv. 268 Countries I have seen Many; and oft with Heroes in my life In Councels sitten. 1797 Sci. Mag. & Freemasons' Repository Dec. 435/2 He was repeatedly expelled the House as ineligible to sit as a member. 1828 W. Field Mem. Dr. Parr II. 305 The third..had sitten in eleven successive parliaments. 1945 Statutes of California 1945 3096 In the event the member sitting on the Board as a member of the City Council by virtue of being a member of the City Council is no longer such member. 1995 R. Blackburn Electoral Syst. in Brit. v. 214 The present very low number of women MPs sitting in Britain's national legislature is simply not acceptable. 2004 S. Hall Electric Michelangelo 102 His silly ideas about who should sit on the Council and who shouldn't, depending on if they wore a skirt or long trousers. (b) intransitive. British. To be the member of parliament for (a constituency). ΚΠ 1748 Biographia Britannica II. 900 He was..a Member of Parliament, in which he sat for some place in England, as in former representatives he had sat for Edinburgh, and as knight of the shire for Cork. 1880 A. Trollope Duke's Children I. v. 55 You used to sit for Silverbridge. 1981 Times of India 15 Apr. 17/2 She represented Finchley until the constituency boundary changes..since when she has sat for Barnet, Finchley. c. intransitive. To occupy an episcopal see, esp. the See of Rome; (hence also) to hold the office of Pope. ΘΚΠ society > faith > church government > member of the clergy > clerical superior > bishop > act as a bishop [verb (intransitive)] sitOE episcopate1641 episcopize1651 to bishop it1655 OE Old Eng. Martyrol. (Julius) 6 Jan. (2013) 44 He sæt on ðæm papsetle ændlefen gear ond þry monað. c1410 tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1879) VII. 151 Gregorie þe sixte, first called Gracianus, after Benet, sat almost foure ȝere. ?c1450 Life St. Cuthbert (1891) l. 6531 Tumbertus..Was Eata successour; he sat in hexham ȝeres thre. a1500 (c1425) Andrew of Wyntoun Oryg. Cron. Scotl. (Nero) v. l. 4536 Qwhen Anastace þe pope was dede, Symacus sat in til his stede Fifteyn ȝhere. 1579 W. Fulke Confut. Treat. N. Sander in D. Heskins Ouerthrowne 540 Peter is sayd first to haue sit at Antioche. 1631 J. Weever Anc. Funerall Monuments 132 When he had sitten fourty yeares in his Bishopricke. 1731 Magna Britannia VI. 302/1 Sitting no longer in this See, than to Sept. 28, 1663..he is not mentioned in the common Catalogue of the Bishops of Worcester. 1861 A. Trollope Framley Parsonage II. ix. 171 He thought of the strain which would have been put on his conscience had he come up there to sit in London as Bishop of Westminster. 1998 F. J. Coppa Mod. Papacy v. 71 The..former prefect of the office of propaganda, who sat as pope, was a traditionalist. 4. a. intransitive. Of a legislative, judicial, or similar assembly: to hold a session; to be engaged in the conduct of business. ΘΚΠ society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > deliberative, legislative, or administrative assembly > of an assembly: hold a session [verb (intransitive)] sitOE OE Dispute between Edwin & his Mother (Sawyer 1462) in A. J. Robertson Anglo-Saxon Charters (1956) 150 Her swutelað on þissum gewrite þæt an scirgemot sæt æt Ægelnoðes stane be Cnutes dæge cinges. 1440 Chancery Proc. Ser. C1 File 9 No. 426 Atte þe whiche daie, þe Courte sittyng, youre seid Suppliant come into þe seide Court. 1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VIII f. ccii After Christemas the .xv. daye of Ianuary the Parliament began to sytte. 1603 R. Johnson tr. G. Botero Hist. Descr. Worlde 57 When the counsell hath sitten seauen or eight houres, the Bassa visur maketh true relation to the Prince, of all that hath bene handled. 1639 in 3rd Rep. Royal Comm. Hist. MSS (1872) 78/1 in Parl. Papers (C. 673) XXXIII. 337 If the King..go about to break their Parliament, I hear they are resolved to sit without his Majesty's leave. 1712 in J. A. Picton City of Liverpool: Select. Munic. Rec. (1886) II. 6 That the..town's chest be now..inspected, sitting this Councill. 1761 D. Hume Hist. Eng. (1806) IV. lxiv. 725 A convocation..had usually sitten at the same time with the parliament. 1863 H. Cox Inst. Eng. Govt. i. ix. 136 In the House of Lords the presence of three members is sufficient to enable the House to sit. 1983 Guardian 6 May 27/3 MPs sat late into the night again on Wednesday debating the controversial Police and Criminal Evidence Bill. 2001 Daily Tel. 13 Feb. 21/2 An all-woman Court of Appeal had never sat before. 2015 E. Crewe House of Commons i. 49 Every MP is required at Westminster every week Parliament sits. †b. transitive. To hold (a meeting). Obsolete. ΘΚΠ society > society and the community > social relations > association for a common purpose > meeting or assembling for common purpose > hold (a meeting) [verb (transitive)] sit1635 hold1840 1635 in Hist. MSS Comm.: Rep. MSS Duke of Buccleuch (1899) I. 274 in Parl. Papers (C. 9244) XLVI. 1 For the meeting..it stood not well with some other occasion to have it sitten at this time. 5. To be, continue, or remain, in a specified state.Often with suggestion of the physical sense (sense 1a). a. intransitive. With a phrase introduced by in (also †on in Old English and Middle English). ΘΚΠ the world > existence and causation > existence > state or condition > be or remain in specific state or condition [verb (intransitive)] siteOE won971 beOE standOE liec1374 rest1429 steadc1500 erdec1540 run1635 welter1847 stop1976 eOE (Mercian) Vespasian Psalter (1965) cvi. 9 (10) Sedentes in tenebris et umbra mortis : sittende in ðeostrum & scuan deaðes. OE Genesis A (1931) 2701 Ic þæs færes a on wenum sæt. a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1873) 2nd Ser. 103 Ðus sit man on his sinne swo ich seid haue. a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 1239 Ðor sat his moder in sik and sor. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Fairf. 14) l. 15576 Þou sal couer & confort ham þat sitis in sorou & site. c1450 (?a1400) Duke Rowland & Sir Otuell (1880) l. 85 (MED) Oure noble kynge..sittes in riche meneuere. a1525 (c1448) R. Holland Bk. Howlat l. 22 in W. A. Craigie Asloan MS (1925) II. 95 Thus sat I in solace sekerly and sure. 1535 W. Stewart tr. H. Boethius Bk. Cron. Scotl. (1858) I. 30 Than we and tha sall sit in rest and peice. 1671 J. Milton Paradise Regain'd ii. 431 While Virtue, Valour, Wisdom sit in want. View more context for this quotation 1762 New & Gen. Biogr. Dict. IX. 339 A man that was not handsome enough to desire to see his picture, sat in danger in his company. 1831 T. R. Marvin Hist. Amer. Baptist Afr. & Haytien Missions 47 Who will dare to sit in idleness at home? 1995 M. Awkward Negotiating Difference 111 A young college student sits in fear that members of her race..will seek retribution on her person. 2001 High Country News 29 Jan. 4/1 A host of imperiled plants and animals sit in limbo. b. intransitive. With adjective or other complement denoting a person's condition. ΚΠ OE Deor 24 Sæt secg monig sorgum gebunden, wean on wenan, wyscte geneahhe þæt þæs cynerices ofercumen wære. OE Laws of Cnut (Nero) ii. lxxiii. 360 Sitte ælc wuduwe werleas xii monað, ceose syððan þæt heo sylf wylle. c1225 (?OE) Soul's Addr. to Body (Worcester) (Fragm. B) l. 10 Hwar beoþ þe seten [emended in ed. to hwar beoþ þe sibbe þe seten] sori ofer þe? a1300 (?c1200) Prov. Alfred (Jesus Oxf.) (1955) 148 Þanne myht þu sikerliche sely sytte. a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Lament. iii. 28 He shal sitte solitarie. a1413 (c1385) G. Chaucer Troilus & Criseyde (Pierpont Morgan) (1882) iii. l. 1630 Be not to Rakel þough þou sitte warme. c1595 Capt. Wyatt in G. F. Warner Voy. R. Dudley to W. Indies (1899) 47 The Indians beinge suffred to sitt afterwarde at libertie. a1627 W. Sclater Serm. Experimentall (1638) 79 That people have now long sitten without a King. a1684 J. Evelyn Diary anno 1683 (1955) IV. 340 That he might the more easilie swallow Flanders..whilst we sate unconcerned, & under a deadly charme from somebody. 1779 H. E. Davis Reply to Mr. Gibbon's vindication 1 To amuse men out of their religion, or make them sit easy and indifferent to it. 1919 M. S. Watts From Father to Son ii. ii. 152 He saw the older man almost as an enemy, sitting secure in his superiority of age. 1992 Sunday Times of India 19 Apr. 17/1 Some 2,000 employees..have been forced to sit idle for more than a year. c. intransitive. With noun complement denoting a person's status or occupation. Also figurative. Now literary. ΚΠ eOE (Mercian) Vespasian Psalter (1965) xxviii. 8 (10) Dominus diluuium inhabitat, et sedebit dominus rex in ęternum : dryhten cwildeflod ineardað & siteð dryhten cyning in ecnisse. a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1969) Isa. xlvii. 8 I shal not sitten a widue. a1400 in F. J. Furnivall Polit., Relig., & Love Poems (1903) 251 Kinge i sitte, and loke aboute, to morwen y mai beon wiþoute. 1614 W. Raleigh Hist. World i. iv. iii. §3. 217 Hauing sitten Viceroy ten yeares. 1637 J. Milton Comus 33 Night sits monarch yet in the mid skie. 1715 T. Hearne Remarks & Coll. (1901) V. 62 D^r. Charlett sate Vice-Chancellor, and ordered y^e Sermon to be printed. 1785 W. Cowper Task v. 877 Gods..that sit Amus'd spectators of this bustling stage. 1833 T. Chalmers On Power Wisdom & Goodness of God I. i. 95 Conscience sat mistress over the whole earth. 1905 L. C. Wood For Free Conscience xxxv. 244 The moon sat regent over a sky of deepest blue. 1997 J. Watson Media Communication iv. 94 As guard dogs they sit sentinel at the house of their masters. 6. a. intransitive. Of a person: to dwell, stay, or remain in a specified place; (also, of a company, military force, etc.) to have one's location or quarters in a specified place. Also figurative. Cf. Phrases 4a.In recent use probably as an extension of sense 1. ΘΚΠ society > inhabiting and dwelling > [verb (intransitive)] wonc725 erdec893 siteOE liveeOE to make one's woningc960 through-wonOE bigc1175 walkc1225 inwonea1300 lenda1300 lenga1300 lingera1300 erthec1300 stallc1315 lasta1325 lodge1362 habit?a1366 breeda1375 inhabitc1374 indwella1382 to have one's mansionc1385 to take (up) one's inn (or inns)a1400 keepc1400 repairc1400 to have (also hold, keep, make) one's residencec1405 to hold (also keep, make, take, etc.) one's mansiona1425 winc1425 to make (one's) residence1433 resort1453 abidec1475 use1488 remaina1500 demur1523 to keep one's house1523 occupy1523 reside1523 enerdc1540 kennel1552 bower1596 to have (also hold, keep, make) residence1597 subsist1618 mansiona1638 tenant1650 fastena1657 hospitate1681 wont1692 stay1754 to hang out1811 home1832 habitate1866 eOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Parker) anno 855 Her hęþne men ærest on Sceapige ofer winter sætun. ?a1160 Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) (Peterborough contin.) anno 1137 Wel þu myhtes faren al a dæis fare, sculdest thu neure finden man in tune sittende ne land tiled. a1225 (c1200) Vices & Virtues (1888) 79 Hie sitteð at ham and ne hauen ðarof non ȝeswink, bute on here ðohtes and on here spaches. a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) l. 446 He sittus in mi siȝt me þinkes euer-more. c1400 (?a1300) Kyng Alisaunder (Laud) (1952) l. 1926 Bitwene Tygre and Eufraten Seten alle þise heþen men. 1584 Copie of Let. conc. Erle of Leycester 29 If the good Ladie had..vsed his help, she should not haue needed to haue sitten so pensiue at home. 1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost ii. 56 Shall the rest..sit lingring here Heav'ns fugitives..? View more context for this quotation 1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones VI. xvii. v. 126 The Lady..who sits indeed very near my Heart. View more context for this quotation 1800 Meteors No. 9. 112 Israel's army sat Encamp'd on Mount Gilboa. 1880 W. Besant Over Sea with Sailor in All Year Round Extra Christmas No. 1 Dec. 26/1 What? Stay in this forsaken hole? Sit here and rot? 1978 Economist 26 Aug. 56/1 The success will be incomplete—and could rapidly start to unravel—so long as the Cuban army sits in Angola. 2017 Tel-Jrnl. (New Brunswick) (Nexis) 6 Feb. c4 For a pair of adventurous globetrotters, life is too short to sit at home. b. intransitive. To be the tenant or occupier a house, farm, etc.; to remain during a lease; to continue a tenancy. Usually with at (a certain rent), or with complement. Also (in quot. 1602): †to live at a certain rate of expense.Cf. sitting tenant: see sitting adj. 2d.In proverbial expressions often opposed to flit: see flit v. 6. ΘΚΠ society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabiting a type of place > inhabit type of place [verb (intransitive)] > inhabit house > as tenant sitOE society > trade and finance > management of money > expenditure > spend or incur expense [verb (intransitive)] > live at a certain rate of expense sitOE OE Will of Wynflæd (Sawyer 1539) in D. Whitelock Anglo-Saxon Wills (1930) 12 Þenne an hio þan hywum þara gebura þe on þam gafollande sittað & þera þeowra manna hio an hyre syna dehter Eadgyfe. 1405 in H. M. Flasdieck Mittelengl. Originalurkunden (1926) 33 (MED) The forsaide Baillies, Burgeis, and Comuners shul graunte..to the forsaide sir Roger, to his heirs, and to..al tho that shul sytte on the forsaide place in tyme comyng..þat thei shul bene quyte of al maner of Custumez. 1565 T. Harding Confut. Apol. Church of Eng. iv. i. f. 161^v If he allowed them of all other to sitte rent free..: it were a iust thing to complaine of. 1584 Dialogue Strife our Churche 6 Inholders sit at a great rent, and paie dear for all thinges. 1602 W. Shakespeare Merry Wives of Windsor i. iii. 8 I sit at ten pound a weeke. 1625 F. Bacon Ess. (new ed.) 240 As a Farmer cannot husband his Ground so well, if he sit at a great Rent. 1751 T. Smollett Peregrine Pickle IV. xcix. 72 She found herself..incapable..of keeping the farm, unless he would..allow her to sit free for a twelvemonth. 1811 W. Scott in J. G. Lockhart Mem. Life Sir W. Scott (1837) II. xi. 356 I now sit a tenant at will under a heavy rent. 1846 W. Cross Disruption xxxviii. 416 Sit wha like, I'll flitt. 1932 Scotsman 3 Aug. 7/1 Connolly was sitting as tenant, under his own name. 1945 R. A. Collier Butterworths Emergency Legislation Service Statutes Suppl. (ed. 2) No. 24. xii. 160 All tenants sit at rack rents, except the tenant of the ground floor who pays £1000 per annum. 1973 J. Bankes & E. Kerridge Early Rec. Bankes Family Introd. 4 To let their tenants sit at easy rents. c. intransitive. Coal Mining. Of a coal face: to crack off but remain in position. Also to sit down. Now rare. ΚΠ 1883 W. S. Gresley Gloss. Terms Coal Mining 224 A coal face or buttock is said to sit when, after the sprags have been drawn, it will not fall over and break up, but merely cracks off and rests in that position until pulled over. ?c1919 D. Burns & G. L. Kerr Mod. Pract. Coal Mining vii. 523 The drawback to deep cutting in thin seams is that the coal does not tumble over, but simply sits down. 1931 Trans. Inst. Mining Engineers 80 395 Some coal ‘sits down’ when being cut. 7. a. intransitive. To lie hidden in readiness to surprise prey, an enemy, etc. Now chiefly in to sit in ambush, to sit in wait at wait n. 1a. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > hostile action or attack > make attack [verb (intransitive)] > lie in wait siteOE wait?c1225 aspya1250 awaita1250 keepc1275 to sit in wait(s)a1300 lurkc1300 bush1330 to lie at (the) waitc1440 to lie on waitc1440 to lie wait1445 lay one's wait1535 hugger1567 to lie at (on, upon the) lurch1578 couch1582 ambuscade1592 to lie (also stand, stay, etc.) perdu1624 to lie at (or upon the) snap1631 ambush1638 to hole up1912 eOE (Mercian) Vespasian Psalter (1965) ix. 28 (8) Sedet in insidiis cum diuitibus in occultis ut interficiat innocentem : siteð in searwum mid ðæm weoligum in degulnissum det he ofsle ðone unscyldgan. ?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 247 Triste is þer me sit mid þe greahundes for to kepe þe hare. a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1961) Josh. viii. 9 Þei wentyn to þe place of þe boschement & þei setyn bytwene betel & hay. c1405 (c1395) G. Chaucer Friar's Tale (Hengwrt) (1872) l. 1657 The leon sit in his awayt alway To sle the Innocent if that he may. a1500 (c1340) R. Rolle Psalter (Univ. Oxf. 64) (1884) ix. §30. 37 He sittis in waitis with the riche in hidels. 1638 R. Brathwait Psalmes of David cxix. 246 Fraud with force in ambush sits. 1855 R. F. Burton Personal Narr. Pilgrimage to El-Medinah II. xx. 248 The slave sat in ambush behind a rock. 2003 P. Sillitoe Managing Animals in New Guinea ii. vi. 175 When sitting in ambush men may resort to various ruses to attract animals. b. intransitive. To be encamped at a siege. Frequently with before. Cf. to sit down 6 at Phrasal verbs 1 (b). Now only in historical contexts. ΘΚΠ society > armed hostility > attack > action or state of siege or blockade > lay siege [verb (intransitive)] to lay ensiege?a1500 to plant a siegea1500 to sit down1593 inleaguer1603 to set downa1616 to lie down1693 sit1802 eOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Parker) anno 878 He..þær gefeaht wiþ alne þone here & hiene gefliemde, & him æfter rad oþ þæt geweorc & þær sæt xiiii niht. eOE Metres of Boethius (2009) xxvi. 16 Aulixes..an hund scipa lædde ofer lagustream, sæt longe ðær tyn winter full. 1720 A. Pope in tr. Homer Iliad V. xviii. 1461 The Besiegers sitting before the town, heard the Outcry. 1802 C. James New Mil. Dict. (at cited word) To sit before a fortified place; to lie encamped for the purpose of besieging it. 1926 C. V. Vaidya Hist. Medieval Hindu India III. vii. xxii. 357 For 11 months the army sat before it. 1969 G. Turton Builders of England's Glory viii. 110 As long as his army sat before Boulogne he could avoid battle. 8. a. intransitive. Of a bird: to perch, roost; (also) to rest the body on the ground or other surface. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > birds > actions or bird defined by > [verb (intransitive)] > perch sitOE jouka1400 perch?a1425 to go (also come) to roosta1529 roost1530 perka1598 the world > animals > birds > actions or bird defined by > [verb (intransitive)] > sit sitOE OE Phoenix 208 Þær se wilda fugel in þam westenne ofer heanne beam hus getimbreð... Siteð siþes fus. OE Genesis A (1931) 2160 Eacne fuglas [read Ac nefuglas] under beorhhleoþum blodig[e] sittað. c1275 (?c1250) Owl & Nightingale (Calig.) (1935) l. 89 Þu sittest adai & fliȝt aniȝt. ?a1300 Thrush & Nightingale (Digby) l. 106 in C. Brown Eng. Lyrics 13th Cent. (1932) 104 Fowel, þou sitest on hasel bou. c1450 ( Nightingale (Calig.) l. 97 in O. Glauning Minor Poems J. Lydgate (1900) 5 She a-lyght Ande singynge seet in myddes of the tre. 1568 in J. Small Poems W. Dunbar (1893) II. 305 That bird..satt, & tald me hir intent. 1613 S. Purchas Pilgrimage 748 The birds sit as thicke, as stones lie in a Paued street. 1713 J. Smith tr. Horace in Poems upon Several Occasions 161 Fowls of a rank, or feeble Wing, That springing rise for Game, or sit and sing. 1785 W. Cowper Task vi. 308 The stock-dove..Sits cooing in the pine-tree. 1803 Gazetteer Scotl. at Orkney Islands The cliffs on which the birds are sitting. 1991 P. Matthiessen Afr. Silences iii. 111 On a high tree sat a thickset white bird. b. intransitive. Of a bird: to take up or continue in the posture necessary for hatching eggs. Also figurative and in extended use (of a serpent). Also with on, upon.In older use frequently to sit abrood: see abrood adv. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > birds > egg > [verb (intransitive)] > sit or brood sit1483 brood1598 1483 Catholicon Anglicum (BL Add. 89074) (1881) 341 To Sytt on eggis, jncubare. ?1523 J. Fitzherbert Bk. Husbandry f. xlix All holefoted foules woll syt a moneth. 1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry iii. f. 158 When they sitte, with theyr vnruly spurres they breake theyr Egges. 1602 2nd Pt. Returne fr. Parnassus i. ii. 173 An old goose that sits hatching vp those eggs. 1608 E. Topsell Hist. Serpents 9 The serpent hauing layd her egge sitteth vpon them to hatch them at seuerall times. 1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost i. 21 Thou..Dove-like satst brooding on the vast Abyss And mad'st it pregnant. View more context for this quotation 1759 R. Brown Compl. Farmer 71 A hen sits twenty days. 1817 W. Scott Rob Roy III. viii. 237 Civil war is like a cockatrice; we have sitten hatching the egg that held it for ten years. 1850 D. J. Browne Amer. Poultry Yard 108 If a hen is really determined to sit, it is useless..to attempt to divert her from her object. 1903 Birds & Nature Sept. 61/2 The female bird, sitting on her nest, is rearing a suppositious and spurious progeny. 2012 Your Chickens Apr. 29/2 Nobody can say these hens won't sit. c. transitive. Of a hen or female bird: to incubate or hatch (eggs).Formerly also (English regional) in extended use (see quot. 1828) (obsolete). ΘΚΠ the world > animals > animal body > general parts > sexual organs and reproduction > [verb (transitive)] > incubate sit1545 couve1601 incubate1721 1545 G. Joye tr. P. Melanchthon in Expos. Daniel Ep. Ded. f. 2 These halcions..wil sitte their egges and hatche forth their chikens. 1600 R. Surflet tr. C. Estienne & J. Liébault Maison Rustique i. xvi. 107 Geese loue not almost to sit any but their owne egs. 1796 R. H. tr. G. C. Raff Syst. Nat. Hist. (Edinb. ed.) II. 14 How long does a hen sit her eggs before they be all hatched? 1828 W. Carr Dial. Craven (ed. 2) (at cited word) ‘He wad sit eggs,’ said of a person, who sits long in a neighbour's house, when his company might be well dispensed with. 1867 Jrnl. Royal Agric. Soc. 2nd Ser. 3 ii. 525 The hen will sit seventeen of her own eggs. 1934 Manch. Guardian 7 May 18/5 A swan doing sentry-go..while his mate sat her eggs. 2002 Racing Pigeon Pict. Internat. Aug. 13/3 They sit eggs for an eight day period. d. transitive. To cause (a female bird) to sit on eggs. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > farming > animal husbandry > keeping birds > poultry-keeping > rear poultry [verb (transitive)] > cause hen to sit setc1440 sit1805 1805 J. T. H. Des Carrières Chambaud's Nouveau Dict. (rev. ed.) I. sig. Nn4^v/2 Mettre des poules couver, to sit hens. 1891 T. Hardy Tess of the D'Urbervilles II. xxvi. 66 Ought she not..to..know how to sit hens and turkeys..? 1960 ‘M. Reynolds’ Farmer's Wife 50 In those days, as soon as Christmas was over we renewed the battery of orange-boxes in the old stable and started to sit hens as fast as they would go broody. 9. a. intransitive. Of an animal: to rest the body in a manner analogous to that of a seated person; spec. (of a dog) to assume an upright seated position with the hindquarters on the ground, in response to a command. Also (in quot. 1749) figurative: cf. sitting adj. 1d(a). ΘΚΠ the world > animals > by habits or actions > habits and actions > [verb (intransitive)] > rest as a seated person sitOE OE Old Eng. Hexateuch: Gen. (Claud.) xxix. 2 Ða geseah he ðær anne pytt on þam lande, & ðreo heorda sceapa sittende wið þone pytt [L. tresque greges ovium accubantes iuxta eum]. a1275 Body & Soul (Trin. Cambr. B.14.39) l. 123 in A. S. M. Clark Seint Maregrete & Body & Soul (Ph.D. diss., Univ. of Michigan) (1972) 143 Virmes sitten on his bresd and eten of is chin. a1300 (?c1250) Owl & Nightingale (Jesus Oxf.) (1935) l. 86 Þe were i cundere to one frogge Þat sit at Mulne vnder cogge. c1440 (a1400) Awntyrs Arthure (Thornton) l. 120 Cerkelytt withe serpentes, þat satt by hir sydes. ?1523 J. Fitzherbert Bk. Husbandry f. xii The shepe..wyll folowe those stakes as he flytteth them and syt by them. ?1575 E. Hellowes tr. A. de Guevara Familiar Epist. (new ed.) 148 Perceyuing that monstrous Lion sitting at the entrance of the caue..: the teares presently fell from myne eyes. 1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost v. 25 How the Bee Sits on the Bloom. View more context for this quotation 1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones II. v. x. 205 This alone must have abundantly satisfied Jones that he was (to use the Language of Sportsmen) found sitting . View more context for this quotation 1792 S. Gunning Anecd. Delborough Family I. xiv. 183 Dogs, monkeys, birds, and squirrels of fashion..would sit on their lady's toilet. 1856 ‘Stonehenge’ Man. Brit. Rural Sports i. ii. vi. 139 It is very desirable to find the hare sitting, because she may otherwise sit so close as to be ‘chopped’. 1897 Strand Mag. Sept. 293/2 The spider..sits unconcerned but watchful in the centre or hub of her snare. 1959 Stars & Stripes (European ed.) 10 Feb. 12/1 (caption) Mrs. Woodhouse can teach a dog to sit and stay in a single day. 2005 Daily Tel. 12 Feb. 10 The cat is sitting on my lap. b. intransitive. In imperative. As an instruction to a dog. ΚΠ 1881 Forest & Stream 29 Dec. 434/1 Force his hind parts down while you hold up his head, at the same time telling him to ‘sit’. 1924 R. Arundel Police Dogs & their Training ii. 22 When the dog stops sitting look at him, and with your index finger raised command ‘sit’. 1961 C. Willock Death in Covert iv. 85 ‘Sit, Scrub, SIT.’ Aided by a hefty clout on the rump, Scrub miraculously sat. 2013 J. Scalzi Human Div. vii. 222 ‘Tuffy! Sit!’ Wilson said. The dog sat. †10. a. transitive. Scottish, English regional (northern), and Irish English (northern). To remain seated or inactive in the face of (a call); (hence) to disregard, neglect, pay no heed or attention to (a command, call, etc.). Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the mind > attention and judgement > inattention > ignoring, disregard > ignore, disregard [verb (transitive)] > refuse to hear unheara1300 sitc1300 to tune out1928 to sign off1957 c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) l. 2567 Was non þat euere his bode sat, For he him dredde swiþe sore. 1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid iv. vi. 6 Astonist he was to site so hie ane charge. 1572 (a1500) Taill of Rauf Coilȝear (1882) 99 Durst scho neuer sit summoundis that scho hard him say. a1585 A. Montgomerie Flyting with Polwart 67 Sit thou this charge,..The second sall bee something sairer. a1653 Z. Boyd Zion's Flowers (1855) 43 Let Cities learne of Ninive the great, For to repent, and not God's summons sit. 1699 T. Boston Soliloquy Art of Man-fishing (1900) 61 I did a long time sit the call of the church. 