• enPR: sĭt, IPA: /sɪt/

sit (sits, present participle sitting; past sat, past participle sat)

1. (intransitive, of a person) To be in a position in which the upper body is upright and supported by the buttocks.
   • 1460-1500, The Towneley Playsː

     He is so fair, without lease, he seems full well to sit on this.

   After a long day of walking, it was good just to sit and relax.
2. (intransitive, of a person) To move oneself into such a position.

   I asked him to sit.

3. (intransitive, of an object) To occupy a given position permanently.

   The temple has sat atop that hill for centuries.

   • 2019, [https://web.archive.org/web/20190311070055/https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/south-korea-proposes-rain-project-with-china-to-cut-pollution/4819207.html VOA Learning English] (public domain)

     The Yellow Sea sits between the Korean Peninsula and China.

4. To remain in a state of repose; to rest; to abide; to rest in any position or condition.
   • Bible, Numbers xxxii. 6

     And Moses said to […] the children of Reuben, Shall your brothren go to war, and shall ye sit here?

   • c. 1595–1596, William Shakespeare, “Loues Labour’s Lost”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act IV, scene iii]:

     Like a demigod here sit I in the sky.

5. (government) To be a member of a deliberative body.

   I currently sit on a standards committee.

6. (legal, government) Of a legislative or, especially, a judicial body such as a court, to be in session.

   In what city is the circuit court sitting for this session.

7. To lie, rest, or bear; to press or weigh.

   • The calamity sits heavy on us.

8. To be adjusted; to fit.

   Your new coat sits well.

   • c. 1596–1599, William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act V, scene ii]:

     This new and gorgeous garment, majesty, / Sits not so easy on me as you think.

9. (intransitive, of an agreement or arrangement) To be accepted or acceptable; to work.

   How will this new contract sit with the workers?

   I don’t think it will sit well.

   The violence in these video games sits awkwardly with their stated aim of educating children.

10. (transitive, causative) To cause to be seated or in a sitting posture; to furnish a seat to.

    Sit him in front of the TV and he might watch for hours.

11. (transitive) To accommodate in seats; to seat.

    The dining room table sits eight comfortably.

12. (US, ambitransitive) To babysit.

    I'm going to sit for them on Thursday.

    I need to find someone to sit my kids on Friday evening for four hours.

13. (transitive, Australia, New Zealand, UK) To take, to undergo or complete (an examination or test).
14. To cover and warm eggs for hatching, as a fowl; to brood; to incubate.
    • Bible, Jer. xvii. 11

      The partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not.

15. To take a position for the purpose of having some artistic representation of oneself made, such as a picture or a bust.

    I'm sitting for a painter this evening.

16. 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

    • 1815 February 23, [Walter Scott], Guy Mannering; or, The Astrologer. [...] In Three Volumes, volume (please specify ), Edinburgh: Printed by James Ballantyne and Co. for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […]; and Archibald Constable and Co., […], OCLC 742335644 ↗:

• An obsolete form of the simple past is sate and of the past participle is sitten.

• (be in a position in which the upper body is upright and the legs are supported) be seated
• (move oneself into such a position) be seated, sit down (from a standing position), sit up (from a prone position), take a seat
• (of an object: occupy a given position permanently) be, be found, be situated
• (be a member of a deliberative body)
• (be accepted) be accepted, be welcomed, be well received
• (to accommodate in seats) seat

• French: être assis, être assise, s'asseoir
• German: sitzen
• Italian: sedere, essere seduto, sedersi
• Portuguese: estar sentado
• Russian: сиде́ть
• Spanish: sentar, estar sentado

• French: asseoir
• German: setzen, hinsetzen
• Italian: sedersi
• Portuguese: sentar, sentar-se
• Russian: сади́ться
• Spanish: sentarse

• German: liegen
• Russian: сиде́ть
• Spanish: asentarse

• French: siéger
• German: sitzen, angehören
• Spanish: pertenecer

• Spanish: encajar

sit (plural sits)

1. (mining) Subsidence of the roof of a coal mine.
2. (rare, Buddhism) An event, usually lasting one full day or more, where the primary goal is to sit in meditation.

sit (plural sits)

1. (informal) Short for situation#English|situation.

• sitrep

1. Surname

sit (plural sits)

1. (India) Initialism of Special Investigation Team