sit-in

[ sit-in ]

/ ˈsɪtˌɪn /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR sit-in ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

any organized protest in which a group of people peacefully occupy and refuse to leave a premises: Sixty students staged a sit-in outside the dean's office.

an organized passive protest, especially against racial segregation, in which the demonstrators occupy seats prohibited to them, as in restaurants and other public places.

sit-down strike.

Origin of sit-in

1955–60; noun use of verb phrase sit in (a place); cf. sit¹, -in³

Words nearby sit-in

sit up, sit well with, sit-down, sit-down money, sit-down strike, sit-in, sit-ins, sit-up, sit-upon, sita, sitar

Definition for sit in (2 of 2)

sit ¹

[ sit ]

/ sɪt /

verb (used without object), sat or (Archaic) sate; sat or (Archaic) sit·ten; sit·ting.

to rest with the body supported by the buttocks or thighs; be seated.

to be located or situated: The house sits well up on the slope.

to rest or lie (usually followed by on or upon): An aura of greatness sits easily upon him.

to place oneself in position for an artist, photographer, etc.; pose: to sit for a portrait.

to remain quiet or inactive: They let the matter sit.

(of a bird) to perch or roost.

(of a hen) to cover eggs to hatch them; brood.

to fit, rest, or hang, as a garment: The jacket sits well on your shoulders.

to occupy a place or have a seat in an official assembly or in an official capacity, as a legislator, judge, or bishop.

to be convened or in session, as an assembly.

to act as a baby-sitter.

(of wind) to blow from the indicated direction: The wind sits in the west tonight.

to be accepted or considered in the way indicated: Something about his looks just didn't sit right with me.

Informal. to be acceptable to the stomach: Something I ate for breakfast didn't sit too well.

Chiefly British. to take a test or examination: I’m studying now, and I plan to sit in June.

verb (used with object), sat or (Archaic) sate; sat or (Archaic) sit·ten; sit·ting.

to cause to sit; seat (often followed by down): Sit yourself down. He sat me near him.

to sit astride or keep one's seat on (a horse or other animal): She sits her horse gracefully.

to provide seating accommodations or seating room for; seat: Our dining-room table only sits six people.

Informal. to serve as baby-sitter for: A neighbor can sit the children while you go out.

Chiefly British. to take (a test or examination): She finally received permission to sit the exam at a later date.

Verb Phrases

sit down,

to take a seat.
to descend to a sitting position; alight.
to take up a position, as to encamp or besiege: The military forces sat down at the approaches to the city.

sit in,

to attend or take part as a visitor or temporary participant: to sit in at a bridge game; to sit in for the band's regular pianist.
to take part in a sit-in.

sit in on, to be a spectator, observer, or visitor at: to sit in on classes.

sit on/upon,

to inquire into or deliberate over: A coroner's jury was called to sit on the case.
Informal. to suppress; silence: They sat on the bad news as long as they could.
Informal. to check or rebuke; squelch: I'll sit on him if he tries to interrupt me.

sit out,

to stay to the end of: Though bored, we sat out the play.
to surpass in endurance: He sat out his tormentors.
to keep one's seat during (a dance, competition, etc.); fail to participate in: We sat out all the Latin-American numbers.

sit up,

to rise from a supine to a sitting position.
to delay the hour of retiring beyond the usual time.
to sit upright; hold oneself erect.
Informal. to become interested or astonished: We all sat up when the holiday was announced.

Origin of sit

before 900; Middle English sitten, Old English sittan; cognate with Dutch zitten, German sitzen, Old Norse sitja; akin to Gothic sitan, Latin sedēre, Greek hézesthai (base hed-); cf. set, sedate, cathedral, nest

SYNONYMS FOR sit

10 meet, assemble, convene, gather.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR sit ON THESAURUS.COM

usage note for sit

See set.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH sit

set sit (see usage note at set)

British Dictionary definitions for sit in (1 of 3)

SIT

/ text messaging /

abbreviation for

stay in touch

British Dictionary definitions for sit in (2 of 3)

sit

/ (sɪt) /

verb sits, sitting or sat (mainly intr)

(also tr; when intr, often foll by down, in, or on) to adopt or rest in a posture in which the body is supported on the buttocks and thighs and the torso is more or less upright to sit on a chair; sit a horse

