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

to sit

77 5.9
To pose and remain still so an artist can make your portrait
  • verb
  • /sɪt/
translation icon : posar
  • The artist asked her to sit still for the portrait he was painting.
  • sit for a portrait

Examples

Synonyms

to pose
vsto sit
109 3.8

To hold a position for a picture

is a posture kept motionless specifically for a portrait or artwork
to model
vsto sit
67 4.1

To show clothes by standing or moving for photos

is about adopting a posture for artistic portrayal rather than displaying clothes
to sit still
vsto sit
66 1.0

Stay seated without moving

is about keeping a posture for an artist's portrait rather than general stillness

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
  • US
8.3

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

How Still

model
368 3.9
to sit
77 5.9
pose
71 4.1
to stand
∞ 1.0

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 stay in one place'. That is why artists ask someone to 'sit' for a portrait — the person must stay still in their 'seat' while the work is made.