1742 E. Erskine Serm. in Wks. (1871) III. 58 His bowels are shut against me: I have sitten his call so often. 1856 G. Henderson Pop. Rhymes Berwick 43 I sat that bidding, but I've rued it ay sin syne. 1890 D. A. Simmons S. Donegal Gloss. in Sc. National Dict. (1971) VIII. at Sit ‘Sit a summons’, to disobey a summons by neglecting to appear in court. b. intransitive. Scottish. To refrain from taking action; to wait; to delay. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > expectation > expectation, waiting > wait, await [verb (intransitive)] bidec1000 onbideOE abidelOE sustainc1350 tarry1390 await1393 to wait for1577 hearken1580 attend1589 sit1591 wait and see1719 to wait on1773 to hold one's (also the) breath1987 the world > time > a suitable time or opportunity > untimeliness > delay or postponement > delay [verb (intransitive)] geleOE studegieOE abideOE to do in or a (= on) fristc1175 dwellc1175 demurc1230 targec1250 dretcha1325 tarrya1375 sojourn1377 defer1382 letc1385 hinderc1386 blina1400 delay?a1400 honea1400 litea1400 overbidea1400 prolongc1425 supersede1433 hoverc1440 tarrowc1480 sunyie1488 stay?a1500 sleep1519 slack1530 protract1540 linger1548 procrastinate1548 slackc1560 slug1565 jauk1568 temporize1579 detract1584 longering1587 sit1591 prorogue1593 to time it out1613 to lie out1640 crastinate1656 taigle17.. to hang fire1782 to hold off1790 to hang it on1819 prevaricate1854 to lie over1856 to tread water1942 to drag one's feet1946 1591 R. Bruce Serm. Edinb. sig. S8^v Why hath he [sc. God] sitten, bot to see gif his enemies wil repent? 1603 Thre Prestis of Peblis (Charteris) (1920) 52 Is nane sa wicht, na wyse, na of sik wit Agane his summond suithly that may sit. a1622 J. Welch 48 Select Serm. (1744) i. 9 Wo to the Soul that shall sit till this Time of Grace pass over, and will not come in in Time. †11. transitive. Originally: to keep one's seat beneath (a blow or stroke). Subsequently also: to endure, bear; to put up with. Also with indirect object indicating the person inflicting the blow: see quot. a1470. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > difficulty > opposition > oppose [verb (transitive)] > resist withstandc888 withsake971 forstanda1000 to stand again ——OE withsetc1000 again-standOE to stand againOE warnc1175 wiþerhaldec1175 atstandc1220 astand1250 withsitc1300 sitc1325 asitc1330 (it) may well withc1395 reversea1400 resist1417 ofstandc1425 onstandc1425 gainstand?c1450 endure1470 obsista1475 repugna1513 recountera1525 occur1531 desist1548 impugn1577 obstrigillate1623 counter-stand1648 stem1675 repique1687 to make face to1807 to fight off1833 to stick up1838 bay1848 withstay1854 buck1857 c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) l. 2898 Þer nas so god kniȝt non nour aboute france Þat in ioustes ssolde sitte þe dunt of is lance. a1470 T. Malory Morte Darthur (Winch. Coll. 13) (1990) II. 639 None..but yf hit were sir Trystram othir sir Launcelot other ellys sir Lameroke..myght sytte hym a buffette with a speare. a1631 J. Donne Serm. (1953) VI. 351 First, God turns their Rivers into blood; Pharaoh sits that proces, and more. 1640 tr. G. S. du Verdier Love & Armes Greeke Princes i. 50 Being unable to sit the shock of fowr lances,..he was unhorsed. 1777 F. Burney Early Diary (1889) II. 183 It was so ill done, that he could not sit it, so he came out before it was half over. 1848 J. H. Newman Loss & Gain xviii. 273 And he's so positive..; it is quite unpleasant, I don't know how to sit it sometimes. 1859 C. Reade Love me Little (1868) vii. 88 Ladies, whose hearts are in dress, have no taste for books however frivolous; can't sit them above a second or two. †12. intransitive. To rest the body on the knees; to be in a kneeling posture. More fully to sit on one's knees: see Phrases 1. Obsolete. ΚΠ c1450 Alphabet of Tales (1904) I. 15 As he satt in his prayers, hym þoght [etc.]. 1518 in Yorks. Archæol. & Topogr. Jrnl. (1873) 2 381 iij pure women to sit at y^e herse & pray. 13. a. intransitive. To remain in a fixed, seated position for the purpose of having one's portrait painted or otherwise captured. Now chiefly with for (one's portrait), to or for (a painter). ΘΚΠ society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > painting and drawing > painting > painting according to subject > make subject for painting [verb (intransitive)] > paint portrait > sit for portrait sit1538 1538 T. Cromwell in R. B. Merriman Life & Lett. T. Cromwell (1902) II. 122 It may please you..to sit so longe..that a seruaunt of the kinges highnes..may take your phisionomie. 1584 J. Lyly Alexander, Campaspe, & Diogenes iv. ii. sig. E The misfortune I had with your picture, will put you to some paines, to sitte againe to be painted. c1660 J. Evelyn Diary anno 1641 (1955) II. 29 I sate to one Vanderborcht for my Picture in Oyle. 1666 S. Pepys Diary 17 Mar. (1972) VII. 74 This day I begun to sit, and he will make me, I think, a very fine picture. 1775 J. Granger Biogr. Hist. Eng. (ed. 2) IV. 248 James II... The king was sitting for this picture, when he received the news that the prince of Orange was landed. 1894 H. P. Liddon et al. Life E. B. Pusey I. Pref. p. x Dr. Pusey persistently refused to sit for this portrait. 1960 C. Beaton Diary Feb. in Self Portrait with Friends (1979) xxii. 324 But that's what's so awful about having to sit to Lucian... He makes you sit by the hour without moving an eyelash, and I find sitting very unnerving, exhausting work. 2006 H. Holzer in H. Holzer et al. Emancipation Proclamation 100 The first time a president of the United States sat for a photographer inside the executive mansion. 2010 M. Cryer Common Phrases 294 Cromwell sat for a portrait by Sir Peter Lely. b. intransitive. To serve as a model for a figure in a painting or a character in a novel. Also more generally: to serve as a model for a painting. Also figurative. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > painting and drawing > equipment for painting or drawing > [verb (intransitive)] > serve as model sita1652 society > leisure > the arts > literature > prose > narrative or story > fiction > tell or write fiction [verb (intransitive)] > serve as model for character sit1763 a1652 R. Brome Court Begger iii. i. sig. Q2 in Five New Playes (1653) I could sit for the naked Shepherdesse, with one Leg over the tother Knee. 1673 R. Leigh Transproser Rehears'd 35 Imagining, as he well might, that he had sat for the Coffee-house Sign. 1763 Ann. Reg. 1762 ii. 18 Mr. Young, a learned..friend of..Fielding's, sat for parson Adams. 1785 W. Cowper Task iv. 526 Airy dreams Sat for the picture; and the poet's hand..Impos'd a gay delirium for a truth. 1838 Spectator 5 May 423/2 The conscious air of the pretty peasant girl sitting for the Virgin.., and the listlessness of the wearied models..complete the verisimilitude. 1972 Clogher Rec. 7 466 He tells us, in the preface to the last edition.., that the individual who sat for the character of Honor O'Donovan..was his own mother. 2014 R. B. Marchesani & E. M. Stern Saints & Rogues 151 The same model sat for the face of the Savior and that of the traitor, Judas. c. transitive. To place (a subject) in position for being photographed. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > photography > action of taking photograph > photograph [verb (transitive)] > place subject in position sit1873 1873 Photogr. Mosaics 67 The most natural way to light persons, would be to sit them out of doors. 1890 Internat. Ann. Anthonys Photogr. Bull. 92 We sit a stranger immediately he comes in, knowing absolutely nothing what manner of man he is of. 1988 M. Endicott in G. Ursell Sky High 104 When we were ready to sit, she sat us, took some pictures, re-sat us and took more. 14. a. transitive. To keep one's seat on (a horse); to ride (a horse). Later also in extended use: to keep one's seat on (any moving thing). ΘΚΠ society > travel > transport > riding on horse (or other animal) > ride (a horse or other animal) [verb (transitive)] sit1542 saddle1551 carry1613 endorsea1637 set1648 1542 N. Udall tr. Erasmus Apophthegmes f. 276 He would not suffre any bodye to sitte hym, or gette up on his backe. 1623 W. Shakespeare & J. Fletcher Henry VIII iv. ii. 16 He..grew so ill He could not sit his Mule. View more context for this quotation 1662 J. Davies tr. A. Olearius Voy. & Trav. Ambassadors 285 The King return'd..so Drunk, as were also most of his Lords, that they could hardly sit their Horses. 1762 J. Wesley Jrnl. 30 Mar. It was difficult to sit our horses. 1814 J. Austen Mansfield Park II. ii. 33 Poor old coachman would attend us..though he was hardly able to sit the box on account of the rheumatism. View more context for this quotation 1836 M. M. Sherwood Henry Milner iii. v Edgar sits a horse as well as any young man in England. 1977 New Yorker 11 July 19/1 She sits a bicycle with the feckless insouciance of an eleven-year-old. 1994 C. McCarthy Crossing (1995) iv. 370 The rider sat the horse and looked about the courtyard. b. transitive. To balance (a boat) with one's weight, while remaining seated. ΘΚΠ society > travel > travel by water > directing or managing a ship > direct or manage ship [verb (transitive)] > sit expertly in (a boat) so as to balance it sit1829 1829 Bell's Life in London 27 Dec. 3/5 The rowing of Williams..is any thing but pleasant: he sits a boat awkwardly, and appears to have all the work on his arms. 1866 Routledge's Every Boy's Ann. 66 They sit their boat, and keep time as if they were two clock-work figures. 1934 Times 30 Jan. 5/4 Though some members of the crew are naturally clumsy, they sit the boat well. 2017 @tkcarter82 5 Jan. in twitter.com (accessed 14 Nov. 2017) If you're sitting the boat for exercises you should be putting pressure on the water to keep boat stable. †15. transitive. To stay till the end of (an activity, a fixed period, etc.); = to sit out 2a at Phrasal verbs 1. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > time > duration > have duration [verb (transitive)] > outstay or overstay outdwell1600 overstand1600 sit1602 to ride out1603 outstaya1616 overstay1641 outsit1661 tarry outa1662 stay1749 to sit out1752 to overstay one's welcome1858 stay1858 1602 N. Breton Wonders Worth Hearing sig. D Hauing a faggot before me, which I meant to sit the burning out of, I heard..two or three laughing very hartely. 1784 Laura & Augustus III. 16 We soon after this returned home, not chusing to sit the entertainment. 1845 P. Still Cottar's Sunday 36 Neebours roun', whan Robin teuk it, Swore he wadna sit his lease. 1891 Notes & Queries 28 Mar. 245/2 If they choose to sit the service, they should at least ‘stand’ something towards the expenses. 16. British and Irish English. a. intransitive. To be a candidate for a fellowship at a university. Now chiefly historical, except as a specific (elliptical) use of sense 16b (in cases where fellowships are obtained by competitive examination).In early use (before the 19th century) chiefly with reference to Cambridge. ΚΠ 1748 L. Pilkington Mem. I. 96 Were your Wife and you to sit for a Fellowship, I would give her one sooner than admit you a Sizar. 1830 S. Butler Let. in S. Butler Life & Lett. S. Butler (1896) I. xxii. 371 Tom will be at Cambridge to sit for a fellowship at St. John's. 1971 J. T. Wilkinson Arthur Samuel Peake ii. 32 In October 1890 Peake sat for the Merton College Fellowship and was successful. 1991 Daily Mail 21 June 32/2 Jacob took a First and was invited to sit for a fellowship. b. intransitive. To present oneself for examination; to take an examination. Usually with for. ΘΚΠ society > education > educational administration > examination > examine [verb (intransitive)] > sit sit1830 to go up1842 1830 S. Butler Let. in S. Butler Life & Lett. S. Butler (1896) I. xxii. 371 I had only two men to sit at the Classical Tripos. 1886 App. Jrnls. House of Representatives N.Z. (3rd Sess. 9th Parl.) II. E.–1A 1 The candidates who sat for the full examination—as distinguished from the 202 candidates who sat for completion—may be divided as follows. 1929 R. Graves Good-bye to all That xxvii. 362 My tutor..warned me that I must on no account disparage the eighteenth century when I sat for my final examination. 1963 R. Pedley Comprehensive School i. 14 In some of the 3900 ‘modern’ schools in England and Wales it is possible for the cleverer pupils to sit for GCE at ordinary level. 1968 G. Maxwell Raven seek thy Brother viii. 102 I appealed to my guardian to be allowed to retire..from the scene on the grounds of ill-health... The refusal was absolute..; I was to sit for my degree, no matter what the outcome. 2015 M. J. M. Zagood in A. Akbarov Pract. of Foreign Lang. Teaching 403 Students need to sit for exams twice each semester. c. transitive. To take (an examination). ΘΚΠ society > education > educational administration > examination > examine a candidate [verb (transitive)] > take examination to go in1845 sit1859 write1943 1859 N. Wales Chron. 5 Mar. Suppl. There are dozens of certified National Schoolmasters in Wales, who..even are not allowed now to sit an examination for Welsh alone. 1898 Library 10 239 Out of 44 students, 13 sat the Examination. 1966 Rep. Comm. Inq. (Univ. of Oxf.) II. 152 Collections are college examinations, usually sat at the beginning of a term. 2014 M. Henderson Geek Manifesto vi. 146 Only the most able pupils generally sit more than three A-levels. 17. †a. transitive. Originally English regional. To keep (a person) company in sitting; (hence also) to court. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ society > society and the community > social relations > association, fellowship, or companionship > a companion or associate > accompany or associate with [verb (transitive)] seeOE to bear (a person) company (also fellowship, etc.)c1225 mella1300 fellowshipa1382 companya1400 accompany1461 to keep company (with)1502 encompanya1513 to keep (a person) company1517 to take repast1517 assist1553 to take up with1570 rempare1581 to go along with1588 amate1590 bear1590 to fall in1593 consort1598 second1600 to walk (also travel) in the way with1611 comitate1632 associate1644 enhaunt1658 join1713 assort1823 sit1828 companionize1870 to take tea with1888 to knock about with1915 tote1977 fere- 1828 W. Carr Dial. Craven (ed. 2) II. at Sit ‘To sit a woman’, to keep company with her, to court, or to sit up with her during the night ; a too common practice in this district, which is no less disgraceful to the parent than to the child to allow. 1879 G. Meredith Egoist II. ii. 34 I will undertake to sit you through it up to morning. b. transitive. To act as a babysitter for (a child). Also in extended use. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > safety > protection or defence > care, protection, or charge > care for, protect, or have charge of [verb (transitive)] > take care of or look after > specifically a person > a child in parents' absence mind1839 sit1950 babysit1962 childmind1969 1950 Here & Now (N.Z.) Nov. 28/2 He is a nice domestic chap: speaks on international affairs; helps old ladies across the street; can sit a baby. 1971 ‘E. Fenwick’ Impeccable People xx. 110 He can help sit Granny, too. 2016 T. Fletcher In Midnight Hour (2017) iii. 30 Catherine employed Wilson to sit her own children while she went to work. c. intransitive. To babysit. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > safety > protection or defence > care, protection, or charge > care or protect [verb (intransitive)] > act as baby-sitter babysit1946 sit1954 childmind1975 1954 Washington Post 28 Nov. 3 s/2 Members..must sit or call for a sitter at least once a month. 1975 M. Bradbury Hist. Man vii. 121 I'll have to get a sitter... I shouldn't have any trouble finding someone to sit. One of the students. 2005 P. Friedmann Side Effects (2006) vi. 52 The kids had to do their homework, and I didn't think this was a night I could ask Ciana to sit for me. 18. intransitive. To sit down in a public place as a form of protest; to take part in a sit-down protest. Cf. to sit down 12 at Phrasal verbs 1. ΘΚΠ society > authority > lack of subjection > rebelliousness > militancy > be militant [verb (intransitive)] > demonstrate or protest > specific to sit down1936 to sit in1937 sit1959 to take a (also the) knee1960 1959 Washington Post 19 Oct. a3/5 (headline) Students sit in protest. 1961 Daily Tel. 21 Oct. 7/1 A tailor..was yesterday preparing to ‘sit’ for nine years, if necessary, in the path of a £1,500,000 redevelopment scheme. 1970 P. Laurie Scotl. Yard x. 259 The demonstrators..could ‘sit’ as long as they liked. 2004 Daily Oklahoman (Nexis) 3 July 1 a (caption) Demonstrators sit in protest in this 1961 photograph taken in downtown Oklahoma City. 19. transitive. North American Sport. Esp. of a coach or manager: to exclude (a player) from a team or squad; to leave on the bench; (also) to remove (a player) from a game. Cf. bench v.¹ 3d.Cf. to sit down 13 at Phrasal verbs 1, to sit out 1c at Phrasal verbs 1. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of play, actions, or postures > [verb (transitive)] > other actions or types of play outshoot1545 football1599 pitch1717 make1819 to warm up1868 to draw out1893 bench1898 foot1900 cover1907 cannonball1911 telegraph1913 unsight1923 snap1951 to sit out1955 pike1956 to sit down1956 wrong-foot1960 blindside1968 sit1977 1977 Daily Texan 14 Oct. 15 Normally, I don't sit him against left-handed pitching, unless it's a guy like (Paul) Splittorff, whom Reggie can't hit. 1998 P. Summitt & S. Jenkins Raise Roof viii. 179 I'm not going to tolerate your moods any more. You want to play, you play hard, you hear me? Or I'll sit you for the rest of the season. 2019 Mercury News (Calif.) (Nexis) 22 May He then only played 18 minutes in Game 3 against Portland before the Warriors decided to sit him with 7:50 left in the third quarter. II. To be placed or situated, and related uses. 20. a. Of a thing: to have its location; to be situated or placed.Frequently with on or upon: see to sit on —— 2a at Phrasal verbs 2, to sit upon —— 2 at Phrasal verbs 2. (a) intransitive. With reference to a material object. ΘΚΠ the world > space > place > position or situation > be positioned or situated [verb (intransitive)] resteOE standOE sitOE liec1121 inhabitc1384 settlea1400 couchc1400 biga1425 loutc1460 residea1475 innc1475 contain1528 consist1542 seatc1580 situate1583 lodge1610 site1616 subsist1618 station1751 OE tr. Pseudo-Apuleius Herbarium (Vitell.) (1984) ii. 42 Be æghwylcum uncuþum blædrum ðe on mannes nebbe sittað nim wegbrædan sæd, drig to duste & gnid, meng wið smeoru.., smyre þæt neb mid. c1390 (a1376) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Vernon) (1867) A. viii. l. 129 I..sauh þe sonne sitte souþ euene þat tyme. ?a1425 (c1400) Mandeville's Trav. (Titus C.xvi) (1919) 5 The euyll town þat sytt toward the end of hungarye. 1504 in S. Tymms Wills & Inventories Bury St. Edmunds (1850) 102 The which tenement syttyth and lyyth by y^e tenement of John Clerk. 1570 in J. Cranstoun Satirical Poems Reformation (1891) I. xxii. 54 The forkit Clauer besyde the Croce that sittis. 1619 W. Phillip tr. W. C. Schouten Relation Wonderfull Voiage 17 The great ship sat with her side vpon the cliffes. 1742 Defoe's Tour Great Brit. (ed. 3) I. vi. 292 The Town sits in the Bottom of a great Bay. 1869 A. J. Evans Vashti xx. 267 In the room where the coffin sat wreathed with flowers. 1977 Oxf. Jrnl. 10 June 1/5 There were a dozen eggs still sitting on the front porch and the dustbin sat at the back of the house where the binmen had left it. 2008 T. Peters Kids on Case v. 41 I saw two old wooden chairs sitting in the middle of the floor. (b) intransitive. With reference to something immaterial. ΚΠ OE Wærferð tr. Gregory Dialogues (Corpus Cambr.) (1900) iii. xxxiv. 245 Þæt Axa sæt ofer þam eosole, þæt getacnað, þæt si [read seo] rihtgewittuge sawl siteð on þam lichaman. a1350 in G. L. Brook Harley Lyrics (1968) 35 Ofte in song y haue hem set, þat is vnsemly þer hit syt. Hit syt ant semeþ noht þer hit ys seid in song. 1561 T. Norton tr. J. Calvin Inst. Christian Relig. i. f. 6^v There dooe sitte in the soule those powers that I haue spoken of before. 1645 J. Milton Il Penseroso in Poems 38 Thy rapt soul sitting in thine eyes. 1655 J. Bisco Grand Triall of True Conversion 225 These earthly thoughts sit neerest to their hearts. 1793 R. Burns Poems & Songs (1968) II. 682 Love sits in her smile, a wizard ensnaring. a1822 P. B. Shelley Charles I ii, in Wks. (1870) II. 379 Mark you what spirit sits in St. John's eyes? 2015 Guardian (Nexis) 24 June This idea has always sat at the back of my mind. b. intransitive. With adverb or adjective complement. Of a thing: to be placed or positioned in a specified way. ΚΠ ?c1335 in W. Heuser Kildare-Gedichte (1904) 101 Þe sterris þat þou sest so briȝte, In heuen aboue..sit so fast. c1450 Mandeville's Trav. (Coventry) (1973) l. 2446 (MED) His hede is liche a bore With longe tuskis sittinge bifore. 1572 L. Mascall Bk. Plant & Graffe Trees 33 See that it [sc. your graffes] doe sit close vpon the stocke heade. 1654 Z. Coke Art of Logick To Rdr. sig. a8 The numerous Tomes of the Times,..which serve but..to make the world sit straight about you. 1677 F. Sandford Geneal. Hist. Kings Eng. v. ii. 363 His Crown sat tottering on his Head. 1697 W. Dampier New Voy. around World xii. 327 That part that comes up to their Wastes.., they..twist it till it sits close to their Wastes. 1739 C. Labelye Short Acct. Piers Westm. Bridge 30 We sunk the Caisson a second time, and found it to bed itself, or sit perfectly level upon the hard Gravel. 1844 H. W. Beecher Seven Lect. to Young Men i. 5 So gaudily dressed, his hat sitting aslant upon a wilderness of hair. 1878 D. Kemp Man. Yacht & Boat Sailing 368/2 Sails are said to ‘sit’ well when they do not girt, pucker, belly, or shake. 1958 Listener 28 Aug. 309/3 Slots must be cut in the bottom half of them [sc. the horizontal pieces] where they meet the posts, so that they will sit nicely. 1991 J. Galloway Scenes from Life No. 27 in Blood (1992) 116 A modern armchair sits squarely in front of this unit. c. transitive. To set or place (a thing) in a specified position.rare before the 19th century. ΘΚΠ the world > space > place > placing or fact of being placed in (a) position > place or put in a position [verb (transitive)] doeOE layc950 seta1000 puta1225 dight1297 pilt?a1300 stow1362 stick1372 bestowc1374 affichea1382 posec1385 couchc1386 dressa1387 assize1393 yarkc1400 sita1425 place1442 colloque1490 siegea1500 stake1513 win1515 plat1529 collocate1548 campc1550 posit1645 posture1645 constitute1652 impose1681 sist1852 shove1902 spot1937 a1425 (?a1400) G. Chaucer Romaunt Rose (Hunterian) (1891) l. 2371 Therfore in oo place it [sc. thyn herte] sitte [Fr. metes] And lat it neuere thannys flitte. 1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 719/1 Syt these glasses of rose water a sonnynge. 1839 L. Bryan Kentucky Housewife 377 Then empty them, rinse them in clean cold water, and sit them in the sun during the day. 1900 Harper's Bazaar 13 Jan. 42/3 Wilhelmina sat it [sc. a chair] upright and put her mother on it. 1994 Guns & Shooting June 37/3 The grip..does sit the gun quite high in the hand which magnifies recoil. 2014 K. L. Burrell In Arms of Steele xiv. 184 I reach into my purse and pull out a very neatly wrapped gift and sit it in front of Kellen. †21. a. transitive. To affect (a person) in a specified way (hard, near, sore, etc.); esp. to distress, vex, or grieve (a person). Obsolete.Originally with dative of person affected. ΘΚΠ the mind > emotion > suffering > cause of mental pain or suffering > cause mental pain or suffering to [verb (transitive)] heavyc897 pineeOE aileOE sorryeOE traya1000 sorrowOE to work (also do) (a person) woeOE angerc1175 smarta1200 to work, bake, brew balec1200 derve?c1225 grieve?c1225 sitc1225 sweam?c1225 gnawc1230 sughc1230 troublec1230 aggrievea1325 to think sweama1325 unframea1325 anguish1340 teen1340 sowa1352 distrainc1374 to-troublea1382 strain1382 unglad1390 afflicta1393 paina1393 distressa1400 hita1400 sorea1400 assayc1400 remordc1400 temptc1400 to sit (or set) one sorec1420 overthrow?a1425 visit1424 labour1437 passionc1470 arraya1500 constraina1500 misgrievea1500 attempt1525 exagitate1532 to wring to the worse1542 toil1549 lament1580 adolorate1598 rankle1659 try1702 to pass over ——1790 upset1805 to touch (also get, catch, etc.) (a person) on the raw1823 to put (a person) through it1855 bludgeon1888 to get to ——1904 to put through the hoop(s)1919 c1225 (?c1200) Hali Meiðhad (Bodl.) (1940) l. 56 To don al & drehen þet him likeð, ne sitte hit hire se uuele. c1390 in C. Brown Relig. Lyrics 14th Cent. (1924) 138 (MED) Siknesse sitteþ me so sare..serwe wol neiȝ myn herte slo. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Fairf. 14) l. 24342 Our sorowing..satte vs baþ in flesshe & bane. 1488 (c1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) vi. l. 24 Ȝeit he desyrd the thing that sat him sor. 1532 (a1475) Assemble of Ladies in Wks. G. Chaucer f. ccxcvii^v/2 She felte great dysplesaunce..And no wonder, it sate her passynge nere. c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 37^v Sothely your suster sittes vs not so harde. a1542 T. Wyatt Coll. Poems (1969) xvii. 8 But rather restore it mannerly,..For to lese it it sitteth me to neere. b. transitive. To cost (a person) a certain amount. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ society > trade and finance > management of money > expenditure > spend or incur expense [verb (intransitive)] > cost costen?c1225 costc1384 sitc1400 c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. iii. l. 48 We han a wyndowe a wirchyng wil sitten vs wel [emended in ed. to ful] heigh. a1450 in J. Kail 26 Polit. Poems (1904) 85 Mannys loue sat me so sore, Nas neuere bargayn derrere bouȝt. 22. a. Of clothes. (a) intransitive. To fit (well, tightly, etc.). Frequently with prepositions, as about, on, to. Also in extended use (of other things). Cf. sitting adj. 4. ΘΚΠ the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > types or styles of clothing > [verb (intransitive)] > fit tightly sitc1225 spen13.. pinch1693 felter1768 to fit like wax1859 c1225 (?c1200) St. Margaret (Bodl.) (1934) 44 Feierlec & strengðe beoð hise schrudes, & igurd he is ham on, þet a cumeliche fearen & semliche sitten. a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) l. 2592 Þe skinnes sat saddeli sowed to hem boþe. a1470 T. Malory Morte Darthur (Winch. Coll. 13) (1990) II. 459 His overgarmente sate overthwartely. a1500 Roberd of Cisyle (Cambr. Ff.2.38) (1879) l. 286 (MED) All men wondurde fro whens he came, So well hys rayment sate hym one. 1593 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie Pref.18 Which cloake sitteth no lesse fit on the backe of their cause, then of the Anabaptists. 