Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Sit
Sit
,Verb.
I.
[
imp.
Sat
(săt)
(Sate
(sāt)
, archaic
); p. p.
Sat
(Sitten
(sĭt′t’n)
, obs.
); p. pr. & vb. n.
Sitting
.] [OE. , ,
sitten
, AS. sittan
; akin to OS. sittian
, OFries. sitta
, D. zitten
, G. sitzen
, OHG. sizzen
, Icel. sitja
, SW. sitta
, Dan. sidde
, Goth. sitan
, Russ. sidiete
, L. sedere
, Gr. ἔζεσθαι
, Skr. sad
. √154. Cf. Assess
,Assize
, Cathedral
, Chair
, Dissident
, Excise
, Insidious
, Possess
, Reside
, Sanhedrim
, Séance
, Seat
, Noun.
Sedate
, 4th Sell
, Siege
, Session
, Set
, Verb.
T.
Sizar
, Size
, Subsidy
.] 1.
To rest upon the haunches, or the lower extremity of the trunk of the body; – said of human beings, and sometimes of other animals;
as, to
. sit
on a sofa, on a chair, or on the groundAnd he came and took the book put of the right hand of him that
sate
upon the seat. Bible (1551) (Rev. v. 7.)
I pray you, jest, sir, as you
sit
at dinner. Shakespeare
2.
To perch; to rest with the feet drawn up, as birds do on a branch, pole, etc.
3.
To remain in a state of repose; to rest; to abide; to rest in any position or condition.
And Moses said to . . . the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye
sit
here? Num. xxxii. 6.
Like a demigod here
sit
I in the sky. Shakespeare
4.
To lie, rest, or bear; to press or weigh; – with on;
as, a weight or burden
. sits
lightly upon himThe calamity
sits
heavy on us. Jer. Taylor.
5.
To be adjusted; to fit;
as, a coat
. sits
well or illThis new and gorgeous garment, majesty,
Sits
not so easy on me as you think. Shakespeare
6.
To suit one well or ill, as an act; to become; to befit; – used impersonally.
[Obs.]
Chaucer.
7.
To cover and warm eggs for hatching, as a fowl; to brood; to incubate.
As the partridge
sitteth
on eggs, and hatcheth them not. Jer. xvii. 11.
8.
To have position, as at the point blown from; to hold a relative position; to have direction.
Like a good miller that knows how to grind, which way soever the wind
sits
. Selden.
Sits
the wind in that quarter? Sir W. Scott.
9.
To occupy a place or seat as a member of an official body;
as, to
. sit
in Congress10.
To hold a session; to be in session for official business; – said of legislative assemblies, courts, etc.;
as, the court
. sits
in January; the aldermen sit
to-night11.
To take a position for the purpose of having some artistic representation of one’s self made, as a picture or a bust;
as, to
. sit
to a painterTo sit at
, to rest under; to be subject to.
[Obs.]
“A farmer can not husband his ground so well if he sit at a great rent”. Bacon.
– To sit at meat
or To sit at table
to be at table for eating.
– To sit down
. (a)
To place one's self on a chair or other seat;
as,
. to sit down
when tired(b)
To begin a siege;
as, the enemy
. sat down
before the town(c)
To settle; to fix a permanent abode
. Spenser.
(d)
To rest; to cease as satisfied.
“Here we can not sit down, but still proceed in our search.” Rogers.
– To sit for a fellowship
, to offer one's self for examination with a view to obtaining a fellowship.
[Eng. Univ.]
– To sit out
. (a)
To be without engagement or employment
. [Obs.]
Bp. Sanderson.
(b)
To outstay.
(c)
to refrain from participating in [an activity such as a dance or hand at cards]; used especially after one has recently participated in an earlier such activity. The one sitting out does not necessarily have to sit during the activity foregone.
– To sit under
, to be under the instruction or ministrations of; as,
– to sit under
a preacher; to sit under
good preaching. To sit up
, to rise from, or refrain from, a recumbent posture or from sleep; to sit with the body upright; as,
“He that was dead sat up, and began to speak.” to sit up
late at night; also, to watch; as,
. to sit up
with a sick personLuke vii. 15.
Sit
,Verb.
T.
1.
To sit upon; to keep one's seat upon;
as, he
. sits
a horse wellHardly the muse can
sit
the headstrong horse. Prior.
2.
To cause to be seated or in a sitting posture; to furnish a seat to; – used reflexively.
They
sat
them down to weep. Milton.
Sit
you down, father; rest you. Shakespeare
3.
To suit (well or ill); to become.
[Obs. or R.]
Webster 1828 Edition
Sit
SIT
,Verb.
I.
1.
To rest upon the buttocks, as animals; as, to sit on a sofa or on the ground.2.
To perch; to rest on the feet; as fowls.3.
To occupy a seat or place in an official capacity. The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. Matt. 23.4.
To be in a state of rest or idleness. Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here? Num. 32.5.
To rest, lie or bear on, as a weight or burned; as, grief sits heavy on his heart.6.
To settle; to rest; to abide. Pale horror sat on each Arcadian face.7.
To incubate; to cover and warm eggs for hatching; as a fowl. As the partridge sitteth on eggs and hatcheth them not- Jer. 17.8.
To be adjusted; to be, with respect to fitness or unfitness; as, a coat sits well or ill. This new and gorgeous garment, majesty, sits not so easy on me as you think.9.
To be placed in order to be painted; as, to sit for one's picture.10.
To be in any situation or condition. Suppose all the church lands to be thrown up to the laity; would the tenants sit easier in their rents than now?11.
To hold a session; to be officially engaged in public business; as judges, legislators or officers of any kind. The house of commons sometimes sits till late at night. The judges or the courts sit in Westminster hall. The commissioners sit every day.12.
To exercise authority; as, to sit in judgment. One council sits upon life and death.13.
To be in any assembly or council as a member; to have a seat.14.
To be in a local position. The wind sits fair. [Unusual]