from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Sit \Sit\, v. i. [imp. {Sat}({Sate}, archaic); p. p. {Sat}
({Sitten}, 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. ???, Skr. sad.
[root]154. Cf. {Assess},{Assize}, {Cathedral}, {Chair},
{Dissident}, {Excise}, {Insidious}, {Possess}, {Reside},
{Sanhedrim}, {Seance}, {Seat}, n., {Sedate}, {4th Sell},
{Siege}, {Session}, {Set}, v. 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 ground.
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And he came and took the book put of the right hand
of him that sate upon the seat. --Bible (1551)
(Rev. v. 7.)
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I pray you, jest, sir, as you sit at dinner. --Shak.
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2. To perch; to rest with the feet drawn up, as birds do on a
branch, pole, etc.
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3. To remain in a state of repose; to rest; to abide; to rest
in any position or condition.
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And Moses said to . . . the children of Reuben,
Shall your brothren go to war, and shall ye sit
here? --Num. xxxii.
6.
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Like a demigod here sit I in the sky. --Shak.
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4. To lie, rest, or bear; to press or weigh; -- with on; as,
a weight or burden sits lightly upon him.
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The calamity sits heavy on us. --Jer. Taylor.
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5. To be adjusted; to fit; as, a coat sits well or ill.
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This new and gorgeous garment, majesty,
Sits not so easy on me as you think. --Shak.
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6. To suit one well or ill, as an act; to become; to befit;
-- used impersonally. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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7. To cover and warm eggs for hatching, as a fowl; to brood;
to incubate.
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As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them
not. --Jer. xvii.
11.
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8. To have position, as at the point blown from; to hold a
relative position; to have direction.
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Like a good miller that knows how to grind, which
way soever the wind sits. --Selden.
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Sits the wind in that quarter? --Sir W.
Scott.
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9. To occupy a place or seat as a member of an official body;
as, to sit in Congress.
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10. 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-night.
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11. 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 painter.
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{To 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 elect not to participate in, as a dance or a hand
of cards.
{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,
to sit up late at night; also, to watch; as, to sit up
with a sick person. "He that was dead sat up, and began to
speak." --Luke vii. 15.
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