1602 T. Heywood How Man may chuse Good Wife sig. F4 He is such a slouen, That nothing will sit handsome about him. 1751 R. Paltock Life Peter Wilkins I. xx. 201 Tho' it had not one Plait about the Body, it sat very tight thereto. 1799 J. Austen Let. 8 Jan. (2011) 34 My Gown is made very much like my blue one, which you always told me sat very well. 1819 W. Scott Ivanhoe I. iii. 51 A close dress of scarlet which sate tight to his body. 1851 Eliza Cook's Jrnl. 19 July 177 Throwing also an occasional look down..his new Californian trowsers, seeing that they ‘sit’ well. 1884 G. Allen Philistia I. 52 Now just turn round and show me how it sits behind. 1990 Catch Feb. 52/1 I also have to..actually dress the model to make sure the clothes sit well. 2007 Wire May 61/3 Line it up alongside The Advisory Circle or the more eldritch sections of Position Normal's albums, and it sits just fine. †(b) transitive. To fit or suit (a person, etc.). Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > [verb (intransitive)] > fit sita1400 a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 15286 Wit a tuell he belted him His side sitand ful mete. ?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Petyt) (1996) l. 658 Do þan þat lady witte how iuels wile hir sitte. a1764 R. Lloyd Poet. Wks. (1774) II. 38 Suppose For once you wear the begger's clothes;..Bless me, they sit you to a hair. 1827 T. Carlyle tr. J. P. F. Richter in German Romance III. 129 Her morning-promenade dress of white muslin,..but, adds she, it will not sit her. 1894 R. O. Heslop Northumberland Words II. 644 The coat sits him weel. b. intransitive. figurative. With adjectival or adverbial complement. Of an attitude, opinion, practice, etc.: to suit a person (well, etc.). With †about, on, †to, or upon specifying the person. ΚΠ ?1608 S. Lennard tr. P. Charron Of Wisdome i. xiv. 64 If he be a friend, all sits well about him, his vices shall be vertues. a1726 J. Vanbrugh Journey to London (1728) ii. i. 25 La. Ara. Do you ever play at hazard, Clarinda? Clar. Never; I don't think it sits well upon Women. 1821 W. Scott Kenilworth I. vii. 156 Her little air of precision sits so well upon her. 1862 T. Carlyle Hist. Friedrich II of Prussia III. xi. i. 35 A light stoicism sits gracefully on him. 1907 Youth's Compan. 9 May 20/2 An air of fragility sat upon her becomingly. 1998 Financial Post (Canada) 19 Feb. 14 This kind of arrogance doesn't sit well on Harper. c. intransitive. Without complement: to feel natural or comfortable. ΚΠ 1964 G. C. Kunzle Parallel Bars ix. 410 Make certain that you can do an individual movement with perfect technique before you include it in the exercise. Then try it out in minor competitions until it ‘sits’. 1971 B. Graham Spy Trap ii. 19 It was too pat, too smug, like a well-turned-out radio script. It didn't sit. 2015 S. Alderson Out of Control 91 It doesn't sit comfortably. It doesn't sit at all, actually. And I question it daily. †23. Usually with non-referential it and infinitive or that-clause. To suit (a person or thing); to be suitable, fitting, proper, or seemly for (a person or thing). Cf. sitting adj. 5. a. transitive, and intransitive with for, till, or to indicating the party affected. Cf. to sit with —— 2 at Phrasal verbs 2. Obsolete. ΚΠ a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) i. l. 273 It sit a prest to be wel thewed. c1405 (c1390) G. Chaucer Shipman's Tale (Hengwrt) (1871) l. 1353 But sith I am a wyf, it sit nat me To tellen no wight of oure priuetee. c1425 J. Lydgate Troyyes Bk. (Augustus A.iv) i. l. 3860 (MED) To ȝouthe, force and hardines sitte. c1440 Prose Life Alexander (Thornton) (1913) 72 It sitteȝ noȝte till an emperour..to lose his men þus. c1475 Gregory's Chron. in J. Gairdner Hist. Coll. Citizen London (1876) 129 As hyt syttythe and semyþe so worthy a prynce and a pryncesse. 1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 719/2 It sytteth nat for your estate to weare so fyne furres. 1584 T. Lodge Alarum against Vsurers f. 39^v I doo..but now complaine of those, Who practise that that sits not their degree. 1604 M. Sutcliffe Full Answer to N. D. iii. x. 322 It sitteth not well for bastards, and barking hel-hounds.., to obiect either bastardy, or barking. b. intransitive. Without prepositional phrase. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ society > morality > dueness or propriety > [verb (intransitive)] shallc700 behovec1175 fallc1175 sita1393 fit1574 the world > relative properties > order > agreement, harmony, or congruity > suitability or appropriateness > be suitable, appropriate, or suit [verb (intransitive)] fayc1300 sita1393 applya1450 fadec1475 frame?1518 agree1534 compete?1541 fadge1578 suit1589 apt1596 suit1601 quadrate1670 gee1699 a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) iii. l. 1674 Yit sit it wel that thou eschuie That thou the Court noght overhaste. ?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Petyt) (1996) i. l. 14888 Þei mette..to conseile þer and to wite how þat þing best mot site. a1500 (a1450) tr. Secreta Secret. (Ashm. 396) (1977) 83 (MED) It sitteth [L. decet] þat þu chese thy scribes and writers þat have perfeccion, in eloquence ornat and in recordacion sotill. 1573 G. Gascoigne Hundreth Sundrie Flowres 345 It sitteth not, A Prince hir selfe to iudge the cause. 1579 E. Spenser Shepheardes Cal. Nov. 26 The Nightingale is souereigne of song, Before him sits the Titmose silent bee. c. transitive. With well as complement. Esp. in it sits you (also him, her, etc.) well. Obsolete (Scottish and English regional (northern) and literary in later use). ΘΚΠ the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > [verb (intransitive)] > sit or hang sita1393 set1804 a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) iv. l. 2335 It sit him wel that he travaile Upon som thing which mihte availe. c1400 J. Gower Eng. Wks. (1901) II. 483 It sit hem wel to do pite and grace. a1425 (?a1400) G. Chaucer Romaunt Rose (Hunterian) (1891) l. 750 It sat hir wondir wel to synge. 1489 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (Adv.) i. 394 In spek sumdeill wlispyt he; Bot that sat him rycht wondre weill. 1557 Earl of Surrey et al. Songes & Sonettes (new ed.) f. 39 It sits me well myne absent wealth me semes for to lament. 1846 W. E. Brockett J. T. Brockett's Gloss. North Country Words (ed. 3) II. (at cited word) ‘It sits him well,’ of a pretentious person. 1860 C. R. Weld Two Months in Highlands xxviii. 311 It sits ye weel to be sae nice-gabbit! 1878 J. J. Aubertin tr. L. de Camoens Lusiad II. viii. lxiv. 129 With a proud confidence, which sat him well. 1915 M. Moore in Egoist 2 Aug. 126/1 Pride sits you well, so strut, colossal bird; No barnyard makes you look absurd. Your brazen spurs are staunch against defeat. 24. a. intransitive. Of the wind: to blow from, or be in, a particular quarter. Now chiefly in figurative phrases: see how the wind sits at Phrases 8. ΘΚΠ the world > the earth > weather and the atmosphere > weather > wind > blow (of the wind) [verb (intransitive)] > blow from a particular quarter standc1275 sitc1400 lie1604 hang1671 c1400 (?c1380) Patience l. 133 Ewrus and Aquiloun þat on est sittes, Blowes boþe at my bode. 1597 W. Shakespeare Richard II ii. ii. 123 The winde sits faire for newes to go for Ireland, But none returnes. View more context for this quotation 1610 P. Holland tr. W. Camden Brit. i. 587 When the winde sitteth West, it is alwaies raine. 1689 R. Milward Selden's Table-talk 10 A good Miller that knows how to grind which way soever the Wind sits. 1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 10. ¶5 By that Time they are pretty good Judges of the Weather, know which Way the Wind sits [etc.]. 1762 Gentleman's Mag. Mar. 137/1 The wind sat North. 1872 Scribner's Monthly Apr. 694/1 If the chimney ever smokes, it smokes when the wind sits in that quarter. 1954 Country Life 2 Sept. 728/1 When the wind sits in the west, the..district is visited by whiffs..of disagreeable fumes. †b. intransitive. Of the tide: to set, to flow. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > tide > type of tide > types of tide [verb (intransitive)] > ebb or flow makea1685 sit1751 set1777 to make up1898 1751 R. Paltock Life Peter Wilkins (Dublin ed.) I. xxiv. 188 Shooting from Shelf to Shelf, as the Tide sat[London ed. set]. 25. intransitive. Of food: to be digested (easily or otherwise). See also to sit on —— 6 at Phrasal verbs 2. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > food > qualities of food > [verb (intransitive)] > be digested or undergo digestion defyc1315 digest1568 enduec1575 concoct1620 sit1645 settle1944 1645 W. Powell Summons for Swearers 113 Like a raw morsell that sits ill in the stomach, he is more safely cast out, then retained. 1737 J. Byrom Jrnl. 22 Apr. in Private Jrnl. & Lit. Remains (1856) II. i. 123 (transcript from orig. shorthand) Had a cheesecake..by the way, which..did not sit so easy, being buttery. 1822 J. M. Good Study Med. I. 146 A little toast-and-water alone..will often sit easy, when nothing else will remain. 1846 Water-cure Jrnl. 15 Mar. 117/2 The water sits heavily. 1908 Amer. Farmer (Indianapolis) July 3/3 Use the pure extracts of its juice, when your food sits heavy. 2017 D. S. Levinson Tell me how this ends Well 187 She was suddenly queasy, her stomach churning from the fried calamari, which was not sitting well. 26. intransitive. To be disregarded; to remain untouched or unused. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > disadvantage > uselessness > non-use > remain unused [verb (intransitive)] atliec1000 lie1377 to lie by the wall (or walls)1579 to lie by1642 sit1839 1839 L. Bryan Kentucky Housewife 377 Pour the water in them boiling hot, cover them and let them sit till the water gets nearly cold. 1846 Amer. Penny Mag. 30 May 272/1 Put the veal into a tureen, and let it sit for several hours. 1914 Commerc. Amer. July 31/2 Nothing is to be gained by letting the milk sit all day. 1987 N.Y. Times 2 July c10/2 I had two choices: Let the place sit, or fix it up like a Hollywood home. 2015 BBC Gardeners' World (Special Subscriber ed.) Aug. 106/1 Take the pan from the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes. III. To seat oneself, settle, and related uses. 27. a. intransitive. To seat oneself; to take a seat; to sit down. Cf. to sit down 1 at Phrasal verbs 1. Also with to (the table, a meal, etc.). ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > be sitting or seated [verb (intransitive)] > sit down sitOE to sit adownc1275 to sit downc1300 to make one's seata1400 to set adowna1400 to set downc1400 seat1596 pitch1796 roost1816 take a pew1898 OE Beowulf (2008) 489 Site nu to symle.., swa þin sefa hwette. a1250 (?c1200) Prov. Alfred (Galba) (1955) 129 Sune min so leue, site nu me bisiden. a1325 St. Vincent (Corpus Cambr.) l. 32 in C. D'Evelyn & A. J. Mill S. Eng. Legendary (1956) 26 Þe tormenturs sede [c1300 Laud seten a-doun] & clupede help þo hy weri were. a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Jer. xiii. 18 Sei to the king,..Beth mekid, sitteth. a1425 Rule St. Benet (Lansd.) (1902) 16 (MED) Þan sal alle site, And nym þre lescuns. a1450 Castle Perseverance (1969) l. 492 (MED) Pes, pepyl, of pes we ȝou pray, Syth and sethe wel to my sawe. 1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VIII f. vj^v Then satte the Ambassadours.., as thei were Marshalled by the kyng, who would not sit, but walked from place to place. 1592 T. Kyd Spanish Trag. i. sig. C [They] sit to the banquet. ?1611 G. Chapman tr. Homer Iliads i. 98 Thus, he sate, and up..Heroic Agamemnon rose. 1662 J. Davies tr. A. Olearius Voy. & Trav. Ambassadors 19 This done, they sate to the Table, and some Gobelets..were drunk about. 1757 E. Burke Philos. Enq. Sublime & Beautiful iv. §17. 146 When we intend to sit on a chair, and find it much lower than was expected, the shock is very violent. 1788 Answer of Philip Francis, Esq. to Charge brought against Sir John Clavering 95 He came chearfully into the room.., but would not sit. 1831 W. Scott Count Robert i, in Tales of my Landlord 4th Ser. II. 10 Sit then, Brenhilda, since the good man will have it so. 1873 O. W. Holmes Addr. Opening Fifth Avenue Theatre 100 The hurrying crowd..smooths its caudal plumage as it sits. 1939 D. Heyward Country Bunny & Little Gold Shoes This littlest one of all always pulls my chair for me when I sit to table. 2015 D. Pendelton Insurrection ii. 41 He sat, then looked back across the desk. b. transitive (reflexive). To seat oneself, take a seat. Cf. to sit down 2a at Phrasal verbs 1.In Old English usually with reflexive pronoun in the dative. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > sit down [verb (reflexive)] siteOE seta1300 to sit downa1393 to set downa1400 seat1589 swapa1592 bench1608 pitch1844 eOE King Ælfred tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (Otho) (2009) I. xxiv. 493 Sitte him on minum hrædwæne; ðocrige him on minne weg; ic bio his ladðeow [L. meo ductu, mea semita, meis etiam uehiculis]. OE Ælfric Lives of Saints (Julius) (1881) I. 156 Hwæt ða on sumum dæge sæton him ætgædere Florus and Maurus to middan þam wyrhtum. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 12964 Adun he warp þa dede swin & him-seolf sæt þer-bi. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 17845 Sundri þai þam fra oþer saite, And aiþer be him-seluen wrate. c1500 Melusine (1895) 243 Thenne he satte hym at dyner nygh to Eglantyne. 1686 J. S. Hist. Monastical Convent. 183 The Prayer of the Mass..being sung, he sat him self again in his seat. 1766 J. Fleetwood Hist. Holy Bible ix. 69/2 She..disguised herself in the habit of a harlot, and sat herself in an open path. 1830 H. Angelo Reminisc. (new ed.) I. 185 Bach..would sit himself in his place. 1898 H. R. Haggard Dr. Therne 202 He sat himself upon the marble edge of the basin. 1995 Independent 14 Mar. 19 Daniel appears, sits himself on the edge of my desk,..and murmurs, ‘How are you fixed for Friday?’ c. transitive (in passive). to be sat: to be sitting, to be in a seated position. Cf. to sit down 2b at Phrasal verbs 1. Now British colloquial.In the 19th and 20th centuries, regional and nonstandard, but increasingly common since the late 20th century.Some Middle English and early modern English examples may show either the perfect tense formed with be rather than have or the passive of sense 1b (as in we being sat ‘we, having sat down’ or ‘we, being caused to sit’). ΚΠ c1300 Childhood Jesus (Laud) l. 1720 in C. Horstmann Altengl. Legenden (1875) 1st Ser. 57 To þe bord huy beoþ i sete. c1380 Sir Ferumbras (1879) l. 48 Al on murȝþe was he y-sete wiþ a fair baronye. c1480 (a1400) St. Matthew 9 in W. M. Metcalfe Legends Saints Sc. Dial. (1896) I. 190 In þe tolbuth set lewy, þat as a tollare þare wes sate. 1609 W. Shakespeare Louers Complaint in Sonnets sig. K2^v Hee againe desires her, being satte. 1655 tr. C. Sorel Comical Hist. Francion vii. 12 We being sate, and she likewise, Clerantes said [etc.]. 1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 122. ¶6 The Court was sat before Sir Roger came. 1774 ‘J. Collier’ Musical Trav. 26 He was sat against a glass practising. 1864 J. Ramsbottom Phases of Distress 12 At th' eend o' th' day..aw'm sat at whoam. 1902 Longman's Mag. Dec. 147 I used to feel so proud lookin' about me of an arternoon when I was sat at my knittin'. 1981 J. Sullivan Only Fools & Horses (1999) I. 1st Ser. Episode 4. 37 (stage direct.) Pauline is sat at a table. 2017 @carolinefoste5 23 Oct. in twitter.com (accessed 9 Nov. 2017) I should be doing work but instead I'm sat on my bed watching Strictly. 28. intransitive. To raise oneself to a more erect posture. Chiefly with upright; occasionally also with erect, †on end (obsolete). See also to sit up at Phrasal verbs 1. Cf. to sit back 1 at Phrasal verbs 1. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > be sitting or seated [verb (intransitive)] > come to a sitting posture to sit upOE sita1400 to sit down1859 a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 19790 Quen sco o petre had a sight, Bi hir self sco satt vp-right. c1405 (c1395) G. Chaucer Merchant's Tale (Hengwrt) (1873) l. 1844 And vp right in his bed thanne sitteth he. 1585 R. P. tr. D. Ortúñez de Calahorra Second Pt. First Bk. Myrrour of Knighthood xxxvi. f. 127^v Her Damsels..tooke the Princesse by the hand, & made hir to sit vpright vpon hir rich bed. 1692 tr. G. P. Marana Lett. Turkish Spy V. iii. xviii. 250 The Patient sneez'd; and sitting upright in his Bed, spoke. 1793 J. Trusler Life II. iv. 52 Macanochy..drew back the sliding partition suddenly, and sitting bolt upright, terrified poor Mr. Campbell. 1822 W. Scott Fortunes of Nigel III. i. 19 The female..sate by the expiring fire with her limbs outstretched... ‘Do not leave me,’..she said, sitting upright. 1874 G. J. Whyte-Melville Uncle John II. xix. 217 He emptied..[the tumbler] at a draught, sat on end, and looked about him. 1884 T. Speedy Sport in Highlands xiii. 212 It being a habit of the mountain hare..to run one or two hundred yards, and then, kangaroo-like, sit on end and look back. 1911 R. Cullum One-way Trail xxvi. 289 From a low bending attitude over his horse's neck the man had suddenly sat erect. 2001 New Yorker 19 Mar. 97/1 Suddenly he sat upright with a look of shock. †29. intransitive. To cling; to stick or adhere. Also with to. spec. (English regional (northern) and Scottish): (of food, esp. milk) to adhere to the side of the pan when boiling so as to burn. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > wholeness > mutual relation of parts to whole > fact or action of being joined or joining > attachment > be or become attached or affixed [verb (intransitive)] > remain attached > adhere cleavec897 to stick (cleave, cling, etc.) like a burc1330 sita1398 clinga1400 clengec1400 engleim?1440 adhere1557 clag1563 clasp1569 clencha1600 clung1601 clam1610 yclingec1620 affix1695 clinch1793 to stick (to one) like wax1809 cleam- a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xvii. cxi. 1004 While þey ben on þe tre..he [sc. beries of olyue] hongeþ and sitteþ þe faster [L. difficilius cadunt]. a1400 tr. Lanfranc Sci. Cirurgie (Ashm.) (1894) 188 (MED) It wole make hise heeris longe & make hem sitte faste. c1450 in W. R. Dawson Leechbk. (1934) 64 (MED) Iff ther be ij styrreres, it is the bettyr, for bot if it be strongly stired, it well syet to the vessell & then it is lost. a1475 (?a1350) Seege Troye (Harl.) (1927) l. 1827 (MED) The speris hede sat in his side. 1808 J. Jamieson Etymol. Dict. Sc. Lang. (at cited word) Any food, prepared in a pot, is said to sit to, when, from not being stirred, it is allowed to burn. 1888 S. O. Addy Gloss. Words Sheffield 216 Sit, to adhere firmly, to be burnt. ‘That milk has sit.’ †30. intransitive. Chiefly poetic. Of the sun: to set. Obsolete. [Earlier currency may be implied by sun sitting n. at sun n.¹ Compounds 5a, although see also note at that entry.] ΘΚΠ the world > the universe > sun > solar movement > move [verb (intransitive)] > set nipeeOE grindc1050 to go to gladec1200 settlea1375 fall?c1400 shaftc1400 rebash1481 to go to1584 sinka1586 welk1590 wave1592 verge1610 sit1621 western1858 1621 R. Montagu Diatribæ Hist. Tithes 358 He heard the Sunne hisse, sitting in the West Ocean. 1702 J. Dennis Monument 28 Thus all the Day the God of Battel rag'd; And the Sun sat in Horror and in Blood. 1821 R. Gooch Orig. Poems 19 But her sun sat at noon!—No art could save, She sunk, in all her bloom, into the grave! 1848 C. M. Sedgwick Facts & Fancies for School-day Reading 119 ‘Mama always says the sun sits. Sun-sits, I know sit is right’, muttered Agnes Lee, in very ill humor. Phrases P1. to sit on (also upon) one's knees (also †knee). Formerly also †to sit aknee (see aknee adv. 1) (obsolete).Senses Phrases 1a and Phrases 1b show considerable overlap, since the action may be viewed as either beginning or continuing. a. To rest the body on the knees; to be in a kneeling posture. Now chiefly U.S. and Scottish. ΚΠ eOE tr. Orosius Hist. (BL Add.) (1980) iii. ix. 73 Þeh þe hie hiene meðigne on cneowum sittende metten. a1300 Passion our Lord l. 106 in R. Morris Old Eng. Misc. (1872) 40 He hit bitauhte iudas, þat alle hit myhte iseo, Þer he wes bivoren him and set on his kneo. a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) i. l. 3359 This Maiden, which sat on hire knes Tofore the king. 1593 in J. Morris Troubles Catholic Forefathers (1877) (modernized text) 3rd Ser. 155 All the time he was before them, the President forced him to sit upon his knees. c1610 J. Melville Mem. Own Life (1827) 120 He sitting vpon his knees before hir, keping a gret grauite. a1650 G. Boate Irelands Nat. Hist. (1652) xx. 155 On that dry place where the mud is poured forth, sit certain women upon their knees. 1706 tr. E. Y. Ides Three Years Trav. Moscow to China viii. 34 They sit on their Knees with clasped Hands. 1821 W. Scott Kenilworth III. vii. 115 While he sat on his knees before me, mopping and mowing. 1954 Mason City (Iowa) Globe-Gaz. 22 Nov. 8/3 After sitting on her knees for a long period of time, her entire left side fell asleep. 2013 @madibridgess 24 Sept. in twitter.com (accessed 27 Oct. 2017) I was the only one who had to cross their arms and sit on their knees for pictures. b. To get down on one's knees; to kneel down. Cf. to sit down 3 at Phrasal verbs 1. Now chiefly U.S. and Scottish. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > posture > action or act of kneeling > kneel or assume kneeling posture [verb (intransitive)] > assume kneeling posture to bend, bow, drop, fold, put the (one's) kneec950 kneec1000 to sit on one's kneesOE to sit downa1450 to strike down1616 OE Daniel 180 Þa hie for þam cumble on cneowum sæton. OE Ælfric Old Test. Summary: Esther (transcript of lost MS) in B. Assmann Angelsächsische Homilien u. Heiligenleben (1889) 96 Se cyning..het hi ealle sittan on cneowum to him, swa swa to þam cyninge. c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) l. 2709 Þou wost ful wel..Þat aþelwold þe dide site On knes. a1350 St. Juliana (Ashm.) (1957) 83 Heo sat akne and bad our lord þat he hire scholde lere. 1483 W. Caxton tr. J. de Voragine Golden Legende f. lxxxxv^v/2 Assone as the preestys were gone and departed she satte on hir knees. 1648 Parliaments Dreames 4 That the Priest may have the more..attendance of all the people, to raile at his pleasure on those Delinquents.., before he command them to sit on their knees. 1844 Newcastle Courant 9 Aug. 3/1 He..took hold of both my hands, sat upon his knees, and said God would bless me. 1995 alt.sex.stories 15 Apr. (Usenet newsgroup, accessed 10 Nov. 2017) He led her into the other room and forced her to sit on her knees in front of him. 2008 R. Van Meers & D. Chase Lost in Fog iii. 19 We had to turn our chairs around real quiet, sit on our knees, and put our hands up on the back of the chair. †P2. whether one sits, walks, or stands, and variants: whatever one does; in all circumstances. Obsolete. ΚΠ OE Rule St. Benet (Corpus Cambr.) vii. 31 Þæt sy æghwær, ge on weorce, ge on gebedhuse,..and swa hwær swa he sy sittende, standende, oðþe gangende [L. sedens uel ambulans uel stans]. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 20840 (MED) Ihesus, do me to luue þe sua þat quer i sitt [a1400 Fairf. sitte, a1400 Coll. Phys. site] or stand or ga þat lijf ne ded ne wil ne wa Mai neuer turn mi hert ne fra. ?a1475 Ludus Coventriae (1922) 51 (MED) Saue us all wher so we be, whethyr we syttyn, walk, or stonde. 1581 T. Rogers S. Augustines Manuel xxvii. 27 Whether he sitteth, or walketh, or resteth, or whatsoeuer he doth, his heart is with God. 1600 J. Perrott 1st Part Consideration Humane Condition vi. 15 For as a man, which is in a shippe sailing on the seas, whither he sitte, stande, or walke, the shippe still goeth on her way, and he that is in her, goeth with her. 1702 C. Beaumont J. Beaumont's Psyche (new ed.) i. ccxviii. 13 Whether she walks, or sits, or stands, or lies, Her wretched self still in her self she fries. P3. to sit in (formerly †at) judgement. Frequently with on or upon, occasionally also with of.Compare earlier instances of the parallel construction with doom n. at main sense 3a. a. To preside as or in the manner of a judge at a trial. ΚΠ c1430 Acts Parl. Scotl. (1844) I. 5 That na iustice, schireff [etc.]..sal sit at iugment to be done apon the folowyng. 1435 in J. F. South & D. Power Memorials Craft of Surg. (1886) App. 317 Whanne the maistris..sitte in iugement or in examinacioun or in cominicacioun of the seid craft with the hool felowschip. 1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VI f. clxj The kyng hymself came into Kent, & there sat in iudgement vpon the offendors. 1617 F. Moryson Itinerary i. ii. ii. 111 A little fouresquare hall, in which the Parliaments are yeerely held, and the Viceroyes weekely sit in iudgement. a1645 W. Browne Wks. (1772) III. 157 In the morn, they hang and draw, And sit in judgement after. 1748 H. Walpole 2nd & 3rd Let. to Whigs 52 The only Man on whom he ever sat in Judgment, was innocent. 1853 L. A. Buckingham Bible in Middle Ages 77 There can be no hope of a fair trial when the prosecutor sits in judgement. 1933 G. Faber Oxf. Apostles x. vi. 434 The Vice-Chancellor selected six Doctors to sit in judgment upon the sermon. 2001 Philadelphia Inquirer 9 Oct. a 2/4 Gacaca , or traditional justice, involves members of a Rwandan community sitting in judgment of their peers suspected of committing a crime. b. figurative. To make a judgement or criticism of someone or something, generally from a position of (assumed) superiority. ΚΠ 1553 T. Wilson Arte of Rhetorique iii. f. 89^v Lette the learned sitte in iudgement vpon that matter. 1583 W. Fulke Def. Transl. Script. xiii. 372 Maister Whitaker taketh not vpon him to sit in iudgement of all the Doctors, although he may note some errour or other, in euery one of them. 1639 W. Laud Relation Conf. Lawd & Fisher 166 A man that lives religiously, doth not..sit in Iudgement, and Condemne with his mouth all Prophane Livers. 1791 C. Reeve School for Widows III. x. 45 I have no right to sit in judgment upon your conduct, Sir: I leave it to your own conscience to decide upon it. 1850 N. Hawthorne Scarlet Let. iii. 77 Less capable of sitting in judgment on an erring woman's heart. 