(tr) to cause to adopt such a posture

(of an animal) to adopt or rest in a posture with the hindquarters lowered to the ground

(of a bird) to perch or roost

(of a hen or other bird) to cover eggs to hatch them; brood

to be situated or located

(of the wind) to blow from the direction specified

to adopt and maintain a posture for one's portrait to be painted, etc

to occupy or be entitled to a seat in some official capacity, as a judge, elected representative, etc

(of a deliberative body) to be convened or in session

to remain inactive or unused his car sat in the garage for a year

to rest or lie as specified the nut was sitting so awkwardly that he couldn't turn it

(of a garment) to fit or hang as specified that dress sits well on you

to weigh, rest, or lie as specified greatness sits easily on him

(tr) mainly British to take (an examination) he's sitting his bar finals

(usually foll by for) mainly British to be a candidate (for a qualification) he's sitting for a BA

(intr; in combination) to look after a specified person or thing for someone else granny-sit

(tr) to have seating capacity for

sitting pretty informal well placed or established financially, socially, etc

sit tight

to wait patiently; bide one's time
to maintain one's position, stand, or opinion firmly

See also sit back, sit down, sit-in, sit on, sit out, sit over, sit under, sit up

Word Origin for sit

Old English sittan; related to Old Norse sitja, Gothic sitan, Old High German sizzen, Latin sedēre to sit, Sanskrit sīdati he sits

British Dictionary definitions for sit in (3 of 3)

sit-in

noun

a form of civil disobedience in which demonstrators occupy seats in a public place and refuse to move as a protest

another term for sit-down strike

verb sit in (intr, adverb)

(often foll by for) to deputize (for)

(foll by on) to take part (in) as a visitor or guest we sat in on Professor Johnson's seminar

to organize or take part in a sit-in

Idioms and Phrases with sit in (1 of 2)

sit in

Attend or take part as a visitor, as in My son's jazz group asked me to sit in tonight. It is often put as sit in on, as in They asked me to sit in on their poker game. [Mid-1800s]

Take part in a sit-in, that is, an organized protest in which seated participants refuse to move. For example, The students threatened to sit in unless the dean was reinstated. [c. 1940]

sit in on. Visit or observe, as in I'm sitting in on his class, but not for credit. [Early 1900s]

sit in for. Substitute for a regular member of a group, as in I'm just sitting in for Harold, who couldn't make it.

Idioms and Phrases with sit in (2 of 2)

sit

In addition to the idioms beginning with sit

sit at one's feet
sit back
sit bolt upright
sit by
sit down
sit in
sit on
sit on one's hands
sit out
sit pretty
sit through
sit tight
sit up
sit well with

also see:

at a sitting

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

sit-in

noun

Origin of sit-in

Words nearby sit-in

Definition for sit in (2 of 2)

verb (used without object), sat or (Archaic) sate; sat or (Archaic) sit·ten; sit·ting.

verb (used with object), sat or (Archaic) sate; sat or (Archaic) sit·ten; sit·ting.

Verb Phrases

Origin of sit

SYNONYMS FOR sit

usage note for sit

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH sit

British Dictionary definitions for sit in (1 of 3)

abbreviation for

British Dictionary definitions for sit in (2 of 3)

verb sits, sitting or sat (mainly intr)

Word Origin for sit

British Dictionary definitions for sit in (3 of 3)

noun

verb sit in (intr, adverb)

Idioms and Phrases with sit in (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with sit in (2 of 2)

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

sit-in

noun

Origin of sit-in

Words nearby sit-in

Definition for sit in (2 of 2)

verb (used without object), sat or (Archaic) sate; sat or (Archaic) sit·ten; sit·ting.

verb (used with object), sat or (Archaic) sate; sat or (Archaic) sit·ten; sit·ting.

Verb Phrases

Origin of sit

SYNONYMS FOR sit

usage note for sit

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH sit

Words related to sit in

British Dictionary definitions for sit in (1 of 3)

abbreviation for

British Dictionary definitions for sit in (2 of 3)

verb sits, sitting or sat (mainly intr)

Word Origin for sit

British Dictionary definitions for sit in (3 of 3)

noun

verb sit in (intr, adverb)

Idioms and Phrases with sit in (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with sit in (2 of 2)