to sit at meat

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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Meat \Meat\ (m[=e]t), n. [OE. mete, AS. mete; akin to OS. mat,
   meti, D. met hashed meat, G. mettwurst sausage, OHG. maz
   food, Icel. matr, Sw. mat, Dan. mad, Goth. mats. Cf. {Mast}
   fruit, {Mush}.]
   1. Food, in general; anything eaten for nourishment, either
      by man or beast. Hence, the edible part of anything; as,
      the meat of a lobster, a nut, or an egg. --Chaucer.
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            And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb
            bearing seed, . . . to you it shall be for meat.
                                                  --Gen. i. 29.
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            Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for
            you.                                  --Gen. ix. 3.
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   2. The flesh of animals used as food; esp., animal muscle;
      as, a breakfast of bread and fruit without meat.
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   3. Specifically: Dinner; the chief meal. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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   {Meat biscuit}. See under {Biscuit}.

   {Meat earth} (Mining), vegetable mold. --Raymond.

   {Meat fly}. (Zool.) See {Flesh fly}, under {Flesh}.

   {Meat offering} (Script.), an offering of food, esp. of a
      cake made of flour with salt and oil.

   {To go to meat}, to go to a meal. [Obs.]

   {To sit at meat}, to sit at the table in taking food.
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