WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
sit1 /sɪt/USA pronunciation   v., sat/sæt/USA pronunciation  sat, sit•ting. 
v. 
  1. to rest with the body supported by one's buttocks or thighs;
    be seated:[no object]I was sitting at my desk when the phone rang.
  2. to (cause to) lower the body into a position of rest supported by one's buttocks or thighs: [no object;
    (~ + down)]    Please sit (down); I'll be back in a minute.[~ + object (+ down)]sat the child (down) on the sofa.
  3. to be located or situated;
    lie or rest:[no object]The house sits on a cliff.
  4. [no object] to place oneself in position for an artist, etc.;
    pose.
  5. to remain quiet:[no object]Let the matter sit.
  6. Animal Behavior[no object] (of a bird) to cover eggs with the body for hatching;
    brood.
  7. to fit or hang, such as a garment:[no object]That shirt doesn't sit well on him.
  8. to have an official position, such as a legislator or judge:[no object;often: ~ + on + object]She sits on the committee.
  9. to hold a session:[no object]The court sits in judgment.
  10. (used after a word or root) to take care of (the specified thing) like a baby-sitter:to house-sit (= to live in another's house while the owners are away); to plant-sit (= to take care of another's plants while the owners are away).
  11. to be accepted in the way indicated:[no object]His answer didn't sit right with us.
  12. Informal Terms to be acceptable to the stomach:[no object]My breakfast didn't sit too well.
  13. to provide seating accommodations;
    seat:[~ + object;no passive]Our table only sits six people.
  14. Informal Terms to baby-sit:[no object]She used to sit for us when our daughter was a baby.
  15. sit around, [no object;
    usually: ~ + around + verb-ing]     to do nothing:The workers were sitting around ignoring their work.
  16. sit in (on), [~ + in (+ on + object)] to be a spectator at (some event or circumstance):I'd like permission to sit in on your class.
  17. sit on or upon, [~ + on/upon + object]
    • to inquire into or deliberate over:A coroner's jury sat on the case.
    • to put off for a time;
      postpone.
    • Informal Termsto check;
      squelch:to sit on nasty rumors.
  18. sit out:
    • [~ + out + object] to stay to the end of:He sat out the whole movie in silence.
    • to stay, wait, or endure longer than: [~ + out + object]to sit out one's rivals.[~ + object + out]to sit them out.
    • to keep one's seat during (a dance, etc.);
      fail to participate in (an activity): [~ + out + object]I think I'll sit out the next dance.[~ + object + out]I'll have to sit this one out; I'm a little tired.
  19. sit up:
    • to (cause to) rise from a lying or reclining position to a sitting position: [no object]Sit up straight and answer me.[~ + object + up]The nurse sat him up in his bed.
    • [no object;
      often: ~ + up + verb-ing]       to be awake and active during one's usual sleep time:to sit up all night playing solitaire.
    • [no object] to become interested;
      take notice:This will make them sit up and notice.
Idioms
  1. Idioms sit on one's hands:
    • to fail to applaud.
    • to fail to take proper or necessary action.
  2. Idioms sit tight, [no object] to take no action;
    wait:Sit tight, and when I give you the signal, then move.

sit•ter, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
tight /taɪt/USA pronunciation   adj. andadv., -er, -est. 
adj. 
  1. firmly fixed in place;
    secure:a tight knot.
  2. drawn or stretched tense;
    taut:tight muscles.
  3. fitting closely, esp. too closely:That tight collar is choking me.
  4. difficult to deal with or manage:a tight situation.
  5. of such close texture or fit as to prevent air, water, etc., from getting through:a tight roof.
  6. firm;
    rigid:Security was tight after the bomb blast.
  7. allowing little space, time, etc., between parts;
    full:a tight schedule.
  8. nearly even;
    close:a tight race.
  9. stingy;
    not generous with money:a tight old boss who never gives raises.
  10. Slang Termsdrunk;
    tipsy:a little tight after the party.
  11. (of a market, etc.) in a condition in which demand is greater than supply:Money is tight because interest rates are high.
  12. feeling tense or painful:He said his chest felt tight, and then he had a heart attack.

adv. 
  1. in a tight manner;
    closely;
    securely:Shut the door tight.
  2. soundly or deeply:to sleep tight.
Idioms
  1. Idioms run a tight ship, to be smooth and efficient, as at a company:The new boss ran a tight ship.

tight•ly, adv. : The dress fit too tightly.
tight•ness, n. [uncountable]: complained of tightness in his chest.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
sit1  (sit),USA pronunciation v., sat or (Archaic) sate;
sat or (Archaic) sit•ten;
sit•ting. 
v.i. 
  1. to rest with the body supported by the buttocks or thighs;
    be seated.
  2. to be located or situated:The house sits well up on the slope.
  3. to rest or lie (usually fol. by on or upon):An aura of greatness sits easily upon him.
  4. to place oneself in position for an artist, photographer, etc.;
    pose:to sit for a portrait.
  5. to remain quiet or inactive:They let the matter sit.
  6. Animal Behavior(of a bird) to perch or roost.
  7. Animal Behavior(of a hen) to cover eggs to hatch them;
    brood.
  8. to fit, rest, or hang, as a garment:The jacket sits well on your shoulders.
  9. to occupy a place or have a seat in an official assembly or in an official capacity, as a legislator, judge, or bishop.
  10. to be convened or in session, as an assembly.
  11. to act as a baby-sitter.
  12. Meteorology(of wind) to blow from the indicated direction:The wind sits in the west tonight.
  13. to be accepted or considered in the way indicated:Something about his looks just didn't sit right with me.
  14. Informal Termsto be acceptable to the stomach:Something I ate for breakfast didn't sit too well.