1961 L. Gelber Amer. in Britain's Place v. 134 Not that these [complaints] are always warranted or come from those who have earned the right to sit in judgment. 1995 N.Y. Rev. Bks. 13 July 22/2 The resentment many East Germans felt at West Germans sitting in judgment on them. P4. †a. to sit at (also close to, near, nigh, next) one's heart: to affect one deeply. Similarly to sit near one's skirts: see skirt n. 3. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the mind > emotion > intense emotion > affect intensely [verb (intransitive)] settlea1300 sinka1375 soundc1374 sticka1400 to sit at (also close to, near, nigh, next) one's hearta1425 to lie (also come, go) nearc1475 set1607 to go (also come) neara1616 penetratea1616 a1425 (?a1400) G. Chaucer Romaunt Rose (Hunterian) (1891) l. 2846 Iwys he sittith so nere myne herte To speke of hym at eve or morwe It cureth me of all my sorwe. c1450 (?a1405) J. Lydgate Complaint Black Knight (Fairf.) l. 18 in Minor Poems (1934) ii. 383 My sekenes sat ay so nygh myn hert. 1584 B. R. tr. Herodotus Famous Hyst. ii. f. 106 There befell unto him another mischiefe, that sate as neere hys skirtes as the death of his dilling. 1611 J. Speed Hist. Great Brit. ix. iii. 429/1 Whose sinnes beganne to sit so neere his heart..that hee sore repented him of the same. a1616 W. Shakespeare Measure for Measure (1623) v. i. 386 Your Brothers death I know sits at your heart. View more context for this quotation 1622 J. Mabbe tr. M. Alemán Rogue ii. 39 Of all my misfortunes, the greatest that ever befell mee, and which sits closest to my heart. 1713 J. Addison Cato i. iv When discontent sits heavy at my heart. 1754 W. Whitehead Crėu̇sa v. 68 This Action of the Queen sits near my Heart. 1821 W. Scott Kenilworth III. v. 65 The anguish and uncertainty which sat heavy at his heart. b. to sit heavily (also heavy): to press or weigh heavily on a person, a person's heart, etc. Conversely to sit easy (also lightly). Cf. to sit on —— 5 at Phrasal verbs 2, to sit upon —— 5 at Phrasal verbs 2. ΚΠ 1597 W. Shakespeare Richard II i. iii. 256 + 13 Woe doth the heauier sit, Where it perceiues it is but faintly borne. View more context for this quotation 1640 S. Harding Sicily & Naples iii. vii. 52 My wrongs Sit heavy here. 1700 J. Nesbitt Funeral Serm. 10 Now they [sc. your sins] seem light and sit easy. 1847 W. Hazlitt tr. A. de Vigny Cinq-Mars xvii. 198 I have kept great secrets in my heart, and believe me, they have sat heavily there. 2014 P. Matyszak Rom. Empire i. 29 Not only did Roman rule sit lightly, it is probable that many of the common people were unaware that they were Roman subjects at all. P5. to sit on the (also one's) throne: to hold the position of ruler, to reign. ΘΚΠ society > authority > rule or government > sole rule > rule as monarch [verb (intransitive)] reignc1325 rikec1350 to sit on the (also one's) throne1538 to wield the (also a, one's) sceptre1567 monarchize1592 regalize1599 royalize1606 thronea1616 monarcha1653 sovereignize1661 1538 Certeine Prayers & Godly Meditacyons sig. Bvi^v Thou..gauest hym a sone syttinge vpon his trone, as it is at this day. 1667 J. Dryden Indian Emperour i. ii. 12 That Monarch sits not safely on his Throne, Who bears, within, a power that shocks his own. 1853 1793 & 1853, in 3 Lett. 29 The result is, this present year 1853, a Bonaparte..sitting upon the French throne. 1989 L. Lochhead Mary Queen of Scots 23 And you think gin I sat on St Gile's hard pews on a Sunday I'd sit surer oan ma ain throne a' week lang? 2002 Independent 27 May 15/7 The Queen has sat on her throne for 50 years. P6. to sit at the feet of: to be the disciple or pupil of (a person), to learn from (a teacher); (also) to pay homage to (a person). ΘΚΠ society > education > learning > [verb (transitive)] > be pupil of to go to school (to, (also with))a1450 to sit at the feet of1578 to sit under ——1631 to be up to1874 1578 W. Gace tr. M. Luther Special & Chosen Serm. viii. 101 I will like vnto Marie, sit at his feete to heare his worde. 1597 P. Barker Prophecie of Agabus sig. B5^v Let him that sate in Moses chaire sometime sit at Gamaliels feete. 1702 C. Mather Magnalia Christi iii. ii. xxiii. 136/2 How Learnedly he now conveyed all the Liberal Arts unto those that sat at his Feet. 1852 W. M. Thackeray Henry Esmond III. iv. 110 You want a woman..to sit at your feet, and cry ‘O caro! O bravo!’ whilst you read your Shakspeares, and Miltons. 1926 G. M. Trevelyan Hist. Eng. v. iii. 557 They [sc. the Whigs] had sat at the feet of Edmund Burke. 1971 Nature 5 Mar. 2/2 It is clear that there are far more universities per square mile in Britain than are necessary to enable students to sit at the feet of some teacher or other. 2002 Times Higher Educ. Suppl. (Nexis) 20 Dec. 14 I was there to sit at the feet of the masters. P7. colloquial. to sit on one's arse (also ass, backside, bum, etc.): to do nothing, to be idle; to fail to take action.rare before 20th cent. ΚΠ 1589 Rare Triumphes Loue & Fortune iii. sig. C. iii Hee'le doo nothing all day long but sit on his arse. 1721 J. Kelly Compl. Coll. Scotish Prov. 295 Sit on your Arse, and call your Sorrans [i.e. Servants]. A Reproof to them that would have others do for them, what they ought to do themselves. 1945 W. S. Burroughs in W. S. Burroughs & J. Kerouac And Hippos were boiled in their Tanks (2008) iii. 27 Do you expect to have money sitting on your ass? Go to work in a shipyard. 1962 Hutchinson (Kansas) News 15 Oct. 4/2 Our senators have been sitting on their backsides doing nothing for us. 1993 Advertiser (Adelaide) (Nexis) 27 Feb. I don't like sitting on my bum so we work hard to get what we need. 2014 Herald (Glasgow) (Nexis) 15 Sept. hs7 It just felt better to come up and help than sit on our arses complaining. P8. how the wind sits and variants: what the state of affairs is, how things are. ΚΠ 1600 W. Shakespeare Much Ado about Nothing ii. iii. 98 That she should so dote on signior Benedicke... Bene. Ist possible? sits the wind in that corner ? View more context for this quotation 1605 G. Chapman Al Fooles i. i Sits the winde there? blowes there so calme a gale From a contemned and deserued anger? 1706 S. Centlivre Basset-table iv. i. 42 Ha, Captain, how sits the Wind between you and your Mistress? 1819 W. Scott Bride of Lammermoor ii, in Tales of my Landlord 3rd Ser. II. 23 So soon as the Marquis's political agent found how the wind sate, he began [etc.]. 1893 R. L. Stevenson Catriona vi. 63 Is it so the wind sits? 1939 Irish Times 24 July 6/7 The whispers of peace..are generally regarded as a balloon sent up just to see how the wind sits. 2000 Times 27 June 27/5 The official British position is that majority voting on treaty changes..and funding..are..‘no go areas’. But that is not the way the wind sits. P9. Nautical. to sit on (also upon) her anchor: (of a ship) to come to rest with the hull in contact with the anchor. ΘΚΠ society > travel > travel by water > action or motion of vessel > [verb (intransitive)] > be or remain inactive to lie muzzledc1643 to sit on (also upon) her anchor1871 1871 Naut. Mag. June 414 It frequently happens,..that the range of tide given in the tide tables and charts is misunderstood, and the ship ‘sews’ or sits on her anchor. 1901 Daily Chron. 28 Dec. 9/2 Henriette (French barque), supposed sat upon her anchor in Astoria Harbour. 1990 Oil & Gas Jrnl. 2 July 41 As the vessel sat on the anchor, it probably caused the crown and tip of the shank to pierce No. 1 center tank. P10. from where one is sitting: according to one's own perspective on a particular issue, situation, or problem; in one's opinion, from one's point of view. ΚΠ 1907 Ada (Okla.) Weekly Democrat 1 Feb. From where we are sitting it looks to us as though that hide-bound type of politician and business is always let most severely alone by voters and the purchasing public. 1961 Establish Dept. Urban Affairs & Housing: Hearings before Subcomm. on Reorganization & Internat. Organization (87th Cong., 1st Sess.) 149 From where I am sitting it is just the old simple problem of selfishness. 2014 Mail on Sunday (Nexis) 23 Feb. Well, do you feel better off? Does it seem like a Goldilocks economic recovery from where you're sitting? P11. Originally Air Force slang. to sit on a person's tail: to follow very closely behind a plane in order to shoot it down; (hence) to follow very closely behind a vehicle, person, etc., typically while waiting for a chance to overtake; cf. to be on someone's tail at tail n.¹ 11h. ΚΠ 1917 Youth's Compan. 18 Oct. 576/1 An enemy descends on you from the clouds above and, ‘sitting on your tail’, weaves a wreath of bullets from a machine gun round you. 1936 Irish Times 18 May (City ed.) 7/3 There is nothing more unnerving than to have another driver, with a car apparently as fast as yours, sitting ‘on your tail’ for lap after lap. 1982 Globe & Mail (Toronto) (Nexis) 26 Aug. If you've got some guy who's sitting on your tail who's just about as fast as you are.., you just break the wind for him and he's nice and fresh at the end and for sure he's going to beat you. 2009 M. Beaumont Man who cycled World (2011) 341 A guy sat on my tail revving, despite loads of room to overtake. P12. to sit on one's hands. a. U.S. Of an audience, an assembly, etc.: to withhold or be sparing of applause. ΘΚΠ the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > disapprove [verb (intransitive)] > withhold applause to sit on one's hands1917 1917 N.Y. Times 30 Dec. x. 4/6 Vaudeville actors have a varied way of describing audiences when asked..: ‘How are they out front today?’ The answers range from ‘They're sitting on their hands’..to: ‘Great, kid; they eat it up.’ 1926 E. Ferber Show Boat vi. 106 Well, they were sitting on their hands to-night, all right. Seemed they never would warm up. 1948 Newsweek 16 July 19/1 Listlessly, the convention sat on its hands at all mentions of Mr. Truman in the opening speeches. 1999 Vanity Fair Sept. 326/2 The Committee Against Silence ran ads..stating their opposition to the award and urging members of the audience at the Oscar ceremonies to ‘sit on their hands’ when Kazan appeared. b. Originally U.S. To be inactive, to take no action. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > inaction > idleness, lack of occupation or activity > be idle or unoccupied [verb (intransitive)] emptyeOE to tell the clock1527 idle1668 to kick one's heels1703 twirl1777 gammer1788 to twiddle one's thumbs, or fingers1846 to make (also do) kef1852 goof1932 doss1937 to sit on one's hands1939 to bugger about ——1946 to spin one's wheels1960 1939 Washington Post 18 Oct. 11/6 Even assuming the German air force to be as great as the most extravagant rumors insist..Great Britain and France have not been sitting on their hands, either. 1959 Listener 1 Jan. 4/1 This helped to reduce the number of constituency associations, who had to be persuaded by MacDonald or Gladstone to sit on their hands or, worse still, toil for their ally. 1972 Guardian 19 May 12/3 Opposition MPs who only yesterday sat on their hands to let Herr Brandt's Ostpolitik treaties through the Bundestag were back on their feet again this morning. 2009 Independent 16 Feb. 29/1 Ministers are sitting on their hands while irresponsible retailers continue to sell alcohol at pocket money prices. P13. slang (originally North American). sit on it and variants: used, with imperative force, to express hostility, contemptuous dismissal, or defiant indifference. Also in elaborated variants such as sit on it and rotate, sit on it and spin, sit on it and swivel, etc.Sometimes accompanied (on the part of the speaker) by the obscene gesture of a closed fist with raised middle finger (see finger n. Phrases 4t(a)(iii)).Quot. 1950 may show this sense, but could show to sit on —— 1c at Phrasal verbs 2. ΚΠ 1950 H. E. Goldin Dict. Amer. Underworld Lingo 195/1 Sit on it! (Always spoken sharply or sarcastically) Keep it! Save it! Hoard it! [Note: This gross idiom is a favorite reply to convicts who are reluctant to lend or give when asked.]] 1965 A. Ginsberg Let. 19 Nov. (2008) 311 Now you got blood on your hands. And if you don't like that, sit on it. 1972 E. Grogan Ringolevio iii. 235 They began calling him..a cultural rip-off artist. Graham reacted..by raising his middle finger and inviting them all to ‘sit on this and rotate!’ 1977 G. Hewitt Working for Yourself 264 The contract says I've got to wait five years for the copyright to belong to me. Well, they can just sit on it and spin as far as I'm concerned. 1996 alt.tasteless.jokes 4 Oct. (Usenet newsgroup, accessed 6 May 2020) Here are a couple of jokes..designed to offend almost anybody. If you dont [sic] like them, sit on it and swivel! 2015 S. King Finders Keepers 135 His mother..was teaching..at City College to make extra money. Morris knew she loathed those classes.., and that was just fine with him. Sit on it, Ma, he thought. Sit on it and spin. P14. slang. to sit on a person's face: to sit, kneel, or squat over a sexual partner's mouth, in order to receive cunnilingus, anilingus, or fellatio. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > sexual relations > sexual activity > oral sex > practise oral sex [verb (intransitive)] gamahuche1880 to go downc1895 Frenchc1928 gobble1928 suck1928 plate1961 to sit on a person's face1968 1968 A. Warhol A 21 Certain days I guess my asshole must have a special flavor... If somebody says to you, ‘Oh please sit on my face’, what, what can you do? 1971 Great Speckled Bird 22 Nov. 7/1 It's an almost totally sexist movie. Women are 99% sex objects, nothing more. ‘I want to fuck the harpist’.., ‘come sit on my face’, and ‘all rock musicians are looking for pussy’. 2010 S. Woods Kisser xxxiii. 158 Somebody mounted him and somebody else sat on his face. Phrasal verbs PV1. With adverbs in specialized senses. to sit about 1. intransitive. To be left here and there, or carelessly out of place; to lie unused or untouched. Cf. to sit around 2 at Phrasal verbs 1. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > arrangement or fact of being arranged > absence of arrangement > be without arrangement [verb (intransitive)] to sit about1849 to lie about1853 to sit around1913 1849 Scioto (Ohio) Gaz. 24 Oct. They keep their money sitting about in little buckets or tin pans, and in their trunks, where any body might slip in and steal several thousands of dollars in a few minutes. 1994 Record (Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont.) (Nexis) 6 May (Entertainm. section) c5 Are there really this many 30-something yuppies who have this kind of cash sitting about with no better use for it? 2013 @CTGrayToons 16 Feb. in twitter.com (accessed 5 June 2020) I have to clean at least once a week. I can't stand seeing stuff sitting about looking like a mess for too long. 2. intransitive. To sit in a place or various places nearby; to sit idly, to lounge about. Also figurative: to spend one's time unproductively. ΚΠ 1859 Leisure Hour 21 July 451/2 A young fellow with his eyes about him, learns to know in what sort of places the pheasants lie, and to see the hares as they sit about under the brambles. 1941 ‘N. Blake’ Case of Abominable Snowman (1954) i. 10 She was the sort of woman who sat about making remarks. 1987 D. Simpson Elem. of Doubt (1988) xiii. 158 But meanwhile we can't sit about twiddling our thumbs. As soon as you're ready we'll go and see Mr Tarrant again. 2000 J. Williams Cardiff Dead (2001) ix. 117 A man who did stuff, didn't just sit about complaining how the world was against him. † to sit adown Obsolete (archaic in later use). intransitive. To sit down; = to sit down 1 at Phrasal verbs 1, to sit down 3 at Phrasal verbs 1. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > be sitting or seated [verb (intransitive)] > sit down sitOE to sit adownc1275 to sit downc1300 to make one's seata1400 to set adowna1400 to set downc1400 seat1596 pitch1796 roost1816 take a pew1898 c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 6467 Þe swike set [c1300 Otho sat] adun. alse he wolde holden run. c1300 St. Thomas Becket (Laud) l. 1088 in C. Horstmann Early S.-Eng. Legendary (1887) 137 Bi-fore ech ymage he op aros, and eft he sat a-doun a-kne. c1405 (c1395) G. Chaucer Franklin's Tale (Hengwrt) (1874) l. 862 Thanne wolde she sitte adoun..And seyn right thus, with sorweful sikes colde. 1554 Hawes' Pastime of Pleasure (new ed.) xxxviii. Bb.ii. But la bell Pucell, full right gentilly Did sit adowne, by a windowe side. 1714 J. Gay Shepherd's Week iv. 21 Upon a rising Bank I sat adown, Then doff'd my Shoe. 1794 S. T. Coleridge Coll. Lett. (1956) I. 89 He sat adown..amid the most awful part of the Ruins. 1891 W. Morris Poems by Way (1896) 194 There on the grass they sat adown. to sit around 1. intransitive. Originally U.S. To sit in a place or various places nearby; to sit idly, to lounge about. Also figurative: to spend one's time unproductively. Cf. to sit about 2 at Phrasal verbs 1. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > inaction > disinclination to act or listlessness > sloth or laziness > be slothful or lazy [verb (intransitive)] > idle or loaf luskc1330 lubber1530 to play the truant, -s1560 lazea1592 lazy1612 meecha1625 lounge1671 saunter1672 sloungea1682 slive1707 soss1711 lolpoop1722 muzz1758 shack1787 hulkc1793 creolize1802 maroon1808 shackle1809 sidle1828 slinge1834 sossle1837 loaf1838 mike1838 to sit around1844 hawm1847 wanton1847 sozzle1848 mooch1851 slosh1854 bum1857 flane1876 slummock1877 dead-beat1881 to lop about1881 scow1901 scowbank1901 stall1916 doss1937 plotz1941 lig1960 loon1969 1844 Goshen (Indiana) Democrat 20 June The man who cuts his own firewood..—while his fifty negroes, fat and sleek, sit around, warming their backs in the sun. 1915 N. L. McClung In Times like These iv. 42 Personally I sympathize with the young man and believe it would be a happier home if she were as interested in the paper as he and were reading the other half of it instead of sitting around feeling hurt. 1979 Times 13 Nov. 2/8 I could not sit around twiddling my thumbs and doing nothing. 2004 Globe & Mail (Toronto) (Nexis) 26 July r6 Don't sit around waiting for things to happen—get out there and make them happen. 2. intransitive. To be left here and there, or carelessly out of place; to lie unused or untouched. Cf. to sit about 1 at Phrasal verbs 1. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > arrangement or fact of being arranged > absence of arrangement > be without arrangement [verb (intransitive)] to sit about1849 to lie about1853 to sit around1913 1913 Gospel Trumpet 21 Aug. 521/1 The house is full of flies, especially the kitchen and pantry..—so many fragments of food sitting around. 1985 N. Pileggi Wiseguy (1987) xviii. 226 Lufthansa had been an inside job. How else would the six gunmen have known which of the twenty-two giant cargo warehouses..just happened to have six million dollars in cash and jewels sitting around over the weekend? 2005 Los Angeles Times 2 Apr. a18/3 He knew he shouldn't destroy all of these things but he didn't want to have a whole lot of classified documents sitting around in his office. to sit back 1. intransitive. To lean back while sitting so that the trunk is supported (esp. by the back of a seat), typically so as to be more relaxed. to sit back on (also upon) one's heels: to shift the weight of the body back on to the heels while kneeling. ΚΠ 1693 P. Festeau French Gram. (ed. 6) 285 Reculez vous un peu. Sit back a little. 1796 Narr. Captivity Mrs. Johnson 63 The squaws first fall upon their knees, and then sit back upon their heels. 1828 J. B. Fraser Kuzzilbash II. v. 75 I only sat back in my seat, resting my right hand over my left arm. 1885 Manch. Examiner 6 Aug. 5/5 Lord Redesdale beamed benevolently upon his contemporary as he sat back upon his bench. 1989 V. Glendinning Grown-ups (1990) viii. 103 Martha sat back on her heels, cloth in hand. She surveyed the kitchen floor with happiness. 2003 P. Lovesey House Sitter (2004) xii. 175 Diamond used the mouse to close the file and sat back in the chair. 2. intransitive. To adopt a relaxed or detached attitude; esp. to take no action, to choose not to become involved. Usually followed by and and another verb. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > inaction > not doing > do nothing [verb (intransitive)] > take no part in action to stand bya1398 to stand (or keep, hold, etc.) aloof (from)1546 to sit back1869 1869 Georgia Weekly Tel. 22 Oct. 8/1 Now she [sc. a city] may sit back and enjoy the praise that is fleeing to her even from afar off, and gather in the dividends upon her investment from her increased trade. 1918 Boiler Maker Oct. 291/1 It is always well to sit back and take a good square hard look at ourselves occasionally. 1943 D. Powell Time to be Born (new ed.) xi. 276 One can't sit back and see one's brother..made a monkey of that way! 1982 Times 22 Feb. 1/3 We cannot sit back and let them walk all over us. 2014 M. Giudice & C. Ireland Rise of Deo 40 Before we go too crazy with this idea, why don't we just sit back? It's summertime, so let people..think about it. to sit by 1. intransitive. To sit beside a person or group of people, esp. as an onlooker at some activity. ΚΠ 1538 T. Elyot Dict. Assido, is, dere, to reste me, to sytte downe, to sytte by. 1548 J. Veron tr. H. Bullinger Holsome Antidotus sig. H.i^v Finally, if it be reuelated to an other syttyng by, let the other holde his peace. 1711 E. Ward Life Don Quixote v. xix. 373 Lovers..Steal a Squint at One another, When Jealous Governant sits by To Watch Each Motion of the Eye. 1735 London Mag. Aug. 450/1 Observe Clarinda with a beau, While you yourself are sitting by, She'll scarce vouchsafe you half an eye. 1888 Temple Bar Jan. 29 The Bishop..sat by with his watch on the table, for he had to minute each interview. 2009 J. Kellerman True Detectives viii. 68 He gave her the unlisted number he'd obtained from a source at the phone company, sat by as she punched numbers. 2. intransitive. To take no action to prevent the occurrence of something considered wrong or undesirable. Cf. to sit back 2 at Phrasal verbs 1.Now often in negative constructions. ΚΠ 1677 A. Marvell Acct. Growth Popery 155 Men sit by, like idle Spectators, and still give money towards their own Tragedy. 1748 T. Gray Ode Death Favourite Cat v, in R. Dodsley Coll. Poems II. 268 (Malignant fate sat by and smil'd). 1848 C. Kingsley Saint's Trag. v. iii. 33 I'll not sit by, while helpless priests are butchered. 1936 Jefferson (Iowa) Herald 21 May 2/2 When the Italians got ready to gobble it [sc. Ethiopia] up the rest of the world sat by and let them do it. 1992 M. Williamson Return to Love ii. vi. 144 It's not enough to sit idly by while others hurt, using the catch-all phrase ‘It's not my responsibility’..as an excuse for a selfish stance. 2016 Irish Times (Nexis) 4 Oct. (Health section) 7 As a parent who loves him, you can't sit by and let him get into this trouble. to sit down 1. a. intransitive. To seat oneself; to take a seat. Also occasionally: to come accidentally to the ground in a sitting posture; to fall on one's bottom. Cf. main sense 27a. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > be sitting or seated [verb (intransitive)] > sit down sitOE to sit adownc1275 to sit downc1300 to make one's seata1400 to set adowna1400 to set downc1400 seat1596 pitch1796 roost1816 take a pew1898 the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > be sitting or seated [verb (intransitive)] > come to a sitting posture to sit upOE sita1400 to sit down1859 c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) l. 2809 Nu wile ich þat ye doun site. ?a1425 (?a1350) T. Castleford Chron. (1996) II. l. 21573 Gadred þar wer þe princes grete, And ilke þar sette doune in his sete. a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1994) I. xiv. 170 Syr kyngys, syt downe & rest you so. 1582 N. Lichefield tr. F. L. de Castanheda 1st Bk. Hist. Discouerie E. Indias 155 A place appointed for y^e captain generall to sit down on. 1674 tr. P. M. de la Martinière New Voy. Northern Countries 22 We sat down, fed as heartily as we could, and then taking leave [etc.]. 1766 O. Goldsmith Vicar of Wakefield I. xv. 149 He entered, drew a chair, and sate down. 1817 W. Scott in J. G. Lockhart Mem. Life Sir W. Scott (1837) IV. iii. 97 I..am often six hours on foot without stopping or sitting down. 1859 Habits Good Society v. 212 To see a man sit down in a waltz. 1890 A. Conan Doyle White Company iv He sat down by the roadside to partake of his bread and cheese. 1921 Outlook 16 Mar. 434/2 Never once did he slip and sit down in a puddle! 2014 L. Erickson-Schroth Trans Bodies, Trans Selves xi. 236 A woman sat down next to me and flipped through a magazine. b. spec. With reference to persons seating themselves, usually at a table, for the purpose of eating, drinking, gambling, etc. (a) intransitive. With to (the table, a meal, etc.). ΚΠ c1405 (c1395) G. Chaucer Clerk's Tale (Hengwrt) (1873) l. 1028 Whan þat thise lordes wende To sitten doun to mete, he gan to calle Grisilde. 1598 W. Shakespeare Love's Labour's Lost i. ii. 239 The sixt houre, When..Men sit downe to that nourishment which is called Supper. View more context for this quotation 1707 E. Ward Wooden World Dissected 101 He..sits down to the Cards or Hazard. 1795 A. Hughes Jemima I. 206 Quietly submit to sit down to the table at which my late fellow servants are to wait. 1826 C. Lamb in New Monthly Mag. 16 225 Cannot we like Sempronia, without sitting down to chess with her eternal brother? 1884 Times (Weekly ed.) 19 Sept. 5/1 I sit down to ham and eggs. 1933 J. Buchan Prince of Captivity iii. i. 264 He sees the next job and sits down to it. 2011 J. C. Hormel & E. Martin Fit to Serve viii. 87 The three of us sat down to dinner on the screened-in porch. (b) intransitive. Without prepositional phrase. Now rare. ΚΠ 1580 A. Saker Narbonus i. 132 Repairing to his fathers house,..whome he found readie for supper, and prepared to sitte downe. 1600 W. Shakespeare Merchant of Venice ii. vi. 9 Who riseth from a feast with that keene appetite that he sits downe? 1739 T. Gray Let. 21 June in Corr. (1971) I. 113 You sit down, and play forty deals without intermission. 1863 Illustr. London News 8 Aug. 150/3 The inspection dinner..took place yesterday week... Between forty and fifty gentlemen sat down. 1900 H. James Little Tour in France xxiv. 166 I sat down with a hundred hungry marketers. 