▪ I. sitting, vbl. n.
(ˈsɪtɪŋ)
Also 3 sittunge, 4–5 sittyng (4 cyttynge), sytting, 5–6 -yng(e, etc.
[f. sit v. + -ing1.]
1. a. The action of the vb. sit, in various senses; the fact of being seated; an instance of this.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 156 Hwat oðer god cumeð of þisse onliche sittunge, þet Ieremie spekeð of. c 1325 Prose Psalter cxxxviii. 1 Lord,..þou knewe..my sittyng and my risynge. 1382 Wyclif Lam. iii. 63 The sitting..and the aȝeen rising of hem see; Y am the salm of hem. c 1400 Destr. Troy 440 Hit is wonder of the wit of this wise kyng, Wold assent to þat sytting. c 1450 in Aungier Syon (1840) 325 The lay brethren..keping the same stondynges and syttyngs that the quer doth. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 233 b, This syttynge signyfyeth none other but the peace of the soule. 1581 Mulcaster Positions xxxix. (1887) 197 Is the skill in sitting of an horse no honour at home? 1671 Milton P.R. iv. 107 Without the highest attain'd Will be for thee no sitting, or not long On David's Throne. a 1700 Evelyn Diary 30 Nov. 1680, The place of sitting was now exalted some considerable height from the paved floore. 1730 Bailey (fol.), A Siege is the Sitting or Encampment of an Army round a Place. 1874 Blackie Self-Cult. 41 Why should a student indulge so much in the lazy and unhealthy habit of sitting? |
† b. Order or place of sitting (at table, etc.).
| c 1380 Antecrist in Todd Three Treat. Wyclif (1851) 127 Þei wolen sitt ful hiȝe in furst sittyngis at þe sopers. c 1386 Chaucer Clerk's T. 902 And eek that euery wight in his degree Haue his estaat in sittyng and seruyse. ? a 1400 Arthur 51 For no pryde scholde aryse For any degree of syttynge. 1494 in Ordin. Household (1790) 112 The sitting of all Dukes, Earles, and Barons sonnes. |
† c. The fact of being sat in or occupied.
Obs.—1| c 1440 Lovelich Merlin 4490 They..axeden..why that place was voyde of syttyng, and why that som good man mihte not sytten there. |
d. Carriage or posture
of something.
rare.
| 1709 Steele Tatler No. 9 ¶3 Miss..immediately at her Glass, alters the Sitting of her Head. 1816 Jane Austen Emma II. iv. 69 His air as he walked by the house—the very sitting of his hat. |
2. a. The action on the part of hen-birds of sitting on and hatching eggs; incubation.
| 1399 Langl. Rich. Redeles iii. 39 In þe somer seson whane sittinge nyeth, þat ich foule with his fere folwith his kynde. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) vii. 25 Þe egges bringges furth briddes withouten sittyng of hen. 1611 Cotgr., Couvement, a brooding, sitting on. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 128 ¶3 The Male [Bird]..amuses and diverts her [the Hen] with his Songs during the whole Time of her Sitting. 1787 Gouv. Morris in Sparks Life & Writ. (1832) I. 292 [They] are really the foolishest geese I ever beheld, for they choose all times for sitting but the spring. 1830 Southey Young Dragon i. v. 10 With amianth he [the dragon] lined the nest,..To bear the fiery sitting. 1854 L. A. Meall Moubray's Poultry 425 For sitting, the newest [eggs] are to be preferred. |
b. A number of eggs placed under a sitting bird for incubation; a clutch.
| 1854 L. A. Meall Moubray's Poultry 426 The differences of the seasons..must have a considerable effect upon the chances of hatching a sitting of eggs. 1895 Elworthy Evil Eye 406 A sitting of eggs is a number just as well known as a baker's dozen—thirteen. |
3. a. The fact of being engaged in the exercise of judicial, legislative, or deliberative functions; an instance or occasion of this; a meeting of a legislative or other body; the period of time occupied by this.