v.t. 
  1. to cause to sit;
    seat (often fol. by down):Sit yourself down. He sat me near him.
  2. to sit astride or keep one's seat on (a horse or other animal):She sits her horse gracefully.
  3. to provide seating accommodations or seating room for;
    seat:Our dining-room table only sits six people.
  4. Informal Termsto serve as baby-sitter for:A neighbor can sit the children while you go out.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. sit in on, to be a spectator, observer, or visitor at:to sit in on classes.
  8. sit on or 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 Termsto check or rebuke;
      squelch:I'll sit on him if he tries to interrupt me.
  9. Idioms sit on one's hands:
    • Idiomsto fail to applaud.
    • Idiomsto fail to take appropriate action.
  10. 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.
  11. Informal Terms sit pretty, to be in a comfortable situation:He's been sitting pretty ever since he got that new job.
  12. sit tight, to bide one's time;
    take no action:I'm going to sit tight till I hear from you.
  13. 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.
  • bef. 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-); compare set, sedate, cathedral, nest
    10. meet. assemble. convene. gather..
    Cf. set. 
sit2  (sit),USA pronunciation v. 
  1. Drugs(in prescriptions) may it be.
  • Latin

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
tight  (tīt),USA pronunciation adj. -er, -est, adv., -er, -est. 
adj. 
  1. firmly or closely fixed in place;
    not easily moved;
    secure:a tight knot.
  2. drawn or stretched so as to be tense;
    taut.
  3. affording little or no extra room;
    fitting closely, esp. too closely:a tight collar.
  4. difficult to deal with or manage:to be in a tight situation.
  5. of such close or compacted texture, or fitted together so closely, as to be impervious to water, air, steam, etc.:a good, tight roof.
  6. concise;
    terse:a tight style of writing.
  7. firm;
    rigid:his tight control of the company.
  8. carefully arranged or organized and full;
    affording little leeway;
    compact:a tight schedule.
  9. nearly even;
    close:a tight race.
  10. [Informal.]
    • close, as friends;
      familiar or intimate.
    • united:The strikers are tight in their refusal to accept the proposed contract.
  11. parsimonious;
    stingy.
  12. Slang Termsdrunk;
    tipsy.
  13. characterized by scarcity or eager demand;
    costly;
    limited;
    restricted:a tight job market; tight money.
  14. Journalism(of a newspaper) having more news available than is required for or utilizable in a particular issue.
  15. Sport[Baseball.]inside (def. 20).
  16. Scottish Termscompetent or skillful.
  17. tidy.
  18. neatly or well built or made.

adv. 
  1. in a tight manner;
    closely;
    firmly;
    securely;
    tensely:Shut the door tight. The shirt fit tight across the shoulders.
  2. soundly or deeply:to sleep tight.
  3. sit tight, to take no action.
  • Old Norse thēttr (cognate with Old English -thiht firm, solid, Dutch, German dicht tight, close, dense)
  • late Middle English, sandhi variant of Middle English thight dense, solid, tight 1400–50
tight′ly, adv. 
tight′ness, n. 
    11. close, niggardly, mean, grasping, frugal, sparing.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
sit /sɪt/ vb (sits, sitting, sat) (mainly intr)
  1. (also tr; when intr, often followed 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
  2. (transitive) to cause to adopt such a posture
  3. (of an animal) to adopt or rest in a posture with the hindquarters lowered to the ground
  4. (of a bird) to perch or roost
  5. (of a hen or other bird) to cover eggs to hatch them; brood
  6. to be situated or located
  7. (of the wind) to blow from the direction specified
  8. to adopt and maintain a posture for one's portrait to be painted, etc
  9. to occupy or be entitled to a seat in some official capacity, as a judge, elected representative, etc
  10. (of a deliberative body) to be convened or in session
  11. to remain inactive or unused: his car sat in the garage for a year
  12. (of a garment) to fit or hang as specified: that dress sits well on you
  13. to weigh, rest, or lie as specified: greatness sits easily on him
  14. (transitive) chiefly Brit to take (an examination): he's sitting his bar finals
  15. (usually followed by for) chiefly Brit to be a candidate (for a qualification): he's sitting for a BA
  16. (intransitive; in combination) to look after a specified person or thing for someone else: granny-sit
  17. (transitive) to have seating capacity for
  18. sit tight ⇒
    • to wait patiently; bide one's time
    • to maintain one's position, stand, or opinion firmly
Etymology: Old English sittan; related to Old Norse sitja, Gothic sitan, Old High German sizzen, Latin sedēre to sit, Sanskrit sīdati he sits
'sit tight' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
sit - tight

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