1975 C. Easton Search for Sam Goldwyn (1976) 88 If he invited you for dinner at eight o'clock, he meant eight o'clock. And he'd sit down at eight o'clock. 2. a. transitive (reflexive). To seat oneself, take a seat. Also in extended use: to settle (see quot. 1823). Cf. main sense 27b. Now somewhat colloquial.Sometimes, in recent use, in imperative in archaic form sit you down as a genteel invitation. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > sit down [verb (reflexive)] siteOE seta1300 to sit downa1393 to set downa1400 seat1589 swapa1592 bench1608 pitch1844 a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) vii. l. 2282 He satte him thanne doun. 1535 Bible (Coverdale) Luke x. Mary..sat hir downe at Iesus fete [L. sedens secus pedes Domini], and herkened vnto his worde. ?a1562 G. Cavendish Life Wolsey (1959) 70 My lord..called for a Chayer, And satt hyme self down in the myddes of the table. 1659 D. Pell Πελαγος 59 In every corner they walk into, or sit themselves down in. 1764 O. Goldsmith Traveller 3 I sit me down a pensive hour to spend. 1823 H. T. Colebrooke in State Cape Good Hope 374 The early colonists of South Africa sat themselves down on fertile spots. 1888 ‘J. S. Winter’ Bootle's Children xiii. 103 Come and sit you down by the fire. 1910 W. Riddle Cherished Memories of Old Lancaster x. 135 Sitting myself down on a lone mile-stone.., I drew forth the time-worn history. 1977 K. O'Hara Ghost of Thomas Penry viii. 67 Sit you down and I'll pop the kettle on. 2002 F. Sherwood Bk. of Splendour vii. 67 She sat herself down on a chair. b. transitive (in passive). to be sat down: to be sitting down, to be in a seated position. Cf. main sense 27c. Now British colloquial.Apparently rare from the 19th century until the late 20th century.Some early modern English examples may show either the perfect tense formed with be rather than have or the passive of sense 4 (as in they were sat down ‘they had sat down’ or ‘they were made to sit down’). ΚΠ ?1574 tr. H. Niclaes Exhortatio ix. f. 18 My beloued Children and thou Famelye of Loue: when yee are sat-downe at the Table to eate. 1632 J. Hayward tr. G. F. Biondi Eromena 185 As soon as they were sitten down [It. assisi]. 1652 R. Brome Joviall Crew iii. sig. H2^v Yonder they are at peep. And now sitten downe as waiting for my purpose. 1763 Museum Rusticum (1764) 1 23 I am now sat down to give you a few scattered observations. a1774 O. Goldsmith tr. P. Scarron Comic Romance (1775) I. xxiii. 273 They were scarcely sat down, before one of the house-maids came [etc.]. 1787 R. Burns Let. 1 June (2001) I. 120 I'm sitten down here. 1880 ‘H. Lee’ Mrs. Denys of Cote III. xliii. 174 When he got indoors and was sat down in his chair, he said..: ‘Some misfortune's befallen the squire’. 1986 alt.folklore.computers 16 Dec. (Usenet newsgroup, accessed 24 Nov. 2017) James, our manager, was sat down, head in hands, hands between knees. 2012 K. Hudson Tony Hogan bought me Ice-cream Float 177 You could see an inch of grey sock and three inches of greyer skin when l was sat down. 3. intransitive. To go down on (also upon) one's knees. Cf. Phrases 1b. Chiefly English regional (northern) and Scottish after Middle English. ΘΚΠ the mind > emotion > suffering > state of being harassed > condition of being oppressed > oppress [verb (transitive)] beareOE charka1300 to weigh downa1340 besit1377 to bear (a person or thing) heavyc1384 oppressc1384 thringa1400 empressc1400 accloyc1425 to sit downa1450 threst1513 downtread1536 to weigh back, on one side, to the earth1595 to bear (a person or thing) hard (also heavily, heavy, etc.)1602 pressa1616 weight1647 to bear (a person or thing) heavily1702 weigh1794 freight1892 the world > space > relative position > posture > action or act of kneeling > kneel or assume kneeling posture [verb (intransitive)] > assume kneeling posture to bend, bow, drop, fold, put the (one's) kneec950 kneec1000 to sit on one's kneesOE to sit downa1450 to strike down1616 a1450 ( G. Chaucer Bk. Duchess (Tanner 346) (1871) l. 106 Doun on kneis she sat anone And wepte. c1480 (a1400) St. Justina 604 in W. M. Metcalfe Legends Saints Sc. Dial. (1896) II. 169 With þat befor þe bischape rath he set done one [his] kneis bath. a1578 R. Lindsay Hist. & Cron. Scotl. (1899) II. 187 [They] passit to the quenis grace and sat doune vpone thair kneis and askit pardone. 1626 in Quarter Sessions Rec. (N. Riding Rec. Soc.) (1885) III. 260 Untill such time as she shall sitt downe upon her knees and submitt herselfe to her mother, and crave her blessinge. 1733 C. Hunter Durham Cathedral 17 The Prior..did sit down upon his Knees with his Shoes off. 1818 J. Hogg Brownie of Bodsbeck II. 146 No gin they should a' hae sutten down on their knees wad she gae wi' him. 1950 in Sc. National Dict. (1971) VIII. (at cited word) Aa o a suddenty Jeems sat doun on's knees atween the trams o the barra and that was the eyn o'm. 2017 @sheeranaz 19 Sept. in twitter.com (accessed 27 Nov. 2017) This new boy at our school is so small that the teacher sat down on his knees to talk to him. 4. transitive. To cause (a person) to sit down. Now frequently (sometimes without implying an actual seated position) to put (a person) in a position designed to compel attention.rare before the 20th century and in earlier use, esp. in the past tense, not always distinguishable from uses of variant forms of set v.¹ ΚΠ a1533 Ld. Berners tr. Arthur of Brytayn (?1560) lxxiii. sig. S.i^v/2 He sate her down on the ground, for she was in that case for fere that her legges would not bere her. a1849 J. Kenney Spring & Autumn (1855) ii. 34 I met your husband, tipsy as a blind fiddler, who lays hold of me, and forcibly sitting me down to a table, makes me swallow a tumbler of scalding punch, familiarly calling me a jolly old cock! 1890 Chambers's Jrnl. 21 June 387/1 He promptly sat us down to such entertainment as his vessel furnishes. 1946 Billboard 20 Apr. 37/2 Bornstein tried to make them feel at ease, sat them down and said: ‘Kids, before you play your song, I want you to hear my latest plug.’ 1992 Independent 6 Jan. 11/3 My father sat me down and talked to me about it. He said it was addictive, a waste of money and led to other things. I promised never to smoke it again while I was living at home. 2017 Sunday Sun (Nexis) 12 Nov. 30 I sat her down in a chair and called an ambulance. 5. a. intransitive. figurative. Of a person or thing: to calm down; to subside; to settle down. Esp. of the wind: to become less strong, subside (now regional). ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > become less violent or severe [verb (intransitive)] allayc1275 softc1300 assuage1330 swagec1330 slakea1352 stanchc1420 overslakec1425 appeasec1440 to swage ofc1440 to sit downa1555 soften1565 slack1580 mitigate1633 moderate1737 gentle1912 the world > action or operation > inaction > quietness or tranquillity > be quiet or tranquil [verb (intransitive)] > become quiet or tranquil > settle down to sit downa1675 the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > downward motion > move downwards [verb (intransitive)] > descend and settle light?c1225 falla1300 alightc1330 settlec1380 lightenc1460 reside1616 to sit down1897 a1555 J. Bradford Godlie Medit. Lordes Prayer (1562) sig. P.vii No man is able to vnderstand, & therfore we shuld bidde our busye braine syt downe. 1599 A. Hume Day Estivall 182 Great is the calme, for euerie quhair The wind is sitten downe. a1675 J. Lightfoot Rem. (1700) 203 There hath been many a good soul that hath sitten down in much sadness. 1780 J. Berington State Eng. Catholics p. viii Shall I sit down satisfied because the good humour of a magistrate chooses to indulge me. 1818 W. Scott Heart of Mid-Lothian iv, in Tales of my Landlord 2nd Ser. I. 107 We little thought to hae sittin doun wi' the like o' my auld Davie Howden, or you either. 1897 M. Kingsley Trav. W. Afr. 583 A terrific tornado, which has been lurking growling about, then sits down in the forest and bursts. 2015 @JohnSaltyjohn 1 Apr. in twitter.com (accessed 30 Nov. 2017) The wind has sat down here in Lancashire. b. To put up with, be resigned to, or bear with something unwelcome. †(a) intransitive. With by. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the mind > language > statement > acquiescence > acquiesce [verb (transitive)] to sit down1584 1584 R. Cosin Answer to Two Fyrst & Principall Treat. ii. xx. 345 Hir Highnesse must (at his request) sit downe by the losse. 1608 J. Dod & R. Cleaver Plaine Expos. Prov. xi–xii. 117 But men will laugh at our simplicity, if we sit downe by such indignities. 1766 J. Burrow Rep. Cases King's Bench 2 755 Each Party is to sit down by his own Costs. †(b) intransitive. With with. Cf. to sit with —— 1 at Phrasal verbs 2. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the mind > emotion > calmness > patience > endure patiently [verb (transitive)] takec1175 dure1297 suffer1297 eata1382 to take in patiencec1385 to take awortha1387 endure1477 to go through ——1535 pocket1589 to sit down1589 hack1936 1589 E. Bunny Briefe Answer Quarrels R. P. 106 God bee thanked, that you are able to find no greater matters; but that you are faine to sit downe with these? 1614 T. Jackson Third Bk. Comm. Apostles Creede iii. 126 All were bound vpon paine of death to sit down with their priuate loss. 1674 R. Boyle About Excellency & Grounds Mech. Hypothesis 17 in Excellency Theol. A sober physician..will never sit down with so short an account. 1709 R. Steele Tatler No. 49. ⁋1 We are apt to sit down with our Errors, well enough satisfied with the Methods we are fallen into. 1818 W. Scott Heart of Mid-Lothian ix, in Tales of my Landlord 2nd Ser. IV. 203 He was compelled to sit down with the affront. 1881 W. H. Mallock Romance 19th Cent. I. 152 He was not a man tamely to sit down with dejection. (c) intransitive. With under. ΚΠ 1620 S. Denison Monument or Tombe-stone 110 She was content to sit downe vnder the wrong, being perswaded that God would cleare her innocencie as the light at noone day. 1723 W. Hendley Exhortation to Holy Communion (ed. 2) 49 A Man had better patiently sit down under the Loss, than endeavour to recover it by Law. 1830 F. S. Hutchinson Second Let. to Christian Examiner 1 Sitting down under the painful imputation of having been a ‘false accuser’. 1914 P. Geddes Let. 30 Oct. in P. Boardman Worlds of P. Geddes (1978) viii. 253 The loss..is hard... Of course we are not sitting down under it: quite the contrary, we are busy taking measures to reorganise as speedily as possible. 1993 H. A. Meynell in T. J. Farrell & P. A. Soukup Communication & Lonergan vii. 137 But is it really possible to sit down under the consequences of the belief that knowledge has no foundations? †c. intransitive. To acquiesce in something. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the mind > language > statement > acquiescence > acquiesce [verb (intransitive)] condescend1579 acquiesce1642 to sit down1644 right-ho1936 1644 T. Weld Answer to W.R. 19 They use to submit to the rest, and sit downe in their votes. 1646 Sir T. Browne Pseudodoxia Epidemica i. viii The major part sit down in his authority. View more context for this quotation 6. a. intransitive. Originally Scottish. To establish oneself in a location or place; to settle, take up one's abode. Formerly also figurative, with on: †(of a feeling) to settle on, descend on (obsolete). In later use chiefly Australian. Now rare.Common in U.S. from the 17th to the 19th centuries. ΘΚΠ society > inhabiting and dwelling > [verb (intransitive)] > establish residence wickc897 telda1325 buildc1340 nestlea1382 to take (up) one's inn (or inns)a1400 to hold (also keep, make, take, etc.) one's mansiona1425 to take one's lodgec1475 reside1490 inhabit1548 to settle one's rest1562 to sit down1579 to set up (or in) one's staff (of rest)1584 to set (up) one's rest1590 nest1591 to set down one's rest1591 roost1593 inherit1600 habituate1603 seat1612 to take up (one's) residencea1626 settle1627 pitch1629 fix1638 locate1652 to marry and settle1718 domesticate1768 domiciliate1815 to hang up one's hat1826 domicile1831 to stick one's stakes1872 homestead1877 to put down roots1882 to hang one's hat1904 localize1930 the world > existence and causation > causation > initiating or causing to begin > initiate [verb (intransitive)] > be or become established morea1200 roota1382 to take roota1450 take1523 to take rooting1548 to be well warmed1565 seisin1568 to sit down1579 to come to stay1863 1579 in D. Masson Reg. Privy Council Scotl. (1880) 1st Ser. III. 241 [He]satt doun upoun the ground of the saidis landis,..and upliftit the dewiteis of the samin. a1600 ( W. Stewart tr. H. Boece Bk. Cron. Scotl. (1858) II. 693 (heading) Donald Bane..efter his Deid sat doun and rang into his Steid. 1632 J. Winthrop Hist. New Eng. (1825) (modernized text) I. 87 The Braintree company, (which had begun to sit down at Mount Wollaston). a1732 T. Boston Memoirs (1776) x. 309 In this time it began to sit down on my spirit very much..that I was unfit for them. 1799 in Farmer's Mag. Aug. (1801) 311 On the turn of middle age..the author sat down on a farm in Maryland. 1817 J. Bradbury Trav. Amer. 332 A comparison of their present state with their situation when they first sat down. 1820 Monitor (Sydney) 13 Nov. 2/6 The six men who were captured at Hunter's River with a very large number of cattle and horses..intended to sit down as the Blacks say ‘far from the busy haunts of men’. 1875 Couper Sandy ix, in W. Alexander Sketches Life among Ain Folk 139 I did not think it richt that he sud be latt'n sit doon amon's as a neebour onbeen enterteen't. 1921 Westville (Indiana) Indicator 29 Sept. By and by, she [sc. Europe] might have come over here and sat down on our farm. 1975 K. Willey Ghosts of Big Country ii. 31 He still ‘sits down’ in ‘The Loo’ for several months each year in a galvanised iron house. 1996 C. I. Macafee Conc. Ulster Dict. 305/1 Sit down, settle, make your home; specifically, take up the tenancy of a farm. b. (a) intransitive. Of a military force or its commander: to encamp beside a town or fortified place in order to besiege it (frequently with before); (also) †to settle down to a siege (obsolete). Formerly also: †(of a siege) to commence (obsolete). Cf. main sense 7b. ΘΚΠ society > armed hostility > attack > action or state of siege or blockade > lay siege [verb (intransitive)] to lay ensiege?a1500 to plant a siegea1500 to sit down1593 inleaguer1603 to set downa1616 to lie down1693 sit1802 1593 M. Sutcliffe Pract., Proc., & Lawes of Armes xvi. 215 Before we sit downe before any towne, let vs see what commodity we may get by taking it. a1616 W. Shakespeare Coriolanus (1623) iv. vii. 28 All places yeelds to him ere he sits downe, And the Nobility of Rome are his. View more context for this quotation 1670 C. Cotton tr. G. Girard Hist. Life Duke of Espernon i. i. 6 His Father..resolv'd to send him..to the Siege of Rochelle, that was then sitting down. 1720 D. Defoe Mem. Cavalier 127 They sat down to the Siege of Coburgh Castle. 1829 W. Scott Anne of Geierstein III. xii. 333 The army of Burgundy sat down before Nancy, in a strong position. 1902 S. J. Weyman In Kings' Byways i. 137 In the summer of 1706..one of the Austrian captains sat down before the frontier town of Huymonde, in Spanish Flanders, and prepared to take it. 2010 P. F. Purton Hist. Late Medieval Siege ii. 77 King James..was wrongly informed that the city of Gaeta would open its gates to him...He found this was not true and sat down to besiege it. (b) transitive. To cause (an army) to encamp. ΚΠ 1927 H. Belloc Hist. Eng. II. iv. 406 He sat his army down before it. 1972 J. Haswell James II xxii. 245 The usurper William arrived and sat his army down outside Exeter. 1996 E.C. Fishel Secret War for Union Epil. 545 Grant sat the army down at Cold Harbor and pondered his next move. 7. transitive. To put or set (a thing or person) down. Cf. main sense 20c. Now chiefly U.S.rare before the 20th century and in earlier use, esp. in the past tense, not always distinguishable from uses of variant forms of set v.¹ (cf. quot. 1796 for to set down 4a at set v.¹ Phrasal verbs 2). ΘΚΠ the world > space > place > placing or fact of being placed in (a) position > place or put in a position [verb (transitive)] > put or lay down allayOE seta1000 to lay downc1275 to put downa1382 to set downa1400 deposec1420 to sit down1600 depositate1618 deposit1749 ground1751 plank1859 1600 T. Dekker in R. Allott Englands Parnassus 478 He [sc. Zephirus] sate vs downe, and thus we did ariue. 1798 C. Smith Young Philosopher IV. 224 If he would sit me down where he found me. 1824 W. Taylor in Monthly Mag. 57 511 When he took his lady from the horse Into his arms, he gently sat her down. 1940 J. Ross They don't dance Much (1975) v. 54 Smut drank his liquor and sat the cup down on the table. 2000 S. O'Flanagan Storm Clouds in J. Adams et al. Girls' Night In 448 It came in a huge bright yellow cup.., served by a pretty, gamine waitress who smiled cheerfully as she sat it down in front of me. 8. a. intransitive. To be or remain seated. Cf. main sense 1a. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > be sitting or seated [verb (intransitive)] asitOE sitOE setc1275 to sit down1659 1659 T. Pestell Serm. & Devotions 91 There is a third, a wilfull and obstinate Ignorance, sitting down in darkness without Care or Endeavour to rise up from that bondage. 1791 J. Lackington Memoirs vi. 44 My good mistress would sit down for hours together, with her bible in her lap. 1844 Knickerbocker June 565 If there was no happiness, there was at least no unhappiness, in sitting down for hours, and brooding over my own idiosyncracies. 1916 J. Parr Let. 19 June in L. Housman War Lett. Fallen Englishmen (2002) 211 He sits down all day and does not attempt to help in any way except when I tell him to do things. 2015 Daily Express (Nexis) 24 Sept. 11 Fidgeting could help fight against the health dangers of spending all day sitting down in the office. b. intransitive. to take (something) sitting down and variants: to accept or tolerate (something, esp. a setback, defeat, etc.) submissively, without complaint or reprisal; to acquiesce to. Cf. sense 5. Cf. also to take (a beating, defeat, etc.) lying down at lie v.¹ Phrasal verbs.Usually in negative contexts. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > difficulty > opposition > absence of resistance > offer no resistance [verb (intransitive)] to turn the other cheek1529 to go down like ninepins1791 to take (a beating, defeat, etc.) lying down1888 to take (something) sitting down1899 1899 Kalgoorlie (W. Austral.) Miner 12 May 2/6 Please don't imagine every bikist [= cyclist] will submit to indignities..; some take it sitting down, others look for gore. 1917 Living Age 10 Nov. 351/1 The enemy front line and their reserve lines received a fearful pounding... The enemy, of course, did not take this sitting down, and very soon his guns began to pound away at our trenches. 1961 J. Carlova & O. Ruggles Healing Heart iv. 57 A rebel is a fighter. He doesn't accept defeat sitting down. He gets up and fights back. 2005 Nation 14 Feb. 13/1 We Democrats can't take this sitting down. We have to stand up..and figure out how we build this back into a majority party. 9. intransitive. To meet with a person, group, etc., typically for a formal, serious, or lengthy discussion; to hold a meeting. Cf. sit-down n. 3.Typically used with specific reference to meetings attended in person, as opposed to telephone conversations, etc., though now also sometimes used of meetings conducted online. ΘΚΠ the mind > language > speech > conversation > converse [verb (intransitive)] > face-to-face or in person interview1548 see1548 to sit down1748 1748 S. Richardson Clarissa V. xxii. 199 When my active capacity begins to abate, I may sit down with the Preacher, and resolve all my past life into vanity and vexation of spirit. 1814 Q. Rev. Oct. 228 It is..curious to mark with what imposing gravity a committee will sit down to discuss the merits of a mouse-trap. 1922 Appleton (Wisconsin) Post-Crescent 27 June 1/3 Others are willing to sit down with the union spokesmen and negotiate new scales of wages. 1991 Times Educ. Suppl. 4 Jan. 42/4 Before any attempt is made at appraisal it would be wise for music teachers and headteachers to sit down together and determine a realistic job specification. 2002 L. G. Friedman Go-to-market Strategy ii. 64 The ongoing frenzy..leaves people too exhausted..to do anything useful.., such as..sitting down with prospective partners to see what it would take to drive deals together. 10. intransitive. Originally U.S. to sit down (hard) on: to denounce severely, to reject (a proposal); to snub (a person). Cf. to sit on —— 8 at Phrasal verbs 2. Now rare. ΚΠ 1874 Cleveland (Ohio) Daily Herald 23 June 4/3 Congress has sat down hard on the independent government of the District... Washington is flattened out. 1885 Outing Sept. 697 But, my dear, that sounds very much like the rudeness which you gentlemen call ‘sitting down on people’. 1904 Boston Advertiser 5 Nov. 4 He sat down hard on the proposition that Canada should meet a penny of the ‘imperial’ expenses. 1984 Financial Times 17 May 2/8 The nimble-minded Premier had dreamed up a ‘wizard wheeze’... Washington is said to have sat down hard on this one. 11. intransitive. Of an aviator: to land an aircraft. ΘΚΠ society > travel > air or space travel > action of flying (in) aircraft > specific flying operations or procedures > [verb (intransitive)] > land land1784 alight1786 to sit down1926 to put down1933 to touch down1933 to hit the deck1943 1926 National Geographic Mag. Jan. 18/1 After a while he guessed he'd better ‘sit down’... He got down all right. 1954 Life 25 Jan. 75/2 Descending, sometimes through a 40-knot blizzard, Thule's pilots sit down in an ancient glacier bed. 2013 San Marcos (Texas) Daily Rec. 18 Jan. 1/2 The pilot quickly sat down on Runway 82-6. 12. intransitive. Originally U.S. To sit down on strike in one's place of work; to sit down in a public place as a form of protest. Cf. sit-down adj. 4a. Now somewhat rare. ΘΚΠ society > authority > lack of subjection > rebelliousness > militancy > be militant [verb (intransitive)] > demonstrate or protest > specific to sit down1936 to sit in1937 sit1959 to take a (also the) knee1960 1936 Sun (Baltimore) 2 Nov. 14/1 Various of the men reporting for picket duty yesterday came from ships where cooks had been the first to ‘sit down’ in sympathy with the West Coast strikers and hadn't had any food for forty-eight hours. 1962 P. Mortimer Pumpkin Eater xxi. 179 ‘She paints Ban the Bomb on everything.’.. ‘I suppose she sits down all over the place?’ 2008 Leader-Post (Regina, Sask.) (Nexis) 11 Dec. b10 Barack Obama means to build a more equitable nation, but it would help him in that task if more workers sat down. 13. transitive. North American Sport. Esp. of a coach or manager: to remove (a player) from a game; (also) to exclude (a player) from a team or squad; to leave on the bench. Cf. bench v.¹ 3d.Cf. sense 19 and to sit out 1c at Phrasal verbs 1. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of play, actions, or postures > [verb (transitive)] > other actions or types of play outshoot1545 football1599 pitch1717 make1819 to warm up1868 to draw out1893 bench1898 foot1900 cover1907 cannonball1911 telegraph1913 unsight1923 snap1951 to sit out1955 pike1956 to sit down1956 wrong-foot1960 blindside1968 sit1977 1956 N.Y. Times 17 Nov. 27/3 I've kept Bernie on the bench an average of a quarter a game this season, but I'm not going to sit him down against Lindenhurst tomorrow. 1989 Guardian 20 Sept. (Sports News section) 19/7 I will not leave a player out. I would not have the heart to sit a player down. 2001 R. Lazenby Mindgames viii. 215 Last year in San Antonio, any tirade Dennis threw, it was ‘Get him out of the game! Sit him down! Teach him a lesson!’ to sit in I. Senses involving being present at, taking part in, or observing an activity. 1. a. intransitive. To take part in an activity, esp. a card game. Frequently with on; also with at. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > play (a game) [verb (transitive)] playeOE to sit in1601 shoot1926 the world > action or operation > doing > activity or occupation > occupy or engage (a person) [verb (transitive)] > have to do with or be involved in or with > take part in leadOE to take partc1384 to sit in1601 enter1603 1601 B. Jonson Fountaine of Selfe-love iv. iii. sig. H Prophecies? wee cannot all sit in at them; we shall make a confusion. View more context for this quotation 1691 G. Miege New State Eng. iii. vi. 63 These Judges, and those of the two former Courts of King's Bench and Common Pleas, make up the Number of Twelve; who all sit in on their Tribunals in Robes, and square Caps. 1868 S. Hale Let. 5 Jan. (1919) ii. 44 Before we got to lunch two Englishmen sot in. 1903 A. Adams Log of Cowboy xii. 179 When one was frozen out another sat in and took his place. 1962 D. Francis Dead Cert ii. 19 I took ten of Henry's chips and sat in with them. Joan dealt. 1973 ‘H. Howard’ Highway to Murder viii. 102 You weren't invited to sit in on this deal, but you elected to take a hand. 2011 Daily Disp. (S. Afr.) (Nexis) 16 June Invite someone to sit in on the [video] game as the second player. b. intransitive. Originally U.S. To join in playing or singing with a jazz band or other musical ensemble of which one is not a regular member. Also with with. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > the arts > music > performing music > perform (music) [verb (transitive)] > join in with to sit in1936 1936 Delineator Nov. 102/ Those on the drawn-up chairs are sitting in; they have dropped in with their instruments to jam. 1937 New Republic 24 Nov. 69/2 Jess saw Bix Beiderbecke and sat in with him later. 1949 L. Feather Inside Be-bop i. 8 On these occasions Kansas Fields or Jack Parker might sit in on drums. 1965 G. Melly Owning-up vii. 75 Buying a barrel of cider for the musicians who came along to sit in. 2016 Las Cruces (New Mexico) Sun-News (Nexis) 7 July t10 Any musician can sit in on the sessions. †2. intransitive. With to. To begin in earnest to do something; to apply oneself to. