sit
siht
Sit (verb) means to be resting with your body upright, supported by your bottom, rather than standing or lying down. Example: “The children sit in a circle while the teacher reads aloud.”
verb
1
To be resting with your body upright, supported by your bottom, rather than standing or lying down.
"The children sit in a circle while the teacher reads aloud."
"She sat quietly in the corner, reading her book."
"Please sit down and make yourself comfortable."
2
To lower yourself into a seated position.
"Wait until the music stops, then sit on the nearest chair."
"The cat watched me sit on the sofa and jumped up beside me."
"He sat down heavily after the long walk."
3
To be located or positioned somewhere.
"Their little cottage sits beside a quiet stream at the edge of the village."
"The old house sits at the top of the hill."
"A vase of flowers sat on the windowsill."
4
To hold a formal seat or membership on a board, council, or similar body, or (of a court) to be in session.
"Two local farmers sit on the village council and speak for rural residents."
"She sits on the board of three charities."
"The court will sit again on Monday to continue the trial."
5
To take or complete an exam.
"You must sit a short written test before you can start the course."
"Thousands of students will sit their final exams next week."
"She will sit her driving theory test on Monday morning."
6
To babysit or look after someone or something temporarily.
"My neighbour sits for us whenever we go out in the evening."
"Could you sit the children while we go out for an hour?"
"I sit for my sister's twins every Friday night."
noun
1
A single instance or period of sitting.
"After a long sit on the train, my legs felt stiff."
"She enjoyed a quiet sit by the river before heading home."
"I finished the whole novel in one sit."
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.
Common mistake
Past tense is "sat," not "sitted" — "she sat down" is correct.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
sit down
sit an exam
sit on a committee
sit in session
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Word forms
- Plural
- sits
- Third person singular
- sits
- Past tense
- sat, sate, sitten
- Archaic forms
- sattest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The children _____ in a circle while the teacher reads aloud.
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.
Synonyms
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Related words
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.
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