| c 1400 Ywaine & Gaw. 3446 It es the assyse, Whils sityng es of the justise. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 240 The eight daye of Aprill was the thirde sytting of the fathers in the Counsell at Trent. 1598 Child-Marriages 173 It is fuly Concluded..at this, her Maiesties generall Sessions, by the said Justices in their open Sessions and full sittinge. 1660 Milton Free Commw. Wks. 1851 V. 452 If all this avail not to remove the Fear or Envy of a perpetual Sitting, it may be easily provided [etc.]. a 1700 Evelyn Diary 1 Oct. 1678, The Parliament, growing now corrupt and interested with long sitting and court practices. 1764 Ann. Reg. i. 50 The speaker was twenty hours in the chair, which was the longest sitting, by three hours, that is remembered to have happened. 1821 Scott Kenilw. xvii, The brief interval..betwixt the dismissal of the audience and the sitting of the privy council. 1855 Prescott Philip II, ii. xi. (1857) I. 269 These discussions occupied many and long protracted sittings of the council. 1896 Law Times C. 356/2 The first sitting of the new court was held on the 10th inst. |
b. Yorksh. A statute or hiring fair. Now
pl.| 1641 Best Farm. Bks. (Surtees) 135 Masters that wante servants, and servants that wante masters, have the benefitte of the next sittinge to provide for themselves. Ibid. 136 When servants goe to the sittinge, they putte on theire best apparrell. 1788 W. H. Marshall Yorksh. II. 352 Sittings, statutes for servants. 1851 N. & Q. 1st Ser. III. 328/2 It is customary once a year for men and women servants out of place to assemble in the market places of Hedon and Patrington..and there await being hired. This very ancient custom is called Hedon Sittings or Statutes. 1892 M. C. F. Morris Yorks. Folk-Talk 369 We're off for Pockli'ton sittins. |
c. Among the Society of Friends, a gathering or meeting for family worship.
| 1841 Gurney Jrnl. in Braithwaite Mem. II. 261 We were favoured with a very good family sitting after breakfast... I had to minister to them all. |
4. A thing or place upon or in which one sits; a seat,
esp. in later use, sitting accommodation for one person in a church or other place of worship. Also
fig.| c 1400 Mandeville Trav. (1839) ix. 106 In that Cytee [Samaria] was the syttinges of the [ten] Tribes of Israel. 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 119 The nature of these is..to cast about for the sitting of the Beast, and so having found it, with continual cry to follow after it till it be wearyed. 1828 Carr Craven Gloss., Sitting, a single seat or sitting in a pew. 1835 I. Taylor Spir. Despot. 168 The number of sittings between one wall of a chapel and its opposite. 1874 J. T. Micklethwaite Mod. Par. Churches 339 From {pstlg}10 to {pstlg}12 per sitting is, I think, a fair estimating price. |
5. A spell of remaining seated:
a. In
phr. at a or one sitting, during a single period of sitting; at one time or spell of continuous action, work, or study.
| 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. iii. i. 117 Your daughter spent in Genowa..one night fourescore ducats. Shy... Fourescore ducats at a sitting! fourescore ducats! 1691 T. H[ale] Acc. New Invent. 47 To finish this Piece up at one sitting. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 72 ¶8 Others who have smoaked an Hundred Pipes at a Sitting. 1731–8 Swift Polite Conv. 198, I was assur'd..that she lost at one Sitting to the Tune of a hundred Guineas. 1840 Dickens Old C. Shop xlvi, You should question me for half-a-dozen hours at a sitting, and welcome. 1843 Penny Cycl. XXV. 76/1 They [turtles]..lay at one sitting to the number of a hundred eggs. 1887 Jessopp Arcady iv. 120 The incredible bulk of food that they will make away with at a sitting. |
b. In other uses.
| 1621 Bp. Hall Heauen upon Earth §4 [Gorges] who..can freely carue to themselues large morsels at the next sitting. 1833 T. Hook Parson's Dau. i. ii, The man is a monster, without one redeeming quality that I could discover in a seven hours' sitting. 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair xlv, Every time that he got a headache from too long an after-dinner sitting. 1896 Allbutt's Syst. Med. I. 370 The symptom often departs suddenly during the course of the first sitting [for treatment by electricity]. |
c. A spell of sitting to an artist, sculptor, or photographer for a portrait, etc.
| 1706 Art of Painting (1744) 333 He drew his picture for him at several sittings. 1762–71 H. Walpole Vertue's Anecd. Paint. (1786) II. 243 He..generally obtained one or two sittings for the completion [of the portrait]. 1829 Lytton Devereux ii. viii, I am going to give Kneller my last sitting. c 1865 Wylde's Circ. Sciences I. 147/2 The muscles of the neck are apt to become fatigued if a long ‘sitting’ be necessary. 1884 Harper's Mag. Sept. 522/2 His ordinary mode of proceeding in the case of a portrait was to make a realistic study during the sitting. |
| fig. 1818 Hazlitt Eng. Poets iv. (1870) 106 Dryden recurs to the object often, takes fresh sittings of nature [etc.]. |
d. A séance.