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > undertaking > beginning action or activity > begin or enter upon (an action) [verb (transitive)] > begin an action or fall to doing something > resolutely or vigorously to sit in1736 strap1823 to get down1826 tackle1841 to buckle down (to)1865 to bite on1904 to wade into1904 to get stuck into1910 to get one's teeth into1935 to sink one's teeth into1935 to get stuck in1938 to get to grips with1947 1736 W. R. Chetwood Voy. W. O. G. Vaughan I. 101 When our Business was over, we sat in to Drinking. 1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones VI. xviii. xiii. 298 The Squire sat in to his Cups. View more context for this quotation 1860 E. Epps Living among Dead xii. 154 They sat in to their game, while the others talked. a1922 T. S. Eliot Waste Land Drafts (1971) 5 Sopped up some gin, sat in to the cork game. 3. intransitive. to sit in for: to carry out temporarily the duties or obligations of (another person). Cf. to stand in 7 at stand v. Phrasal verbs 1. ΘΚΠ society > authority > delegated authority > action or function of a delegate or deputy > act as delegate or deputy [verb (intransitive)] > temporarily to sit in for1915 to hold the fort1936 1915 Washington Post 14 Sept. 6/5 (header) Woman mayor of big city. ‘Sits in’ for Chief Magistrate of Los Angeles during latter's absence. 1963 ‘C. Keene’ Nancy's Mysterious Let. (rev. ed.) xix. 61 Say, how about sitting in for me, Nancy, in my Shakespeare class? You might pull an A for me. 1992 Washington Post 23 Mar. d10/1 Larson sat in for Katie Couric recently on the morning show and did well. 2011 M. Brown in Animal Res. in Global Environment, Proc. 2008 Internat. Workshop (National Res. Council (U.S.)) 67 Unfortunately, I have to leave after my talk; Sari has agreed to sit in for me in the panel this afternoon. 4. intransitive. To attend an event or occasion as a spectator or observer. Usually with on; also with at. ΘΚΠ the world > space > place > presence > be present at [verb (transitive)] > be present at (a proceeding or meeting) tend1460 to make one1542 frequent1555 assist1603 attend1646 to sit in1919 1919 C. S. Parker Amer. Idyll ii. ii, in Atlantic Monthly Apr. 501/1 I sat in on a meeting of the Building-Trades Board. 1945 A. Huxley Time must have Stop (new ed.) viii. 91 Paul De Vries had already sat in at a number of the old lady's séances. 1962 ‘S. Ransome’ Without Trace iii. 31 ‘He has something to talk over with me.’.. ‘Would he mind if I sat in?’ 1967 Daily Tel. 15 May 9/4 To sit in at a play of this sort is to realise quite soon that you are being asked a riddle. 1977 Spare Rib July 17/1 If you sat in on some of the interviews I've been through you'd know. 2016 Star Tribune (Minneapolis) (Nexis) 12 Dec. 13 c They got to see us practice and how we coach, and sit in on meetings, and so they get to see everything. 5. intransitive. To cooperate; to collaborate. Also with with, on.Only in P. G. Wodehouse. ΘΚΠ society > society and the community > social relations > co-operation > co-operate with [verb (transitive)] coadjuvate1601 rally1706 to work in1875 to sit in1925 1925 P. G. Wodehouse Sam the Sudden xiii. 96 Do you mean to say..that if Soapy was sitting in with the Archbishop of Canterbury on a plan for skinning a sucker, the archbish wouldn't split Even Stephen? 1937 P. G. Wodehouse Lord Emsworth & Others ii. 96 Can I count on your co-operation?.. Sit in, and I shall be able to marry the girl I adore. Refuse to do your bit, and I drift through the remainder of my life a soured, blighted bachelor. a1975 P. G. Wodehouse Sunset at Blandings (1977) xi. 77 Jeff refused to sit in on your chuckleheaded idea of eloping for a very good reason. II. Other senses. †6. intransitive. English regional (northern). To adhere (see quot. 1828). Cf. main sense 29. Obsolete. ΚΠ 1828 W. Carr Dial. Craven (ed. 2) (at cited word) ‘Sit in’, to adhere, as any extraneous matter does in a recent wound. 7. intransitive. Originally U.S. To occupy a building as a demonstration of protest. Cf. sit-in adj. and n.Frequently hyphenated. ΘΚΠ society > authority > lack of subjection > rebelliousness > militancy > be militant [verb (intransitive)] > demonstrate or protest > specific to sit down1936 to sit in1937 sit1959 to take a (also the) knee1960 1937 N.Y. Times 12 May 10/5 (headline) 1,700 Philadelphia workers sit in or walk out—ask recognition of unions. 1961 Look 25 Apr. 46/2 Negroes who picket, sit-in, crowd our jails, advance on white schools and otherwise approach prevailing privilege. 2007 W. C. Hogan Many Minds, One Heart iii. 68 On 22 November the students sat-in at the white waiting room of the bus terminal. 8. intransitive. In a race: to stay close behind another person, horse, etc., typically with the aim of reducing air resistance or conserving energy for a final effort to overtake and win. Frequently with behind.Originally and frequently in the context of horse racing. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > race [verb (intransitive)] > in specific manner to make (all) the running1824 stay1834 sprint1841 to come with a wet sail1876 to stay the course1885 to sit in1952 1952 Irish Times 2 Oct. 2/7 Mr. Cox was content to sit in behind for most of the way, but.., driving High Velocity through on the inside coming to the last hurdle, he got the better of Soaring High on the run-in. 1999 Coventry Evening Tel. (Nexis) 17 Dec. (Sport section) 58 Jockey Adrian Maguire was content to sit in at the back of the five-runner field..before challenging the front-running Annie Buckers in the straight. 2013 S. Yates & J. Deering It's All about Bike (2014) 192 I rode on the front all day every day.., Malcolm sitting in behind us in the leader's jersey and conserving energy. to sit on 1. intransitive. To continue to sit (in various senses); esp. to remain seated. Also Scottish: to continue in occupation, to stay on as tenant. Cf. on adv. 5a. Sc. National Dict. (at cited word) records the Scottish sense as still in use in Perthshire in 1970. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > absence of movement > [verb (intransitive)] > remain as opposed to go bidec893 yleaveOE leaveOE wonc1000 abideOE worthOE beliveOE atstutte-nc1220 stuttea1225 atstuntc1230 astinta1250 beleavea1325 lasta1325 stounda1325 stinta1340 joukc1374 restaya1382 to leave over1394 liec1400 byec1425 onbidec1430 keep1560 stay1575 delay1655 to wait on1773 stop1801 to sit on1815 to hang around1830 to stick around1878 to sit tight1897 remain1912 stay-down1948 1815 Parl. Deb. 1st Ser. 29 888 An Act was passed on the 31st December, (parliament sitting on till after Christmas for the purpose). 1861 F. Guise Cravens of Beech Hall II. ix. 171 He sat on until the glimmering daylight began to appear. 1880 Hansard's Parl. Deb. 3rd Ser. 253 137 The tenant sat on from year to year on the same terms as he had previously held the land. 1916 J. Rankine Law of Leases in Scotl. (ed. 3) Index 980 Notice of claim by tenant not to be made after determination of tenancy..; except where tenant sits on as to part of the farm. 1932 D. L. Sayers Have his Carcase xix. 255 She sat on right through the programme, but when it came to God Save the King, she chucked it. 2015 D. Park Stone Kingdoms We sat on until the smouldering fire had died almost to nothing. 2. intransitive and transitive (in passive). English regional (northern) and Scottish. Of milk or cooked food: to be stuck or burnt to the pan. Sc. National Dict. (at cited word) records the sense as still in use in Perthshire, Lanarkshire, Galloway, and Roxburghshire in 1970. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > food > food manufacture and preparation > cooking > undergo cooking [verb (intransitive)] > burn or catch on bottom of cooking pot to set toa1610 burn1725 catch1767 to sit on1824 1824 W. Carr Horæ Momenta Cravenæ 109 Sitten-on, When milk is burnt in the pan. 1835 ‘S. Oliver’ Rambles Northumberland iv. 131 When a dumpling, hasty-pudding, potatoes, &c. have sitten on to the bottom of the pan in which they are boiled, they are said to be bishopped. 1894 R. O. Hesop Northumberland Words II. 644 To sit-on, to stick to the cooking utensil. ‘The dumplin's sitten-on’. to sit out 1. a. intransitive. To sit apart from others, or to remain seated, so as take no part in an activity (esp. a game or dance). Now also spec.: (of a player) to take no part in a match or part of a match. Also figurative. Cf. 1b. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > entertainment > [verb (intransitive)] > take no part to sit out1558 society > society and the community > social relations > lack of social communication or relations > separation or isolation > separate [verb (intransitive)] > stand aloof or take no part keep cut?a1400 to stand out?1496 to sit out1558 society > leisure > dancing > ball or dance > take part in ball [verb (intransitive)] > sit out to sit out1775 1558 Speciall Grace after Banket at Yorke sig. b.viii A woonder was it to see sum oother again, of our great Iusticers & learned men (that would not sit out) how wickedly and willingly thei becam their rackers & tormentours. 1565 J. Calfhill Aunswere Treat. Crosse f. 106 I perceiue you wil play small play, rather than sit out. a1627 T. Middleton Mayor of Quinborough (1661) i. i. 13 If I see any kneel, and I sit out, That hour is not well spent. 1664 J. Wilson Andronicus Comnenius ii. ii Who was the prouder pray; Diogenes, that spurn'd at every thing, Or Alexander, that sate out at nothing? 1775 R. B. Sheridan Rivals v. iii You won't be so cantanckerous as to spoil the party by sitting out. 1886 ‘E. Lyall’ Won by Waiting xxix. 303 She danced with Claude, however, several times, only refusing him once when she wanted to sit out with Cornelia. 1927 Everybody’s Jan. 111/1 ‘Bes' li'l' poker player in this hull state. Wanna sit in, stranger?’ ‘No, I want you to sit out.’ 2014 Sports Illustr. 13 Oct. 42/2 The Seminoles' starting quarterback, sophomore James Winston, sat out with a suspension. b. transitive. To sit apart from others, or to remain seated when others do not, so as to take no part in (a game, dance, or other social activity). Now also spec.: (of a player) to take no part in (a match or part of a match). Also figurative. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > inaction > not doing > not do [verb (transitive)] > take no part in (an action) to sit out1659 society > society and the community > social relations > lack of social communication or relations > separation or isolation > separate or isolate [verb (transitive)] > stand aloof from > specifically a dance or game to sit out1659 to set out1815 society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > play a card [verb (transitive)] > actions or tactics to hold up?1499 decardc1555 to turn up1580 discard1591 pulla1625 to sit out1659 face1674 to make out1680 to lay out1687 to throw away1707 lead1739 weaken1742 carry1744 to take in1744 force1746 to show down1768 throw1866 blank1884 block1884 cover1885 unblock1885 pitch1890 society > leisure > dancing > ball or dance > take part in ball [verb (transitive)] > sit out to sit outc1869 1659 H. Neville Shufling, Cutting, & Dealing 3 I was somewhat scrupulous, whether Play was lawful, or not; and so sate out the last Game. c1869 T. Taylor & A. W. Dubourg in M. R. Booth Eng. Plays of 19th Cent. (1973) III. 251 I didn't sit out one dance. 1885 ‘F. Anstey’ Tinted Venus 15 I've never had to sit out a waltz before. 1957 Economist 19 Oct. 208/2 Only two countries—Holland and Australia—gave a majority in favour of getting involved [in a war with Russia]. In the rest, all but two of which are allies of America, most people said they would rather sit this one out. 1969 Internat. Herald Tribune (Paris) 6 Nov. 13/1 Baltimore's Wes Unseld..sat out much of the game because of foul trouble. 1978 G. A. Sheehan Running & Being xv. 211 I hadn't realized this..until the 1976 Boston Marathon... Any thinking adult would have sat this one out. 2017 Dayton (Ohio) Daily News (Nexis) 5 May z3 24% are likely to sit out the election, possibly eroding Macron's lead. c. transitive. Sport (chiefly North American). Esp. of a coach or manager: to exclude (a player) from a team or squad; to leave on the bench. Cf. bench v.¹ 3d. Cf. sense 19 and to sit down 13 at Phrasal verbs 1. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of play, actions, or postures > [verb (transitive)] > other actions or types of play outshoot1545 football1599 pitch1717 make1819 to warm up1868 to draw out1893 bench1898 foot1900 cover1907 cannonball1911 telegraph1913 unsight1923 snap1951 to sit out1955 pike1956 to sit down1956 wrong-foot1960 blindside1968 sit1977 1955 Winnipeg (Manitoba) Tribune 16 Feb. 21/1 As long as the goaler has no broken bones.., no person ever seems to think of sitting him out. 1991 Hamilton (Ont.) Spectator (Nexis) 21 Nov. (Sports section) e3 He was fined for missing Tuesday morning's practice. ‘I thought about sitting him out, but I did not want to punish the team for the indiscretion of one player.’ 2019 Pantagraph (Bloomington, Illinois) (Nexis) 15 May (Sports section) b1 When I was struggling with my hitting last year and coach would sit me out, it brought out more determination in me. 2. a. transitive. To keep one's seat throughout the course of (something); in later use esp. to remain where one is until the end of (an uncomfortable experience). Also with non-referential it as object. Cf. to sit through —— at Phrasal verbs 2. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > absence of movement > [verb (intransitive)] > remain as opposed to go > for a purpose to sit out1579 stay1592 staya1616 the world > movement > absence of movement > render immobile [verb (transitive)] > remain in (a place) > for a purpose to stay for ——1554 stay1570 to sit out1579 to set out1714 to sit through ——1809 1579 E. Hake Newes out of Powles Churchyarde newly Renued v. sig. E.i^v He neuer must repine Although it be to sit it oute all night in costly game. 1598 F. Meres Palladis Tamia f. 33 As we can easily and with pleasure sit out long playes: so..we should at the least be as willing to sit out long Sermons. 1630 Bp. J. Hall Occas. Medit. §lxxxi What a Penance must be done by every accumbent; in sitting out the passage through all these dishes. 1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 101. ¶7 An Audience would sit out an Evening to hear a Dramatical Performance. 1809 B. H. Malkin tr. A. R. Le Sage Adventures Gil Blas III. viii. ix. 325 I cannot conceive how a clever fellow like you can sit it out with such loutish guests. 1888 J. Johnston Cent. Conf. Missions I. 450 This is the only meeting, except the first, which it has been my privilege to sit out. 1949 Irish Times 19 Sept. 7/3 You will not..sit out the film without feeling queasy. 1969 A. Bennett Forty Years On in Forty Years On & Other Plays (1991) 7 Hugh and Moggie..sit out the Second World War in the basement of Claridge's. 2012 Daily Mirror (Nexis) 30 Nov. (Ireland ed.) 7 You have no control over it—you just have to sit it out. b. transitive. Originally: to remain longer than (another person) when paying a visit. Now more generally: to keep one's seat longer than (another person), to outsit. ΘΚΠ the world > time > duration > have duration [verb (transitive)] > outstay or overstay outdwell1600 overstand1600 sit1602 to ride out1603 outstaya1616 overstay1641 outsit1661 tarry outa1662 stay1749 to sit out1752 to overstay one's welcome1858 stay1858 society > leisure > social event > visit > visiting > visit [verb (transitive)] > remain longer than (another) to sit out1752 1752 H. Fielding Amelia II. v. v. 127 She resolved to come to an Eclaircissement, and having sat out some Company that came in, when they were alone together, [etc.]. 1808 J. Austen Let. 9 Dec. (1995) 157 We found M^rs Lance at home & alone, & sat out three other Ladies who soon came in. 1902 Smart Set July 79/1 There were two or three chaps there before me, and they tried to sit me out—stubborn little cads! 1904 Collier's 14 May 22/3 Peter tried to sit her out, but it was no good; when she saw that was his game she put the door open and let the fire out, in order to chill him up to bed. 1996 W. Witney In Door, into Fight, Out Door, into Chase 217 I sat him out. He got tired of waiting for me to open the conversation and moved over. 3. intransitive. To sit in the open air. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > condition of being external > be external [verb (intransitive)] > sit outdoors to sit out1616 the world > matter > gas > air > fresh air > [verb (intransitive)] > expose oneself to open air to sit out1616 air1633 the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > be sitting or seated [verb (intransitive)] > in open air to sit out1616 1616 T. Roe in S. Purchas Pilgrimes (1625) I. iv. xvi. 583 The King sits out in three seuerall places, thrice euery day, except some occasion preuent him: an houre at noone to see his Elephants fight; at foure till fiue to entertayne all commers..; nine till mid-night, with his principall men in more familiaritie. 1805 E. Cavanagh Let. 20 Aug. in M. Wilmot & C. Wilmot Russ. Jrnls. (1934) ii. 179 I sat out & made a Gown while we were going along. 1908 E. Fowler Between Trent & Ancholme 109 I am now sitting out, for the first time. 2013 A. Forna Hired Man xxi. 289 It's still warm enough to sit out. to sit up I. Senses directly implying a sitting posture.Senses 1a and 2 show considerable overlap, since the action may be viewed as either beginning or continuing. 1. a. intransitive. To raise one's body from a recumbent to a sitting posture, or from a leaning or slouching posture to an upright sitting posture. Also of an animal: to balance on the hindquarters, with the front paws raised and the body upright.In quot. c1225 transitive (passive). ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > be sitting or seated [verb (intransitive)] > sit up or upright to sit upOE the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > be sitting or seated [verb (intransitive)] > come to a sitting posture to sit upOE sita1400 to sit down1859 OE Old Eng. Hexateuch: Gen. (Claud.) xlviii. 2 Ða cydde man Ysrahele þæt Iosep his suna wær [probably read wære] cumen; þa elnode he hine & sæt up. c1225 (?c1200) St. Katherine (Bodl.) (1981) l. 585 Þa ha weren iseten up, sehen as þe engles..smireden hire wunden. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 3683 ‘Fader,’ he said, ‘sitt vp and ete’. a1500 St. Jerome (Lamb.) in Anglia (1880) 3 343 He satt up and cryed ‘I shall not..thow lyest’. 1526 Bible (Tyndale) Luke vii. f. lxxxv I saye vnto the, aryse. And the deed sate vp. 1757 Tryal of Lady Allurea Luxury 61 Sometimes I am somewhat indolent after Sitting up, and find a little Palpitation at my Heart. 1847 Ld. Tennyson Princess v. 97 She heard, she moved,..and up she sat. 1854 J. G. Wood Sketches Animal Life 98 Four cats..had taught themselves the art of begging like a dog... They waited until they saw the dog sit up in the begging position, and immediately assumed the same attitude. 1908 R. Bagot Anthony Cuthbert xxvii Sonia sat up excitedly. ‘I will not have a doctor,’ she exclaimed. 1965 D. G. Dodds Wild Captives 53 The mouse sits up, pawing at the giant. 1996 P. Morgan et al. Female Body 14 Mom was right when she told us to sit up. Absolutely correct when she told us not to slouch. 1998 A. Geras Silent Snow, Secret Snow 105 Carlo sat up in bed and hugged his knees through the duvet. 2013 M. Lawson Deaths vi. 171 ‘Sit up straight! It's bad for your digestion, eating like that.’ b. intransitive. to sit up and beg: (originally, of a dog) to balance on the hindquarters with the front paws raised expectantly in the hope of a reward (cf. beg v. 2i); (subsequently figurative) to be compliant, pliable, or subservient. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > easiness > do or accomplish something easily [verb (intransitive)] > be easy to deal with or control to sit up and beg1869 the world > space > relative position > vertical position > [adjective] > upright or erect upstandingc1000 standing1180 erectc1386 upright1398 standard1538 top-right1562 steya1586 upstraight1598 struttinga1643 straight reacheda1649 surrect1692 stand-up1749 stick-up1808 to sit up and beg1869 the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > [adjective] > up or upright > specific miscellaneous to sit up and beg1869 society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > vehicle propelled by feet > [adjective] > attitude of vehicles (planes, bikes, etc.) to sit up and beg1869 society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > vehicle propelled by feet > [verb (intransitive)] > bicycle > assume attitude to sit up and beg1869 1869 Quiver 17 Apr. 447/2 He [sc. a dog] found it just as long to the next stone that way, so in despair he sat up and—begged. 1911 Times 6 July 16/6 His second service is not formidable, and..he could not make friends with the half-volleys; to Mr. Dixon they sit up and beg. 1917 R. Barnes Let. 20 July in M. Gilbert W. S. Churchill (1977) IV. Compan. i. 105 Pile up the guns & shells & we will make the Hun sit up & beg, but we haven't got enough yet. 1935 G. Stein Let. in E. Burns & U. E. Dydo Lett. Gertrude Stein & Thornton Wilder (1996) App. V. 365 For the first time in his life Basket had sat up and begged and not gotten what he asked he was disillusioned and..he has never been quite the same trusting dog since. 1978 Times 4 July 19/4 Ramirez tucked away a net cord by his opponent that sat up and simply begged. 2017 @JeanieOsc 18 July in twitter.com (accessed 7 Dec. 2017) And when he whistles Russia is going to sit up and beg! Uh huh. Yeah, sure. c. intransitive. to make (a person) sit up: to astonish, startle, or have a powerful effect on (a person). ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > expectation > surprise, unexpectedness > surprise, astonish [verb (transitive)] gloppena1250 abavea1400 ferlya1400 forferlya1400 supprisec1405 stonish1488 surprend1549 stagger1556 thunderbolta1586 admire1598 startle1598 thunderstrike1613 siderate1623 dumbfound1653 surprise1655 stammer1656 strange1657 astartlea1680 dumbfounder1710 knock1715 to take aback1751 flabbergast1773 to take back1796 stagnate1829 to put aback1833 to make (a person) sit up1878 to knock, lay (out), etc., cold1884 transmogrify1887 rock1947 to flip out1964 1878 City Jackdaw 29 Mar. 153/2 We'll make 'em sit up one of these days, I tell you. 1889 Daily News 23 July 5 When her [George Sand's] novels first made the world ‘sit up’, if we may venture to use such a phrase. 1922 ‘R. Crompton’ Just—William iii. 60 Crumbs! he'd jolly well make people sit up. 2017 Herald (Glasgow) (Nexis) 5 Oct. 5 That made me sit up and think I really need to do something. d. intransitive. to sit up and take notice: (originally, of a sick person) to raise oneself up from a prostrate position and pay attention to one's surroundings; (now usually) to become suddenly interested, to start paying attention. Also with of. ΘΚΠ the mind > attention and judgement > attention > pay attention [phrase] to nim or take yemec1175 to bow the eyec1230 give tenta1300 to take (nim) heed13.. to have respect toa1398 to have an eye to (also in)1425 to give, pay heed (to)?1504 to make reckoning of1525 to take notice1573 to take into consideration1652 to return to our sheep1871 to sit up and take notice1886 1886 Weekly New Era (Lancaster, Pa.) 17 July 5/2 By the time she is able to sit up and take notice and get from the bed to the fire, she surrounds herself with every treatise she can find on the proper method of training infants. 1909 N.Y. Evening Post 6 Mar. 1/3 The crowd that fell upon Washington was of such a size that the District authorities sat up and took serious notice. 1940 K. Furse Hearts & Pomegranates xxviii. 387 I was amused to see that women who had succumbed and been carried to the lamp-post islands by St. John Ambulance stretcher-bearers, could sit up and take notice as we passed. 1954 A. Huxley Let. 18 Jan. (1969) 694 If you want them to sit up and take notice, prepare your way with a barrage of heavy guns from respectable institutions. 1968 H. C. Rae Few Small Bones ii. viii. 141 Look at him..stuffed full of pet theories, praying I'll sit up and take notice of him. 2005 N.Y. Times 10 Apr. 15/1 The competition for resources and the health of the planet is causing many analysts and political leaders to sit up and take notice. 2. a. intransitive. To be in a sitting posture, in contrast to lying down. Frequently in to sit up and take nourishment (said of patients who have reached a particular stage of convalescence). ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > be sitting or seated [verb (intransitive)] > upright to sit upa1535 to sit up1848 to sit up like Jacky1918 to sit tall1976 the world > health and disease > healing > recovery > recover or be healed [verb (intransitive)] wholeeOE botenc1225 cover1297 amendc1325 recovera1375 warisha1386 recovera1387 healc1390 recurec1400 soundc1402 mendc1440 convalesce1483 guarish1489 restore1494 refete?a1505 revert1531 to gather (or pick) up one's crumbs1589 cure1597 recruit1644 to perk upa1656 retrieve1675 to pick up1740 to leave one's bed1742 to sit up and take nourishment1796 to get round1798 to come round1818 to pull through1830 rally1831 to fetch round1870 to mend up1877 to pull round1889 recoup1896 recuperate1897 a1535 T. More Dialoge of Comfort (1553) i. xviii. sig. D.viii Some haue I sene euyn in their last sycknes sytte vp in theyr death bed vnderproppted w^t pillous take ther play feloes to them & comfort them selfe wyth cardes. 1651 Severall Proc. Parl. No. 112. 1727 The Lieut. Gen. doth now, blessed be God, begin to sit up and recover. 1699 A. Boyer Royal Dict. (at cited word) To sit up in one's Bed, se tenir assis dans son Lit. 1769 W. Buchan Domest. Med. ii. 194 He may sometimes sit up in bed for a short space. 1796 L. Ussher Let. 18 May in E. Ussher et al. Extracts Lett. (1812) 85 She is able to sit up and take nourishment, and I trust, in a little time, will be enabled to leave her room. 1858 ‘G. Eliot’ Janet's Repentance xxvii, in Scenes Clerical Life II. 375 The pale wasted form in the easy-chair (for he sat up to the last). 1909 P. G. Wodehouse Mike lv. 311 ‘How's Adair?’.. ‘Sitting up and taking nourishment once more.’ 2001 N. H. Wilson Mountain Pose xxv. 175 She was sitting up in bed reading one of the teen magazines. 2003 G. Carter Survivor ii. 31 I..headed for church, determined to preach as long as I had breath and could still sit up and take nourishment. b. intransitive. To sit habitually with an upright posture, instead of leaning or slouching.to sit up like Jacky: see Jacky n. 3b. