🪑 To rest down 📍 To be located 🏛️ To serve officially 👶 To babysit 🖼️ To pose 🐎 To ride an animal 🎟️ To show to seats

to sit

∞ 1.0

To be in a particular place, like a building or statue

verb
/sɪt/

: estar

So this will just sit on the table like this.
sit empty
a house sits
sit in the middle

So if that sits like this and that sits one over, right?

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Examples

The old schoolhouse now sits on a hill, offering a great view of the valley.
The platform is attached to the sea floor and sits in about 200 m of water.

Academic text (2008)
But the problem is they all sit in one single server.
In the simulation shown here, a bright star sits roughly in the center of the frame.

Academic text (2011)
The town of Underwood has about 340 residents and sits on 370 acres of land.

Academic text (2015)
A beautiful sculpture sits in the center of the park, attracting many visitors.
The abandoned truck sits quietly at the side of the road, covered in rust.

Synonyms

to stand

vsto sit

∞ 1.0

To be or put something in an upright position

is about being located in a place rather than emphasizing upright posture

to lie

vsto sit

∞ 1.0

To rest flat on a surface

is about being located in a place without implying a horizontal position

Idioms

to sit on your hands

Informal

12 8.1

Not do anything when action is needed

to sit on one's ass

Offensive

2 9.9

To sit and do nothing instead of working

to sit on one's hands

Informal

1 7.4

To do nothing when someone should act

quidquid Latine dictum sit altum videtur

Literature

9.9

A humorous saying that Latin words sound more important

Phrasal Verbs

to sit down

∞ 1.0

Move from standing into a chair or onto the ground

to sit around

Informal

350 1.1

To spend time sitting and doing very little without a clear purpose

to sit down

190 1.0

Help someone into a seat by showing or guiding them

to sit up

126 1.0

To move from lying down to an upright position

to sit back

Informal

103 3.5

To do nothing when you should help

to sit back

Informal

87 2.7

To lean back and relax while you watch

to sit tight

Informal

80 3.7

To wait patiently and not act

to sit still

66 1.0

Stay seated without moving

to sit up

47 1.8

To stay awake late and not go to bed

to sit through

37 3.0

Stay until the end of something boring or unpleasant

to sit on

34 4.2

Delay making a decision about something while thinking about it

to sit in on

27 3.2

To go to a class or meeting to watch and learn without taking part

to sit in for

24 4.2

To take someone's place for a short time and do their job

to sit in

23 3.9

Attend a meeting or class as a visitor, not a regular participant

to sit back and enjoy

Informal

16 3.0

Relax and feel happy about something without worrying

to sit right

16 4.4

To feel wrong or uncomfortable about something

to sit in

14 5.1

To stay in a place as a protest to demand change

to sit by

12 5.6

Do nothing while something bad or important happens

to sit out

11 3.3

Not take part in an activity, often because someone is hurt or chooses not to

to sit one's ass down

Offensive

11 9.9

To sit down, often said strongly to tell someone to calm down

to sit in with

3 4.1

Join a group for a short time to take part without being a regular member

to sit out

2 3.9

Stay in a place or situation until something boring ends

to fence-sit

Informal

8.1

Stay neutral and not choose a side in a disagreement

to sit on a decision

4.2

Delay making a decision by waiting instead of choosing

to sit on someone's wheel

Jargon

9.1

To ride very close behind another cyclist to save energy

to sit on your ideas

Informal

7.1

To keep your ideas without sharing or using them

Compounds

sit-down

21 3.6

A formal meal or meeting where people sit together to talk

sit-in

16 4.9

A protest where people sit in a place and refuse to leave

sit-up

6 2.3

An exercise where you lie on your back and lift your upper body to strengthen stomach muscles

sit-down strike

3 4.4

Workers stay at their workplace and refuse to work until demands are met

sit-down

Archaic

2 6.4

Workers who stay in their workplace and refuse to leave until the employer meets their demands

sit-down money

8.3

Money kept to pay for a planned new project or a large cost

How Prominent

to tower

72 4.6

to stand

∞ 1.0

to sit

∞ 1.0

to lie

948 6.8

Surface Forms

sit infinitive

sitting present participle

sits third person singular

sat past

sat past participle

Etymology

Sit comes from an old English word sittan, meaning 'to sit' or 'stay in one place'. That idea grew to mean 'be located', so we say a building or object 'sits' somewhere because it 'takes its place' there.