| 1880 Hare in W. H. Harrison Psychic Facts 14 The medium..gave me another sitting at her own dwelling. |
e. One in a series of (
esp. two) servings of a meal,
spec. in the restaurant-car of a train.
| 1959 P. Moyes Dead Men don't Ski i. 13 The lights of the train came on..and..the bell sounded..for First Dinner. Jimmy..was..due to dine at the first sitting. 1962 N. Streatfeild Apple Bough vii. 101 An attendant from the restaurant-car looked in. ‘Luncheon tickets?’ he asked. The man said: ‘Second sitting, please.’ 1965 E. Brown Big Man ix. 74 I'll clean up the cabin while you are at lunch. You are second sitting. 1977 C. Allen Raj i. 25/2 Gongs were sounded to mark the arrival of each course... Older travellers preferred the second sitting. |
6. a. With
advs., as
down,
in,
out,
up.
For northern
dial. uses, see the
Eng. Dial. Dict.| (a) 1535 Coverdale Lam. iii. 63 Thou seist also their sittinge downe and their rysinge vp. a 1572 Knox Hist. Ref. Wks. 1846 I. 220 The sitting doun of the schip called the Cardinall..betuix Sanct Colmes Inch and Crawmond, without any occasioun, except negligence. 1617 Moryson Itin. ii. 141 Some few shot of the Spaniards offered to disturbe our sitting downe [= encamping], but were soone beaten home. 1667 Marvell Corr. Wks. (Grosart) II. 218 It being now but seven days till the sitting down of the Parliament. 1707 Freind Peterborow's Cond. Sp. 43 The only contrivance by which the sitting down of such a handful of men..could have had the effect of a regular envestment. 1881 C. M. Yonge Lads & Lasses Langley ii. 67 When there was a sitting down, Frank had been used to..put his head on his arms and be comfortable. |
| (b) 1547 Bk. of Marchauntes e ij, If any woman lye in childbed, they to go to say gospels and to be at the syttyng vp and chirching. 1607 Chapman Bussy d'Ambois iii. ii, I, watching my lady's sitting up, stole up at midnight from my pallet. 1810 T. Williamson E. India Vade-M. II. 112 This ‘sitting up’..generally took place at the house of some lady of rank,..who for three successive nights, threw open her mansion. 1817 Jane Austen Let. 22 May (1932) 493 Words..fail..to describe what a Nurse she has been to me... There was never any sitting-up necessary. 1900 Beerbohm in Sat. Rev. 6 Jan. 12/2 Was not a pantomime..the most brilliant occasion for ‘sitting-up’? |
| (c) 1902 Mrs. Alexander Stronger than Love xi, Nothing short of two valses and one ‘sitting-out’ can atone for it. |
| (d) 1946 R. Blesh Shining Trumpets x. 237 The band instrumentation was kept normal, and men alternated with one another in the process known as sitting in. 1977 ‘C. Aird’ Parting Breath iv. 54 The students..squatted on the floor... ‘Sitting-in means sitting down, I reckon,’ remarked one student. |
b. attrib. (See
quots.)
| 1874 W. P. Lennox My Recollections II. 29 A sitting-down supper was announced. 1893 Keith 'Lisbeth ii. ii, I hope you'll excuse it's not being a sitting-down tea. 1895 E. F. Benson Dodo II. xi. 232 The music..was quite loud enough to be heard distinctly in a small, rather unfrequented sitting-out room. 1899 Allbutt's Syst. Med. VII. 460 A change from the lying-down to the sitting-up position. 1900 Westm. Gaz. 11 Apr. 3/2 Thousands of shirts, sitting-up jackets, socks, pyjamas. 1900 Traveller 4 Aug. 106/2 On the Caledonia there was a minimum of space... There were no sitting-out places. 1902 E. Glyn Refl. Ambrosine 53, I went to no more sitting-out places [at a ball]. 1939 Sun (Baltimore) 5 Apr. 26/2 An abundance of unoccupied land for playgrounds, sitting-out areas, walks and service streets. 1964 V. J. Chapman Coastal Veg. ix. 212 Maritime cliffs are often the haunt of sea birds, either as nesting areas or as ‘sitting out’ places. 1976 National Observer (U.S.) 19 June 17 (Advt.), It gives full pillow support to head and back for firm sitting-up comfort. |
7. attrib. and
Comb., as
sitting apartment,
sitting bath,
sitting box,
sitting-chamber,
sitting height,
sitting muscle,
sitting parlour,
sitting part, etc.