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > be sitting or seated [verb (intransitive)] > upright to sit upa1535 to sit up1848 to sit up like Jacky1918 to sit tall1976 1848 Mass. Teacher 15 July 214 Shall he be contented if his boys sit up erect, make not too much noise with their boots, and ‘answer up’ well on examination day? 1871 M. L. Byrn Myst. of Med. Explained 71 Learn to sit up, young man..; for the unnatural position which you have assumed will never make you a good writer. 2010 S. Cowley Getting Buggers to Behave (ed. 4) xi. 175 Get them to sit up straight, cross their legs, fold their arms, and keep themselves to themselves. c. intransitive. To remain in a seat during an overnight train journey, in contrast to taking a sleeper. Now rare or merged with sense 5a. ΚΠ 1947 L. P. Hartley Eustace & Hilda i. ix. 162 ‘But could you cancel your wagon-lit ticket?’ ‘I don't need to. I'm going to sit up.’ 1967 O. Wynd Walk Softly vii. 107 ‘You've got a sleeper reservation?’ ‘No, I was going to sit up.’ 2015 S. Bradley Railways viii. Each train also includes ordinary saloon coaches, for those prepared to sit up all night in exchange for a lower fare. 3. transitive. To place (a person, a doll, etc.) in an upright sitting posture. ΚΠ 1748 Proc. Old Bailey 16 Jan. 32 They sat him up, his Legs across the Saddle, and his Body lay over the Horse's Mane. 1895 Daily News 9 Oct. 7/5 The man is so bad that we can't sit him up. 1975 E. L. Doctorow Ragtime (1985) viii. 53 She took Nesbit's hands and sat her up on the edge of the bed. 1998 G. Adams Casualty (BBC TV Production draft) (O.E.D. Archive) 13th Ser. Episode 6. 101 stage direct. The radiographer moves straight in on Lucy, sits her up and puts a board behind her back. 2014 J. Green Serpent's Egg 51 Sitting the doll up in the basket. 4. intransitive. U.S. regional. To draw one's chair close to the table in order to join in a meal. ΚΠ 1843 B. R. Hall New Purchase I. ix. 64 She sung out the ordinary summons: ‘Well! come, sit up.’ 1856 S. Warner Hills of Shatemuc xvi. 162 ‘Will you sit up, cousin?’..: the meaning of the request being that he should move his chair up to the table. 1923 Ladies' Home Jrnl. Mar. 133/1 A demure little Mennonite maid..will invite you cordially to ‘sit up’ to a table arrayed with the wealth of cup cheese and pot cheese and sugar cakes. 1982 J. Brooks Quicksand & Cactus 327 You've timed it just right. We're just ready to sit up. Come and join us. II. Extended senses. 5. a. intransitive. To defer the hour for retiring to bed until late. Also: to wait up for; to stay awake through the night (or some part of it) with a person. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > sleeping and waking > state of being awake > be or remain awake [verb (intransitive)] > intentionally watchc1000 to sit upc1450 stay1526 to burn (etc.) the midnight oil1635 to set up1697 to wake it1766 to watch up1852 to wait up1855 to stop up1857 the world > physical sensation > sleeping and waking > sleep > bed related to sleep or rest > go to bed or retire to rest [verb (intransitive)] > stay up or out of bed during the night wakec900 to sit upc1450 stay1526 to set up1697 to wake it1766 to watch up1852 to stop up1857 c1450 How Wise Man tauȝt Sonne (Lamb. 853) in Babees Bk. (2002) i. 50 Sonne, sitte not up at euen to longe. 1472 in J. Raine Vol. Eng. Misc. N. Counties Eng. (1890) 24 (MED) William, servaunt of Herry Couper, is a ryotter on nyghtes, sittyng up at uncovable tyme. 1599 W. Shakespeare Romeo & Juliet iv. iii. 10 Let the Nurse this night sit vp with you. View more context for this quotation 1672 Duke of Buckingham Rehearsal ii. 19 I sate up two whole nights in composing this Air. 1711 J. Swift Jrnl. to Stella 9 Mar. (1948) I. 212 The surgeon sat up with him: he is asleep again. 1786 J. Woodforde Diary 18 Feb. (1926) II. 228 The Captain..did not return till 12 at Night, just as I was going to bed after sitting up for him till that time. 1869 ‘G. Eliot’ Let. 15 Nov. (1956) V. 67 I admire your courage and endurance in sitting up for the meteors. 1891 E. Peacock Narcissa Brendon II. 86 They sat up talking till far into the night. 1928 A. Huxley Point Counter Point xi. 174 ‘You oughtn't to have sat up for me,’ he said, with tender reproachfulness. 2000 J. Hahn in Y. Chang & J. Teo Capsule 18, I have also sat up all night comforting them. b. intransitive. English regional (north-western), U.S. regional, Caribbean, and South African. To stay up for part of the night (with a person) as a sign of or during courtship; to keep company with. Cf. sense 17a. [With South African use compare Afrikaans opsit (see opsit v.).] ΘΚΠ the mind > emotion > love > courtship or wooing > court or engage in courtship [verb (intransitive)] > sit up late as method of courtship opsit1880 to sit up1880 1878 H. A. Roche On Trek in Transvaal 136 The question of questions is, whether she will ‘sit up and keep company with him!’ If she has consented to do this she has virtually consented to ‘sit up’ with him as long as they both shall live.] 1880 J. Nixon Among Boers ix. 214 I have often been curious to know how the young ‘vrijer’, or lover, manages to make known to the fair one his wish to ‘opzit’, or sit up, for the purpose of courting. 1893 West Cumberland Times (Holiday No.) 6/2 (E.D.D.) The custom being for the lad to sit up with the lass. 1951 L. Craig Singing Hills 99 Then he asked if he could sit up with me that night. He was merely asking for a date so I said yes. 1961 D. Rooke Lover for Estelle 36 He had solemnly shown a candle which he carried in his pocket as a hint to Estelle that they should sit up together that night. 1974 Daily Dispatch (East London, S. Afr.) 29 Mar. 12 Clinton, you've been sitting up with Nellie..an car riding and nothings come of it. 2014 D. Boling Undesirables xxix. 234 He wanted to sit up with me. He had come to respect our ways and knew my parents would appreciate this as proof he wanted to be one of us. †6. intransitive. Anglo-Indian. To be ‘at home’ for an extended period to visitors wishing to pay their respects (see quot. 1780). Obsolete. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > social event > visit > visiting > visit [verb (intransitive)] > receive visitors to sit up1777 receive1830 1777 in H. E. Busteed Echoes Old Calcutta (1888) vi. 136 Lady Impey sits up with Mrs. Hastings; vulgo toad-eating. 1780 I. Munro Narr. Milit. Operat. (1789) 56 When a young lady arrives at Madras she must, in a few days afterwards, sit up to receive company, attended by some beau as master of the ceremonies, which perhaps continues for a week. 1795 T. Munro Let. 15 Sept. in G. R. Gleig Life Sir Thomas Munro (1830) I. 169 I am not to be forced to sit up, and receive male or female visitors. 7. intransitive. Golf. Of a ball: to be unobstructed by the lie of the land; to be easy to hit. Later also in other sports: (of a bouncing ball) to rise up higher than usual, esp. so as to present an easy target. ΚΠ 1902 Golf Illustr. 31 Jan. 88/2 The turf in general is of the short springy sort, upon which a golf ball ‘sits up’ well. 1912 Country Life 1 June 839/2 The ball sits up absolutely asking to be hit. 1958 Irish Times 11 Apr. 2/6 The ball sat up so well that he was able to reach the green with a spoon. 1983 Observer 1 May 37/3 When the ball sat up outside his off stump he cut as if it were harvest-time. 1998 C. Harmon & J. Andrisani Butch Harmon's Playing Lessons 36 You were right to try to finesse the ball from sand. The lie was level and the ball was sitting up. 2009 A. Agassi Open xxvi. 344 On grass my newly augmented topspin makes the ball sit up like a helium balloon. PV2. With prepositions in specialized senses. to sit at —— intransitive. To be seated at (table, a meal, an occupation, etc.). ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > sit on [verb (transitive)] > for a specific purpose to sit at ——OE to sit to ——OE OE Ælfric Catholic Homilies: 2nd Ser. (Cambr. Gg.3.28) xxxii. 272 Efne ða comon fela gerefan..and sæton æt ðam gereorde mid þam hælende and his leorningcnihtum. OE Old Eng. Hexateuch: Exod. (Claud.) xi. 5 Oð þære wylne frumcennedan sunu þe sit æt ðære cweornan. c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 15560 Menn att bordess sætenn þær. Wiþþ sillferr forr to lenenn. c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) l. 1215 Þer after hii sete at hor mete wiþ gret nobleie echon. 1495 Rolls of Parl.: Henry VII (Electronic ed.) Parl. Oct. 1495 §62. m. 34 Laborers..long sitting at ther brekfast, at ther dyner and nonemete. 1535 Bible (Coverdale) Tobit ix He founde Tobias syttinge at y^e table. 1582 G. Gifford Briefe Disc. Relig. (new ed.) f. 26 I praye yee did yee neuer sitte at Cardes all night? 1610 P. Holland tr. W. Camden Brit. i. 819 When we had sitten at supper untill it was two houres. 1741 S. Richardson Pamela III. xvii. 88 One Day, as she and I sat together, at our Needles. 1847 C. Dickens Dombey & Son (1848) xviii. 169 They..sit long at meals, making much of their meat and drink. a1927 M. Webb Over Hills & Far Away in J. Aaron View across Valley (1999) xii. 128 She would take the chair..into the orchard or the barn, and sit at her work. 2014 J. Nelms Last Time I Died v. 15 I'm sitting at dinner with friends. to sit in —— intransitive. To be seated in (a chair, throne, saddle, etc.). Also figurative. ΚΠ OE (Northumbrian) Lindisf. Gospels: Matt. xix. 28 Cum sederit filius hominis in sede maiestatis suæ : miððy sittes sunu monnes in seðel godcunndmæhtes his. c1300 Evangelie (Dulwich Coll.) l. 238 in Publ. Mod. Lang. Assoc. Amer. (1915) 30 560 Ihu schal..In dauiis sete sitte an deme. c1475 (?c1425) Avowing of King Arthur (1984) l. 209 Þe king in his sadul sete. 1526 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfection i. sig. Bi^v Whiche sawe..a persone setyng in the trone of god. 1597 W. Shakespeare Richard II v. v. 26 Like seely beggars..sitting in the stockes. View more context for this quotation 1684 T. Comber Disc. Excommunic. 109 They would not have sitten any longer in their Thrones than the Pope pleased. 1711 R. Steele Spectator No. 78. ⁋4 Nothing was wanting but some one to sit in the Elbow Chair. 1754 in J. A. Picton City of Liverpool: Select. Munic. Rec. (1886) II. 166 Persons who rent seats..after they quitt sitting in them. 1820 Catal. Prints, Paintings, MSS, Bks. T. Lloyd (Sotheby, London) 58 She wears a royal crown, and with her right hand is presenting an Apple to the Infant, who is sitting in her lap. 1921 Boy Scouts Year Bk. 191/1 He found him, still sitting in the saddle with both feet in the stirrups. 2009 New Yorker 26 Oct. 67/2 Cameron sat in his chair twelve hours a day, looking at effects shots. to sit on —— 1. a. intransitive. To be seated on (a chair, horse, object, etc.).Also in figurative phrases, as to sit on the fence at fence n. 5c, to sit on one's skirts at skirt n. 3, to sit on the splice at splice n. 1c, to sit on thorns at thorn n. 2.See also Phrases 1, Phrases 5, Phrases 9, Phrases 11, Phrases 12, Phrases 13, Phrases 14. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > high position > position upon > be upon something [verb (intransitive)] to sit on ——eOE leanOE restOE to sit upon ——c1300 set1570 insist1598 seat1607 inside1657 repose1799 eOE Leechbk. (Royal) (1865) iii. xlviii. 340 He [sc. the patient] sitte on stole ofer þære beþinge þæt hio hine mæge tela gereocan. OE Beowulf (2008) 286 Weard maþelode ðær on wicge sæt. c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 5807 Þær he satt onn hiss sæte. ?a1430 Compleynte Virgin (Huntington) l. 75 in Minor Poems T. Hoccleve (1970) i. 2 O thynke how..on my knee Thow sat. 1542 N. Udall tr. Erasmus Apophthegmes f. 305 He cutte the benche y^t Darius had sitten on. 1598 R. Tofte tr. M. M. Boiardo Orlando Inamorato iii. sig. G4 Charles hearing this, scarce on his horse could sit. 1614 W. Browne Shepheards Pipe ii. C vij b He..That sits on yonder hill, And tooteth out his notes of glee. a1640 P. Massinger City-Madam (1658) iv. sig. H1^v He shall not Sit long on pennilesse-bench. 1763 H. Walpole Vertue's Anecd. Painting III. i. 18 A Bacchanal of..naked boys, sitting on a tub, the wine running out. 1797 Encycl. Brit. XVI. 609 A stone, on which..Telamon sat to view the Salaminian ships. 1894 T. G. Allen & W. L. Sachtleben Across Asia on Bicycle i. 34 The merchant sits on his heels on the booth floor. 1954 Househ. Guide & Almanac (News of World) 90/2 The holes for the nails should be countersunk, so that they will not catch in..clothing when the chair is sat on. 2001 Mojo Aug. 83/1, I was sitting on the floor talking. b. intransitive. To support one's weight on (the backside, haunches, etc.). ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > support > [verb (intransitive)] > be supported rideOE restOE to sit upon ——1481 rely1572 stay1585 to sit on ——1605 seat1607 bottoma1640 step1791 heel1850 bed1875 1605 G. Chapman Al Fooles ii. i. sig. E^v And there sate he on his posteriors, Like a Baboone. 1793 J. Morse Amer. Universal Geogr. (new ed.) II. 452 They sit on their hams, with their legs and arms disposed in the manner of monkeys. 1894 A. B. Gomme Trad. Games I. 191 A game among children, in which they hop round in a ring, sitting on their hams. 1925 Cent. Mag. Jan. 397/1 Three wolf-dogs, scenting the blood, came out from under the snow and sat on their haunches. 2006 F. Kiernan & G. Hemphill Still Game: Scripts I. iii. 89 (stage direct.) Arthur turns round to see Winston motioning him to sit on his arse. c. intransitive. figurative. To have (a large sum of money, substantial assets, valuable property, etc.) at one's disposal (often with the implication that this is not being exploited). ΚΠ 1931 V. Palmer Separate Lives 186 He's sitting on twelve thousand since he got rid of his cobalt show, and he can't spend that here. 1980 Daily Tel. 29 Mar. 24/5 Investment trust shareholders who are sitting on large gains or have some disposals in mind..are well advised to sell or ‘bed-and-breakfast’ their shares before April 5. 2001 Estates Gaz. 30 June 40/3 Kempner is sitting on a rare gold mine. It is not often that this much space becomes available in the West End. 2. a. intransitive. Of a thing: to be situated on; to rest, lie, or be supported on (something). Also figurative.In Old English frequently with strongly negative associations, with connotations of affliction (compare sense 21a) or of oppression (compare sense 5). ΚΠ OE Guthlac A 478 Ge sind forscadene, on eow scyld siteð. OE Ælfric Catholic Homilies: 1st Ser. (Royal) (1997) xl. 528 Ðeah ðe him adl on ne sitte þeah forwel oft his hæl him bið adl. OE Blickling Homilies 75 Efne swa seo hefige byrþen siteþ on þæm deadan lichoman þære byrgenne & þæs deaþes, & hie se stan & seo eorþe þrycce. c1390 (a1376) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Vernon) (1867) A. vi. l. 11 An hundred of ampolles on his hat seeten. 1590 R. Greene Neuer too Late ii. sig. C4 Thy loue sits on thy tonges end. a1625 F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Knight of Malta iv. ii, in Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. Mmmmm^v/2 Art thou a Knight? did ever on that sword, The Christian cause sit nobly? 1796 W. Withering Arrangem. Brit. Plants (ed. 3) IV. 114 Scarlet semi-globules sitting on the sides of the branches. 1885 Cent. Mag. 29 880/2 A little three-legged trivet on which a tankard..might sit with live coals beneath. 1999 M. Pendergrast Uncommon Grounds iii. xiii. 235 Despite the much-touted virtues of vacuum cans, the preground coffee gradually staled while sitting on the shelf. 2016 Dayton (Ohio) Daily News (Nexis) 10 July r4 The house sits on a half-acre lot. b. transitive. To set or place (one thing) on (another).rare before the 19th century and in earlier use, esp. in the past tense, not always distinguishable from uses of variant forms of set v.¹ (cf. quot. 1430-40 at set v.¹ β. forms (past tense)). ΚΠ c1450 in T. Austin Two 15th-cent. Cookery-bks. (1888) 83 (MED) Drawe the broth..þorgh a streynour into a potte And sitte hit on the fire. 1828 L. Ewing Let. 16 Feb. in American Mag. (1988) Spring–Summer 48/2 After they had all seen it [sc. an automaton] one of the little boys sat it on the table. 1840 M. Pisani Banker-lord I. xi. 123 Just to sit the good turbot quietly and dacently on the table. 1978 MAC Flyer July 7/1 It's the maximum slope you can sit the helicopter on. 1990 Computer World 22 Oct. 54/4 You can sit this on a network, hook up a modem on it, and it will dial up the administrator. 2004 Delicious June (Jamie's BBQ Suppl.) 24/2 Cut the top and end off the pineapple. Sit it on a board and cut off the skin in wide strips from top to bottom, making sure you cut out any woody eyes. 3. intransitive. To sit in judgement on or deliberate on (a matter). Formerly also: †to sit in judgement on (a person) (obsolete). ΘΚΠ society > law > administration of justice > court proceedings or procedure > judging > judge or determine judicially [verb (transitive)] > sit in judgement on to sit on ——c1390 to sit upon ——a1500 the mind > attention and judgement > judgement or decision > advice > advise [verb (transitive)] > deliberate on to sit on ——1423–4 c1390 in C. Horstmann Minor Poems Vernon MS (1892) i. 154 Þe Meir sat on þe Ieuh him-selue, fforte beo Iuge of his trespas. 1423–4 Rolls of Parl.: Henry VI (Electronic ed.) Parl. Oct. 1423 §17. m. 2 That the clerc of the counsail be sworn, that every day that the counseill sitteth on ony billes bitwyx partie and partie, that he shall, as fer as he can, aspye which is þe porest suyturs bille, and that first to be redd and answered. 1462 M. Paston in Paston Lett. & Papers (2004) I. 279 It is seyd her þat..serteyn jwgys..schold come down and syt on syche pepyll as be noysyd ryotous. 1595 J. Colville Orig. Lett. (1858) 136 All the old officiatis of estate, the chancellour only excepted, ar discharged to sitt on suche matteris. 1608 G. Chapman Conspiracie Duke of Byron v. ii Must I be sat on now, by petty Judges. 1680 W. Lawrence Marriage by Morall Law of God ii. 279 In England they use to send two Judges in every Circuit, because one sits on Civil Causes in the Nisi prius side by himself, and the other on Criminals, in the Crown side. 1798 Hull Advert. 13 Oct. 3/2 A coroner's jury has sat on the body, and returned a verdict of lunacy. 1852 P. Hawker Diary (1893) II. 337 The select committee at Ordnance, who..sat on my new military carbine. 1939 N.Y. Times 22 Feb. 34/4 The entire commission would sit on the question of assigning radio frequencies. 2013 Weekly Law Rep. (Nexis) 25 Apr. 1263 A single judge, who it was not intended should sit on the application, gave permission for..the Howard League to intervene. 4. intransitive. To have a seat on or be a member of (a jury, commission, board of directors, etc.). ΘΚΠ the mind > attention and judgement > judgement or decision > advice > advise [verb (transitive)] > deliberate on > have a seat on (a deliberative assembly) to sit on ——a1538 to sit upon ——1538 a1538 W. Holme Fall & Euill Successe Rebellion (1572) sig. H.iv After that the Duke had sitten on this Commission They were arained at London before the Kings Counsel. 1688 A. Shields Elegie J. Renwick sig. B2 He..boldly spake his mind without reserve, To Prelatists, and Papists, in their fury, And to Professors sitting on his jury. 1792 Proc. Catholic Meeting Dublin 8 Would it..take away their inheritance, that we sat together on Grand Juries? 1835 Mirror of Parl. (2nd Sess., 12th Parl.) 2 2041/2 Those who sit on courts-martial have a most important office to perform. 1895 Times 10 Jan. 9/6 He sat on the Royal Commission on Hospitals. 1978 L. A. Pérez, Jr. Intervention, Revolution, & Politics in Cuba, 1913–1921 viii. 131 Four attorneys of the firm..sat on the board of directors of the Manatí Sugar Corporation. 2012 D. Robertson in P. Keech Freelance Fashion Designer's Handbk. viii. 90 I was selected twice to sit on a jury and ended up doing service for three weeks. 5. intransitive. Of care, age, guilt, etc.: to press or weigh on (a person, a person’s heart, etc.), usually in a specified way. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > adversity > suffer (adversity or affliction) [verb (transitive)] > afflict > oppress or afflict heavyc897 narroweOE overlayOE overseamOE twingea1300 to weigh downa1340 grieve1340 besit1377 oppressc1384 foila1400 thringa1400 empressc1400 enpressc1400 aska1425 press?a1425 peisea1450 straita1464 constraina1500 overhale1531 to grate on or upon1532 wrack1562 surcharge1592 to lie heavy uponc1595 to weigh back, on one side, to the earth1595 to sit on ——1607 to sit upon ——1607 gall1614 bear1645 weight1647 obsess1648 aggrieve1670 swinge1681 lean1736 gravitate1754 weigh1794 1607 G. Markham First Pt. First Bk. Eng. Arcadia f. 38^v Heauie cares sit heauye on the soule. 1644 J. Milton Doctr. Divorce (ed. 2) To Parl. sig. A4 For no effect of tyranny can sit more heavy on the Common-wealth. 1755 E. Young Centaur ii. 119 I shall now give three short Maxims, which will sit light on their memories, and (I hope) in time, easy on their hearts. 1887 Congregationalist (Boston, Mass.) 10 Feb. (Cent. Dict.) His more than eighty years seemed to sit lightly on ‘the great taciturnist’. 1902 Harper's Weekly 2 Aug. 1027/1 The care of a great establishment will sit easily on a trained administrator. 1981 T. Morrison Tar Baby (2016) 192 She's got a lot of cleaning up to do with Michael. It's sitting on her heart and she's never going to have no peace until she cleans it up. 2015 Daily Mail 27 June That guilt can sit very heavily on their shoulders. 6. intransitive. Of food: to lie on (the stomach) in a specified way; to be (easily, poorly, etc.) digestible. Also figurative. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > food > qualities of food > [verb (intransitive)] > be digested or undergo digestion > easily to sit on ——1678 to sit upon ——1697 1678 B. Ashwood Heavenly Trade 171 What goes down easiest, or when down, sits easiest on your stomacks? 1737 H. Fielding Hist. Reg. 1736 i. i. 1 Our Beer and Beef sat but ill on my Stomach. 1822 J. M. Good Study Med. IV. 555 Such preparations of iron as may sit easy on the stomach. 1896 Black & White 1 Aug. 164/2 My food sat comfortably on my stomach and gave me strength. 1985 Jet 17 June 50 There was something about unfair recruiting practices that didn't sit well on his stomach. 2000 G. C. Robinson Great Expectations I. i. 32 The gravy did not sit well on his stomach. 7. intransitive. colloquial. to sit hard on: to come down hard on, be tough with (a person). Cf. Phrases 4b. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > harshness or severity > be harsh or severe upon [verb (transitive)] to be sharp upon1561 to come down1611 to be severe on (or upon)1672 spitchcock1674 to sit hard on1715 to handle without gloves1827 to handle with gloves off1828 to catch or get Jesse1839 to jump upon1868 to give (one) snuff1890 to give (a person) the works1901 hardball1984 1715 J. Collier Answer to Exceptions in Bishop Burnet's 3rd Pt. Hist. Reformation 3/1 He is pleas'd to..charge me..: That I sit hard on the Memory of our reforming Princes. 1892 Literary World 31 Dec. 497/1 A barmaid..married a well-born imbecile, and for a time sat hard on him and all his relations. 1918 G. D. H. Cole Self-Govt. in Industry (ed. 3) ii. 28 ‘We have sat hard on the workers during the war; we must sit no less hard on the employers when it is over’, a prominent Government official is reported to have said. 2016 J. D. Robb Apprentice in Death (2017) 127 Baxter, you're going to sit hard on Patroni, put the fear of God into him, if necessary. 8. intransitive. colloquial. To snub or put down (a person); to squash (an idea, a proposal, etc.). ΘΚΠ the mind > emotion > humility > humiliation > humiliate [verb (transitive)] anitherOE fellOE lowc1175 to lay lowc1225 to set adownc1275 snuba1340 meekc1350 depose1377 aneantizea1382 to bring lowa1387 declinea1400 meekenc1400 to pull downc1425 avalec1430 to-gradea1440 to put downc1440 humble1484 alow1494 deject?1521 depress1526 plucka1529 to cut (rarely to cast down) the comb of?1533 to bring down1535 to bring basec1540 adbass1548 diminish1560 afflict1561 to take down1562 to throw down1567 debase1569 embase1571 diminute1575 to put (also thrust) a person's nose out of jointc1576 exinanite1577 to take (a person) a peg lower1589 to take (a person) down a peg (or two)1589 disbasea1592 to take (a person) down a buttonhole (or two)1592 comb-cut1593 unpuff1598 atterr1605 dismount1608 annihilate1610 crest-fall1611 demit1611 pulla1616 avilea1617 to put a scorn on, upon1633 mortify1639 dimit1658 to put a person's pipe out1720 to let down1747 to set down1753 humiliate1757 to draw (a person's) eyeteeth1789 start1821 squabash1822 to wipe a person's eye1823 to crop the feathers of1827 embarrass1839 to knock (also take, etc.) (a person) off his or her perch1864 to sit upon ——1864 squelch1864 to cut out of all feather1865 to sit on ——1868 to turn down1870 to score off1882 to do (a person) in the eye1891 puncture1908 to put (a person) in (also into) his, her place1908 to cut down to size1927 flatten1932 to slap (a person) down1938 punk1963 1868 Judy 25 Nov. 51/2 The Admiral has sat on me freely. 1894 E. Œ. Somerville & ‘M. Ross’ Real Charlotte I. vi. 76 If you're going to sit on me every time I open my mouth, I'd better shut up. 1936 N. Streatfeild Ballet Shoes xiv. 225 In the tube going home, Pauline and Petrova pestered Posy for criticism of the production; but the moment she made any, they sat on her, asking her what she thought she knew about it. 1969 New Yorker 14 June 46/2 Someone should have sat on him when he was young. 1975 Guardian 22 Jan. 1/2 The TUC general secretary..proceeded to sit heavily on the CBI's suggestion. 2013 A. Schofield Malarky (new ed.) That was when I firmly sat on the horse plan. 9. a. intransitive. To suppress (something troublesome), to keep hidden or from public view. ΘΚΠ society > authority > subjection > subjecting or subjugation > subject [verb (transitive)] > suppress, repress, or put down nithereOE adweschOE overtreadOE quellOE to trample or tread under foot (also feet)c1175 adauntc1325 to bear downc1330 oppressc1380 repressc1391 overyoke?a1425 quencha1425 to bear overc1425 supprisec1440 overquell?c1450 farec1460 supprime1490 downbeara1500 stanch1513 undertread1525 downtread1536 suppress1537 to set one's foot on the neck of1557 depress?a1562 overbear1565 surpress1573 trample1583 repose1663 spiflicate1749 sort1815 to trample down1853 to sit on ——1915 to clamp down1924 crack down1940 tamp1959 1915 A. Huxley Let. Nov. (1969) 85 What an odd business it was about the suppression of Lawrence's book, The Rainbow. It is always the serious books that get sat on. 1925 R. Hall Saturday Life iv. 51 But she sat on her conscience. 