Sit — Defs

01 3d pers. sing. pres. for sitteth.

1.
for sitteth.obs.

02 v. i. 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…

imp. Sat; p. p. Sat; p. pr. & vb. n. Sitting

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.archaic
“And he came and took the book put of the right hand of him that sate upon the seat.” — Bible (1551) (Rev. v. 7.)

“I pray you, jest, sir, as you sit at dinner.” — Shak.
2.
To perch; to rest with the feet drawn up, as birds do on a branch, pole, etc.
3.
To remain in a state of repose; to rest; to abide; to rest in any position or condition.
“And Moses said to . . . the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here?” — Num. xxxii. 6.

“Like a demigod here sit I in the sky.” — Shak.
4.
To lie, rest, or bear; to press or weigh; -- with on; as, a weight or burden sits lightly upon him.
“The calamity sits heavy on us.” — Jer. Taylor.
5.
To be adjusted; to fit; as, a coat sits well or ill.
“This new and gorgeous garment, majesty, Sits not so easy on me as you think.” — Shak.
6.
To suit one well or ill, as an act; to become; to befit; -- used impersonally.[Obs.]
7.
To cover and warm eggs for hatching, as a fowl; to brood; to incubate.
“As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not.” — Jer. xvii. 11.
8.
To have position, as at the point blown from; to hold a relative position; to have direction.
“Like a good miller that knows how to grind, which way soever the wind sits.” — Selden.

“Sits the wind in that quarter?” — Sir W. Scott.
9.
To occupy a place or seat as a member of an official body; as, to sit in Congress.
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.
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.

Phrases & compounds

To sit at — to rest under; to be subject to.

To sit at meat — to be at table for eating.

To sit down — To place one's self on a chair or other seat; as, to sit down when tired.

To sit for a fellowship — to offer one's self for examination with a view to obtaining a fellowship.

To sit out — To be without engagement or employment

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.

03 v. t. To sit upon; to keep one's seat upon; as, he sits a horse well.

1.
To sit upon; to keep one's seat upon; as, he sits a horse well.
“Hardly the muse can sit the headstrong horse.” — Prior.
2.
To cause to be seated or in a sitting posture; to furnish a seat to; -- used reflexively.
“They sat them down to weep.” — Milton.

“Sit you down, father; rest you.” — Shak.
3.
To suit (well [or] ill); to become.[Obs. or R.]