sit
Sit (verb) means to be resting with your body upright, supported by your bottom, rather than standing or lying down. Example: “She sat quietly in the corner, reading her book.”
How to Use Sit
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo be in, or move into, a seated position — or more broadly, to be located, to hold a position, or to take an exam.
Past tense is "sat," not "sitted" — "she sat down" is correct.
Word Forms
sat past tense, sate past tense, sitten past tense, sit plural, sat plural, sate plural, sits plural, Sits plural, sits singular, sit singular, sat singular, sate singular, sattest singular
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Please _____ down and make yourself comfortable.
Etymology
From Old English sittan, going back to a very old Indo-European root meaning "to sit" that also gave us words like the Latin sedeo and the Russian sidet.
Related Words
Rhymes for sit
See all rhymes for sit →Frequently Asked Questions
What does “sit” mean?
The word “sit” means to be resting with your body upright, supported by your bottom, rather than standing or lying down. In plain terms, to be in, or move into, a seated position — or more broadly, to be located, to hold a position, or to take an exam.
How do you pronounce “sit”?
“Sit” is pronounced siht (/sɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “sit” in a sentence?
Here is “sit” used in a sentence: “Please sit down and make yourself comfortable.”
What is another word for “sit”?
Words with a similar meaning to “sit” include be found and be situate.
What part of speech is “sit”?
Depending on how it is used, “sit” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “sit” come from?
The word “sit” comes from Latin. From Old English sittan, going back to a very old Indo-European root meaning "to sit" that also gave us words like the Latin sedeo and the Russian sidet.
Is “sit” a common word?
“Sit” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “sit” have?
“Sit” has 7 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to be resting with your body upright, supported by your bottom, rather than standing or lying down.
What is the difference between sit and set?
To sit is something you do to yourself — you rest with your body upright on your bottom. To set means to place or put an object down somewhere. You sit in a chair, but you set a cup on the table. A quick test: if a person or animal does it to their own body, the word is sit.
What is the past tense of sit?
The past tense of sit is sat, used for both the simple past and the past participle: 'She sat down' and 'She has sat there for hours.' The present participle is sitting. 'Sat' is the standard form in modern English, so older shapes like 'has sitten' are not used today.
What is the difference between sit and seat?
Sit is the action of resting on your bottom, while seat is usually the thing you sit on, such as a chair or bench. As a verb, 'seat' means to show someone to a place or provide room for them, as when a hall can 'seat 200 people.' In short, you sit down on a seat.
What is an example of sit in a sentence?
You might say, 'Please sit down and make yourself comfortable,' or 'The cat likes to sit on the windowsill.' The word describes resting upright on your bottom, so it fits any setting — a chair, a bench, the floor — as long as you are neither standing nor lying down.