1972 D. McLachlan No Case for Crown iii. 39 I want this story sat on till midnight. 1996 K. S. Olmsted Challenging Secret Govt. iv. 71 If you hear anything about CIA and the ocean, you sit on it until you have had a chance to talk to me. b. intransitive. To fail to either take action on or pass to anyone else (information, a report, etc.). ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > inaction > not doing > abstaining or refraining from action > abstain or refrain from (action) [verb (transitive)] > keep to oneself without acting upon to sit upon ——1906 to sit on ——1948 1948 N.Y. Times 19 May 26/2 Some of his House colleagues have been suggesting that his Committee ‘just sit on it [sc. a bill]’ for a while. 1983 M. Hinxman Corpse now Arriving vii. 45 She'd ‘sat’ on the article..until..a deadline had galvanized her into putting words on paper. 2002 A. Grinyer Cancer in Young Adults v. 76 The doctor..had..sat on the information over the Friday night, and had phoned the Hall of Residence early on the Saturday morning. 2010 Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Nexis) 15 Apr. 16 The Tories did nothing. They just sat on the report. The problem was that making these changes would bump recorded crime figures up. 10. intransitive. In medical contexts: to defer treatment pending further observation of (a patient or condition). ΚΠ 1947 Amer. Practitioner 1 619/1 It is the same old question of choosing between risks, isn't it? Probably your best bet now is the conservative attitude, to sit on it, rather than even contemplate elective surgery. 1958 Spectator 11 July 62/2 Two children..were brought to my hospital..suffering from appendicitis, which had been treated conservatively (or in hospital slang ‘sat on’) for several days. 1966 I. Jefferies House-surgeon vi. 118 I couldn't make up my mind either, so we decided to sit on her and see what happened. 2016 A. Brayley Our Vietnam Nurses (e-book, accessed 11 Dec. 2017) At the last minute, the doctors decided to sit on him for a night. to sit over —— 1. intransitive. To linger over (a meal, a drink, etc.) while sitting. Also: to be occupied with (a book, or other matter) while sitting. ΘΚΠ the mind > attention and judgement > attention > earnest attention, concentration > fix the attention, concentrate [verb (transitive)] > examine carefully to sit over ——1606 society > education > learning > study > [verb (transitive)] > study diligently or hard to make a study ofa1591 nit1596 to sit over ——1606 to mouse over1808 to work out1830 bone1832 work1840 to work up1852 mug1868 swot1901 the world > action or operation > doing > activity or occupation > occupy or engage (a person) [verb (transitive)] > engage in or busy oneself about > be occupied with while sitting to sit over ——1606 1606 Returne from Pernassus i. iii. sig. B3^v Will you walke on M. Ingenioso, weele sit ouer a cup of wine and agree on it. 1781 J. Bentham Corr. (1968–81) III. 92 Barré loves to sit over his claret. 1858 Harper's New Monthly Mag. Mar. 791/1 I was sitting over a book in my quiet room one day, when a terrific knock at the door aroused me. 1861 M. Pattison in Westm. Rev. Apr. 413 The garden..where..the elder merchants sat over their pipe and beaker of Rhine wine. 1936 G. Mayer Friederich Engels 93 Marx had sat over an article for a whole day without bringing it into a reasonable shape. 1971 ‘E. Ferrars’ Stranger & Afraid vi. 112 They..had lunch, sitting over it until about two o'clock. 2003 A. Donovan Buddha Da (2004) 181 We used tae come in here, sit for hours over a coffee. 2. intransitive. Cards. In bridge, whist, and similar games: to be seated to the left of, and consequently in the advantageous position of playing after (a player or hand). ΚΠ 1885 C. F. Pardon Card Games iv, in Bow Bells 14 Jan. 95/1 The Lead... No. 1 can lead right through his adversaries down to his partner, and this he does by confidently playing out his big cards, being certain that his partner, sitting over the other two players, can husband his own strength. 1902 A. Dunn Bridge Bk. 114 The effect of an original trump lead would be to put the leader's partner completely at the mercy of the strong hand sitting over him. 1921 A. E. M. Foster Auction Bridge 84 A good bid by second hand over a ‘One no trumps’ called by the dealer is—when his cards justify it—‘Two no trumps’, because he is sitting over the declared strength. 2000 B. Seagram & M. Smith Bridge xii. 109 This time, it is the opponents who have the strong hand sitting over you. to sit through —— intransitive. To stay until the end of (a performance, presentation, etc.), often with the implication of tedium. ΘΚΠ the world > space > place > presence > be present at [verb (transitive)] > continue to be present at to sit through ——1809 the world > movement > absence of movement > render immobile [verb (transitive)] > remain in (a place) > for a purpose to stay for ——1554 stay1570 to sit out1579 to set out1714 to sit through ——1809 1809 London Rev. Aug. 8 No hearer can sit through five long acts of continual lamentation. 1889 J. L. Toole Reminisc. I. viii. 263 Quite different in its acceptance of fun or pathos from the audience that sits through the same piece the next night. 1981 L. Deighton XPD xxix. 236 Sir Sydney..gallantly sat through another half-hour of finer points of script editing. 2015 New Indian Express (Nexis) 24 May The latter part of the film is particularly a chore to sit through. to sit to —— intransitive. To apply oneself, while seated, to (a meal, an occupation, etc.); to sit down in order to consume (a meal, drinks, etc.). ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of sitting > sit on [verb (transitive)] > for a specific purpose to sit at ——OE to sit to ——OE OE tr. Felix St. Guthlac (Vesp.) (1909) xvii. 157 Þa hi þa to gereorde sæton.., þa locode Guthlac to þam [perhaps read þæs] biscopes þegnum. a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1961) Josh. Prol. l. 45 We han demed..to sittyn [L. incumbere] to þe explanacion of þe prophetys..seþþe paumachie anholy man & merueylous þis same þyng askeþ by lettris. c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Luke ix. 14 Make hem to sitte [L. discumbere] to mete. 1492 tr. Dyalogus Salomon & Marcolphus sig. civ The king sat to sowper. 1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VIII f. lxxxii^v The two kynges washed and satte to meate vnder their clothes of estate. 1673 Pleasant Treat. Witches ii. 5 This Solemnity being finished, they sit to Table where no delicate meats are wanting to gratifie their Appetites. 1719 D. Defoe Farther Adventures Robinson Crusoe 30 They could hardly sit to their Oars. 1852 W. M. Thackeray Henry Esmond I. i. 40 Little Trix was promised to sit to supper that night. 1889 W. Taylor Madrasiana (ed. 3) xiii. 68 After sitting to their wine, some one..proposed a visit to the host's stables. 1980 B. Targan Kingdoms 182 She sat to her task and did it well. 2013 E. Tricker Cosmic Joker viii. 39 Individuals would sit to dinner together..and..send messages to people sat yards away from them. to sit under —— intransitive. Originally: to regularly attend or listen to (a minister or his preaching); to be a devotee of (a minister or his preaching). Later also: to study under the direction of (a teacher), to be the pupil of. Now rare. ΘΚΠ society > education > learning > [verb (transitive)] > be pupil of to go to school (to, (also with))a1450 to sit at the feet of1578 to sit under ——1631 to be up to1874 society > faith > worship > church-going > attend (church) [verb (transitive)] > of particular minister to sit under ——1631 1631 R. Bolton Instr. Right Comf. Affl. Consciences 180 Litle doe people thinke, who sit under our Ministry, unwrought upon by the word, what a grievous..sinne they commit. 1644 J. Milton Of Educ. 6 There would then also appear in Pulpits other visages, other gestures,..then what we now sit under. 1754 Connoisseur No. 27. ⁋5 The..audience that sits under our preachers. 1797 R. Storry in J. Forster Poems Relig. Subj. To Rdr. The privilege which he enjoyed in sitting under the ministry of the late..Mr. Adam. 1878 J. A. Symonds in Brown Life (1903) 338 Your sermon on Faith..makes me wish that I had the privilege of ‘sitting under’ you. 1899 J. London Let. 20 Sept. (1966) 56 Stopped over at Stanford, where I..sat under the various profs. 1952 ‘J. Tey’ Singing Sands iii. 39 He ‘sat under’ a bank clerk in Glasgow, a chap from Uist, and swotted up some Gaelic. 2011 A. P. F. Sell Bible in Church, Acad., & Culture i. 16 I had the pleasure of sitting under Dr. Evans at the University of Manchester. to sit upon —— 1. a. intransitive. To be seated upon (a chair, an object, the ground, etc.); = to sit on —— 1a at Phrasal verbs 2. Now somewhat archaic.Quot. OE shows equivalent use of up on; compare discussion at upon prep. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > high position > position upon > be upon something [verb (intransitive)] to sit on ——eOE leanOE restOE to sit upon ——c1300 set1570 insist1598 seat1607 inside1657 repose1799 OE Ælfric Lives of Saints (Julius) (1881) I. 48 Eac se stan tobærst and heo [sc. the saint] sæt up on þam wætere.] c1300 St. Brendan (Laud) l. 577 in C. Horstmann Early S.-Eng. Legendary (1887) 235 Þe ston þat ich op-on sitte. 1566 W. Painter Palace of Pleasure I. xi. f. 32^v His wife sitteth vpon the grounde. 1613 R. Harcourt Relation Voy. Guiana 41 This Idole is fashioned like a man sitting vpon his heeles, holding open his knees. 1650 T. Bayly Herba Parietis 3 So many tripartited walls, with benches for to sit upon. 1781 C. Johnstone Hist. John Juniper I. 8 A settle-bed, which served the double purpose of being sat upon, and slept in. 1884 N. J. Floyd Thorns in Flesh xx. 329 ‘What!’ exclaimed the general, springing up from the train of a gun carriage, upon which he was sitting. 1914 Forest & Stream 25 Apr. 543/2 I sat upon a rock in mid-stream and pondered. 2011 Jrnl. Musicol. 28 79 The visual focus of the scene is Mary, who sits upon a throne. b. intransitive. To support one's weight upon (the backside, haunches, tail, etc.). ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > support > [verb (intransitive)] > be supported rideOE restOE to sit upon ——1481 rely1572 stay1585 to sit on ——1605 seat1607 bottoma1640 step1791 heel1850 bed1875 1481 W. Caxton tr. Hist. Reynard Fox (1970) 18 He satte vpon his hammes. 1664 C. Cotton Scarronides 104 And likewise there was finely put, A Cushion underneath her Scut. There as she sate upon her Crupper, She bad her Folks to bring in Supper. 1857 M. Reid Young Yägers iv. 23 Having joined the lion, she squatted beside him; and both now sat upon their tails, like two gigantic cats. 1998 B. Elton Blast from Past (1999) xv. 89 Slowly she slid down the wall, her back cold against the plaster until she sat upon her haunches. 2. intransitive. Of a thing: to be situated upon; to rest, lie, or be supported upon (something); = to sit on —— 2a at Phrasal verbs 2. Frequently figurative (chiefly poetic and literary). ΚΠ c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) l. 735 Þer sat is ship up-on þe sond. 1495 Rolls of Parl.: Henry VII (Electronic ed.) Parl. Oct. 1495 §63. m. 34 The litell boone that sitteth upon the greate fynne. 1594 J. Lyly Mother Bombie iii. iv. sig. E4^v Me thought there sate vpon a shelfe three damaske prunes in veluet caps. 1676 T. Hobbes tr. Homer Iliads ii. 20 That sleep all night upon his eyes should sit. 1766 O. Goldsmith Vicar of Wakefield II. ix. 126 A fatal paleness sate upon her cheek. 1820 W. Scott Monastery III. xii. 302 Your Father and Abbot will not disgrace the mitre which sits upon his brow. 1853 M. Arnold Sohrab & Rustum in Poems (new ed.) 38 Truth sits upon the lips of dying men. 1997 Washington Post (Nexis) 19 July a20 Azerbaijan sits upon large reserves of both natural gas and oil. 3. intransitive. To sit in judgement upon or deliberate upon (a matter). Formerly also: †to sit in judgement upon (a person) (obsolete). Cf. to sit on —— 3 at Phrasal verbs 2. ΘΚΠ society > law > administration of justice > court proceedings or procedure > judging > judge or determine judicially [verb (transitive)] > sit in judgement on to sit on ——c1390 to sit upon ——a1500 a1500 (?a1450) Gesta Romanorum (Harl. 7333) (1879) 21 Þe domys-man come to þe Cite, for to sitte vp on brekers of þe lawe. 1535 Bible (Coverdale) 2 Macc. xiv. 21 They appoynted a daye to syt vpon these matters quyetly amonge them selues. 1574 T. Cartwright tr. W. Travers Full Declar. Eccl. Discipline Table Deacons which he appointed..to sit vppon the offences that arise in the churches. a1693 E. Ashmole Hist. & Antiq. Berks. (1719) I. 153 Her Father..caused her Corps to be taken up, the Coroner to sit upon her, and further Enquiry to be made. 1712 J. Addison Spectator No. 550. ¶3 At which time I intend to sit upon Business. 1863 St. James's Mag. Aug. 70 A medical commission had sat upon me. 1946 Times of India 5 Oct. 9/3 Mr. C. B. Cockaine..supported the amendment that a select committee be allowed to sit upon the Bill. 2012 Industr. Cases Rep. 788 797 He went on, in company with those others of their Lordships who sat uponthe case, to dismiss the appeal. 4. intransitive. To have a seat on or be a member of (a jury, commission, board of directors, etc.); = to sit on —— 4 at Phrasal verbs 2. ΘΚΠ the mind > attention and judgement > judgement or decision > advice > advise [verb (transitive)] > deliberate on > have a seat on (a deliberative assembly) to sit on ——a1538 to sit upon ——1538 1538 T. Cromwell in R. B. Merriman Life & Lett. T. Cromwell (1902) II. 134 The kinges maiestye hathe appointed you..to sit vpon the tryall of knell being accused of Treason. 1609 P. Holland tr. Ammianus Marcellinus Rom. Hist. 282 We find not that there was any..commission sitten upon about their death. 1676 I. Mather Hist. King Philip's War (1862) 48 Indians as well as English sate upon the Jury. 1884 W. Trant Trade Unions ii. 41 The conference of delegates..urged upon the Government that a trade unionist representative should sit upon the commission. 1944 H. L. Mencken Diary 22 Apr. (1989) 315 In addition to their heavy teaching loads, they have to sit upon innumerable committees. 2009 Law & Hist. Rev. 29 717 Subsistence farmers..may..have sat upon juries in the less formal manor courts. 5. intransitive. Of care, age, guilt, etc.: to press or weigh upon (a person, a person's mind, etc.), usually in a specified way; = to sit on —— 5 at Phrasal verbs 2. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > adversity > suffer (adversity or affliction) [verb (transitive)] > afflict > oppress or afflict heavyc897 narroweOE overlayOE overseamOE twingea1300 to weigh downa1340 grieve1340 besit1377 oppressc1384 foila1400 thringa1400 empressc1400 enpressc1400 aska1425 press?a1425 peisea1450 straita1464 constraina1500 overhale1531 to grate on or upon1532 wrack1562 surcharge1592 to lie heavy uponc1595 to weigh back, on one side, to the earth1595 to sit on ——1607 to sit upon ——1607 gall1614 bear1645 weight1647 obsess1648 aggrieve1670 swinge1681 lean1736 gravitate1754 weigh1794 1607 S. Collins Serm. Paules-Crosse 21 Our Fathers sins sit not heauie vpon our shoulders. 1695 J. Collier Misc. upon Moral Subj. 172 These Questions well answer'd, will..make a Man's Years sit easy upon him. 1729 Bp. J. Butler 15 Serm. (ed. 2) 451 There must therefore be some method of making it sit a little easy upon their minds. 1760 L. Sterne Life Tristram Shandy II. xiv. 88 To make reparation..for the insult he had given him, which sat still upon my father's mind. 1918 J. C. Beecham Argus Pheasant xi. 126 Responsibility was sitting heavily upon his shoulders. 2012 Times of India (Nexis) 1 Dec. (Crest ed.) Age sits lightly upon him. 6. intransitive. To come down heavily, hard, etc., upon; to be tough or ruthless with (a person). Cf. to sit on —— 7 at Phrasal verbs 2. ΚΠ 1646 F. Taylor Danger of Vowes Neglected 16 By the same Gods that sit so heavie upon them that break covenants. 1737 L. Clarke Compl. Hist. Bible I. ix. 583 He..would never..give that Party any Favour..but on the contrary sat hard upon them on all Occasions. 1879 M. Arnold Pref. to Mixed Ess. in Internat. Jrnl. Ethics (1923) 33 277 To feel oneself over-tutored, over-governed, sate upon..by authority. 1883 Judy 12 Dec. 286/2 The chair is mine, sir... 'Tis my plan To sit upon it, and, as you Shall see, upon the nation too! 1977 Undercurrents June 18/1 These huge public charivari were sat upon heavily by the police. †7. intransitive. Of food: to lie upon (the stomach) in a specified way; to be (easily, poorly, etc.) digestible. Also figurative. Cf. to sit on —— 6 at Phrasal verbs 2. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > food > qualities of food > [verb (intransitive)] > be digested or undergo digestion > easily to sit on ——1678 to sit upon ——1697 1697 J. Pechey Plain Introd. Art Physick x. 65 The lightest Water is best..; but the meaning is, it sits lighter upon the Stomach and Bowels. 1712 W. King Art of Cookery (ed. 2) 10 You cannot imagine..how much easier they will sit upon your Stomach. 1773 O. Goldsmith She stoops to Conquer iv. 71 Good liquor will sit upon a good supper, but a good supper will not sit upon..my conscience. 1836 Q. Christian Spectator Sept. 444 When it is down, he is at special pains to observe how it sits upon his stomach. 1874 A. B. Garrod & E. B. Baxter Essentials Materia Medica (ed. 4) 129 Citrate of potash sits easily upon the stomach. 1911 Gaz. & Bull. (Williamsport, Pa.) 10 Oct. 4/1 He..eats a good-sized breakfast, which ‘sits well’ upon his stomach. 8. intransitive. colloquial. To snub or put down (a person); to squash (an idea, a proposal, etc.). Cf. to sit on —— 8 at Phrasal verbs 2. ΘΚΠ the mind > emotion > humility > humiliation > humiliate [verb (transitive)] anitherOE fellOE lowc1175 to lay lowc1225 to set adownc1275 snuba1340 meekc1350 depose1377 aneantizea1382 to bring lowa1387 declinea1400 meekenc1400 to pull downc1425 avalec1430 to-gradea1440 to put downc1440 humble1484 alow1494 deject?1521 depress1526 plucka1529 to cut (rarely to cast down) the comb of?1533 to bring down1535 to bring basec1540 adbass1548 diminish1560 afflict1561 to take down1562 to throw down1567 debase1569 embase1571 diminute1575 to put (also thrust) a person's nose out of jointc1576 exinanite1577 to take (a person) a peg lower1589 to take (a person) down a peg (or two)1589 disbasea1592 to take (a person) down a buttonhole (or two)1592 comb-cut1593 unpuff1598 atterr1605 dismount1608 annihilate1610 crest-fall1611 demit1611 pulla1616 avilea1617 to put a scorn on, upon1633 mortify1639 dimit1658 to put a person's pipe out1720 to let down1747 to set down1753 humiliate1757 to draw (a person's) eyeteeth1789 start1821 squabash1822 to wipe a person's eye1823 to crop the feathers of1827 embarrass1839 to knock (also take, etc.) (a person) off his or her perch1864 to sit upon ——1864 squelch1864 to cut out of all feather1865 to sit on ——1868 to turn down1870 to score off1882 to do (a person) in the eye1891 puncture1908 to put (a person) in (also into) his, her place1908 to cut down to size1927 flatten1932 to slap (a person) down1938 punk1963 the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > destroy [verb (transitive)] > crush, stifle, or overwhelm (feelings, etc.) shendOE whelvec1000 allayOE ofdrunkenc1175 quenchc1175 quashc1275 stanchc1315 quella1325 slockena1340 drenchc1374 vanquishc1380 stuffa1387 daunt?a1400 adauntc1400 to put downa1425 overwhelmc1425 overwhelvec1450 quatc1450 slockc1485 suppressa1500 suffocate1526 quealc1530 to trample under foot1530 repress1532 quail1533 suppress1537 infringe1543 revocate1547 whelm1553 queasom1561 knetcha1564 squench1577 restinguish1579 to keep down1581 trample1583 repel1592 accable1602 crush1610 to wrestle down?1611 chokea1616 stranglea1616 stifle1621 smother1632 overpower1646 resuppress1654 strangulate1665 instranglea1670 to choke back, down, in, out1690 to nip or crush in the bud1746 spiflicate1749 squasha1777 to get under1799 burke1835 to stamp out1851 to trample down1853 quelch1864 to sit upon ——1864 squelch1864 smash1865 garrotte1878 scotch1888 douse1916 to drive under1920 stomp1936 stultify1958 1864 J. C. Hotten Slang Dict. (new ed.) Sit-upon, to overcome or rebuke, to express contempt for a man in a marked manner. 1872 W. Black Strange Adventures Phaeton xviii ‘Bell, what is good for you, when you're sat upon?’ ‘Patience,’ says Bell. 1901 M. Franklin My Brilliant Career xxxvi. 298 Father sat upon the idea as a mad one. a1944 F. B. Farris From Rattlesnakes to Road Agents (1985) 45 The young men felt very much ‘sat upon’ so they started looking for some way to get even. 2000 Sunday Times (Nexis) 19 Nov. One woman tries to recommend a particular stock... She is politely but firmly sat upon. 9. intransitive. To fail to either take action on or pass to anyone else (information, a report, etc.); = to sit on —— 9b at Phrasal verbs 2. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > inaction > not doing > abstaining or refraining from action > abstain or refrain from (action) [verb (transitive)] > keep to oneself without acting upon to sit upon ——1906 to sit on ——1948 1906 R. Kipling in Tribune 15 Jan. 4/2 I told him the story of a three-million pound insurrection caused by a deputy Under-Secretary sitting upon a mass of green-labelled correspondence instead of reading it. 1938 N.Y. Times 27 Apr. 3/3 As to whether the Rules Committee would let the measure reach the floor, or sit upon it until too late for action,..the committee itself would have to answer the question. 2016 Pakistan Law Reporter (Nexis) 8 Nov. They sat upon the report of the Committee for almost three years. to sit with —— 1. intransitive. Scottish and English regional (northern). To put up with or tolerate, to stand (a wrong, etc.). Cf. to sit down 5 at Phrasal verbs 1. Now rare. ΘΚΠ the mind > emotion > calmness > patience > endure patiently [verb (transitive)] > bear with or tolerate forbearc897 tholec950 bearOE abidec1300 bidea1325 takec1330 suffer1340 wielda1375 to have patience with (also in, toward)c1384 supportc1384 to sit with ——c1400 sustainc1400 thulgec1400 acceptc1405 to away with1528 brook1530 well away1533 to bear with —1538 digest1553 to comport with1565 stand1567 purse?1571 to put up1573 well away1579 comport1588 fadge1592 abrook1594 to come away1594 to take up with1609 swallow1611 embracea1616 to pack up1624 concocta1627 to set down bya1630 to take with ——1632 tolerate1646 brook1658 stomach1677 pouch1819 c1400 (?c1380) Patience l. 527 For he þat is to rakel to renden his cloþeȝ Mot efte sitte with more vnsounde to sewe hem to-geder. 1508 Golagros & Gawane (Chepman & Myllar) sig. aii^* That sege wald sit with none wrang Of berne that wes borne. a1578 R. Lindsay Hist. & Cron. Scotl. (1899) I. 28 Ane man..nocht willing to seit with so mony wrangis as he had gottin onrewengit. 1678 G. Mackenzie Laws & Customes Scotl. i. 222 Nor is it probable that the person offended would have sitten long with such a wrong. 1714 in Cloud of Witnesses (1778) 5 God will not sit with all the wrongs done to him. 1995 J. M. Sims-Kimbrey Wodds & Doggerybaw: Lincs. Dial. Dict. 270/1 Well, if we can't do nuthin' about it we'll just atta sit wiyit then, woernt we? 2. intransitive. To be consonant or in harmony with, to agree with (a quality); to befit (a person). Now chiefly in negative contexts. Cf. main sense 22. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > order > agreement, harmony, or congruity > agree, harmonize, or be congruous with [verb (transitive)] conspirec1384 accorda1393 to stand with ——c1449 to sit with ——a1500 correspond1545 resound1575 square1583 quader1588 to comport with1591 sympathize1594 beset1597 range1600 even1602 consort1607 to run with ——1614 countenancea1616 hita1616 sympathy1615 filea1625 quadrate?1630 consist1638 commensurate1643 commensure1654 to strike in1704 jig1838 harmonize1852 chime in with1861 equate1934 to tie in1938 to tune in1938 to tie up1958 a1500 (?c1450) Merlin xxv. 453 She..was clothed in a riche robe..that satte so well with hir bewte that all the worlde myght haue ioye her to be-holden. 1555 W. Waterman tr. Josephus in tr. J. Boemus Fardle of Facions sig. X.iiij It sitteth not with equitie, that the elder should be putte beside the enheritaunce of his father. 1579 E. Spenser Let. to G. Harvey in Wks. (Globe) 706/1 It sitteth with you now, to call your wits and senses togither. a1631 J. Downe Christs Prayer for Church 141 in Certaine Treatises (1633) It sits not with the wisdome of God to doe things in vaine. 1642 T. Matthew tr. St. Teresa of Avila Flaming Hart xi. 121 But this, seemes not to be of a Suite; nor doth the one Stuffe, sitt well, with the other. 1874 H. Dickens Mill Wheel III. ii. 12 There was an amount of easy indifference which sat well with him. 1992 Independent 2 Mar. 15/6 Somehow her south London accent sits uneasily with her beach-babe appearance. 2011 Independent 8 Dec. 25/2 The business of Aurum doesn't sit with my personal politics and ethics. 3. intransitive. To be received in a manner specified by (a person) or in accordance with (a person's views, etc.). ΚΠ a1734 R. North Examen (1740) iii. viii. §45. 617 The Author has Qualms, and these Events do not sit well with him. 1854 W. Cowper Let. 13 Mar. in Gospel Standard Apr. (1876) 166 Fresh assurance sits well with my conscience. 1972 Listener 1 June 705/2 In the meanwhile sanctions would be continued, and this did not sit well with right-wing opinion inside the Conservative Party. 1985 G. Naylor Linden Hills 178 I don't know how all this is gonna sit with those folks from Linden Hills. 1994 B. A. Staples Parallel Time x. 186 Sparrow was a Unitarian minister and a conciliator by nature. The Panther routine sat badly with him. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2020; most recently modified version published online June 2022). > see also also refers to : -sitcomb. form < n.¹a1628n.²1853n.³1911v.eOE see also
随便看	curmudgeonliness curmudgeonlinesses curmudgeonly curmudgeons curmur curmurring curmurrings curn curney curneys curnie curnies curnock curns curny curple curr currach currachs currack curragh curraghs curran currans currant

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