sit
• verb (sitting; past and past part. sat) 1 be or cause to be in a position in which one’s weight is supported by one’s buttocks and one’s back is upright. 2 be or remain in a particular position or state: the fridge was sitting in a pool of water. 3 (of an animal) rest with the hind legs bent and the body close to the ground. 4 (of a parliament, committee, court of law, etc.) be engaged in its business. 5 serve as a member of a council, jury, or other official body. 6 Brit. take (an examination). 7 (of a table or room) have enough seats for. 8 (sit for) pose for (an artist or photographer). • noun a period of sitting. — PHRASES sit in occupy a place as a form of protest. sit in for temporarily carry out the duties of. sit on informal 1 fail to deal with. 2 subdue or suppress. sit out not take part in. sit tight informal 1 remain firmly in one’s place. 2 refrain from taking action or changing one’s mind. sit up refrain from going to bed until later than usual. — USAGE It is good English to use the participle sitting rather than sat with the verb ‘to be’: we were sitting there for hours rather than we were sat there for hours. — ORIGIN Old English.
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