| 1849 D. J. Browne Amer. Poultry Yard (1855) 89 The partition between the laying and *sitting apartments. |
| 1843 Abdy Water Cure 67 Copious water drinking, short *sitting baths, and wet bandages on the body. |
| 1849 D. J. Browne Amer. Poultry Yard (1855) 87 Laying and *sitting boxes may be placed at either side of the building. |
| 1833 T. Hook Parson's Dau. iii. xi, Here was the governor's sleeping-cabin [on board]—his lady's *sitting-cabin [etc.]. |
| 1886 R. F. Burton Arab. Nts. (1887) III. 6 A mansion, wherein were furnished *sitting-chambers. |
| 1665 J. Webb Stone-Heng (1725) 176 These were Stones but of a *sitting height at utmost. |
| 1822–7 Good Study Med. (1829) IV. 348 A high narrow chair with a straight back that hardly allows of any flexion to the *sitting muscles. |
| 1854 L. A. Meall Moubray's Poultry 424 The construction of *sitting-nests on one side of the..night-house. |
| 1789 G. White Selborne lxxxvi, Within sight of some window in the common *sitting parlour. |
| 1730 Fielding Tom Thumb ii. x, While the two stools her *sitting-part confound, Between 'em both fall squat upon the ground. |
| 1775 Adair Amer. Ind. 396 After sleeping two hours in a *sitting posture. |
| 1573 in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxford (1880) 350 For chargys aboute the swanes..at the *syttynge tyme and uppynge tyme. |
b. Special combs.:
sitting-breeches (see
quot.);
sitting-day, a day on which a legislative or deliberative body sits;
sitting-shot, a shot taken in a sitting position.
| 1785 Grose Dict. Vulgar T., *Sitting breeches, one who stays late in company, is said to have his sitting breeches on, or that he will sit longer than a hen. |
| 1664 Pepys Diary 14 July, I went, and found him busy in trials of law in his great room; and it being *Sitting-day, durst not stay. 1894 Daily News 6 March 2/1 He was not absent from the House one sitting day. |
| 1874 J. W. Long Amer. Wild-fowl. ix. 151 If it was later in the day, it might be to our advantage to try a *sitting-shot. |
▪ II. ˈsitting, ppl. a. [f. sit v. + -ing2. In senses 1 and 2 after OF. (bien) seant.] † 1. a. Of garments or articles of apparel: Fitting
well or closely to the body.
Obs. rare.
| 12.. Prayer 42 in O.E. Misc. 193 Inne mete & inne drinke ic habbe ibeo ouerdede, & inne wel sittende schon. a 1400 Rom. Rose 2263 Poyntis and sleves be welle sittande, Right and streght on the hande. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 457/1 Syttynge clothe, or streythe, strigium. a 1500 Flower & Leaf xxi, In surcotes whyte, of veluet wel sitting. |
† b. (Well) placed or formed.
Obs.—1| c 1450 Merlin xiv. 227 She was sklender a-boute the flankes and the haunche lowe and comly well sittynge. |
† 2. a. Becoming, befitting; proper, suitable; appropriate. Freq. preceded by
well. Const.
to,
unto, rarely
for, or
that.
Obs.| ? a 1366 Chaucer Rom. Rose 986 To hem [the arrows] was wel sitting and able The foule croked bowe hidous. c 1400 Beryn 1041 Fawnus for Agea, as it was wele sitting, Made ful grete ordenaunce for hir burying. 1412–20 Lydg. Chron. Troy i. 1262 A wel beseyn meyne, Lyche as was sytting vnto his degre. c 1449 Pecock Repr. iii. ix. 333 It bisemeth and it is sitting..that the ȝeuer ȝeue his ȝifte..mediatli. a 1513 Fabyan Chron. vii. ccxxxii. (1811) 265 It is not vnworthy to the..for to the it is sittynge for noblesse of bloode. 1564 Haward Eutrop. x. 114 Not all together so hedefull aboute hys affayres as it was sittinge & fitte for soo myghtye a prince. c 1575 T. Hacket Treas. Amadis de Gaule 284 This..shall be a thing very well syttyng and convenient to your accustomed graciousnesse. |
† b. In attributive use.
Obs. rare.
| ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 953 He saluȝede þat sorowfulle with sittande wordez. 1483 Caxton G. de la Tour b iiij b, [The] nose..is the most syttyng membre that a man..may haue. |
3. That sits in, possesses the right to, or holds, a position, office, or tenancy.
sitting member, a Member of Parliament actually holding a seat in the House of Commons at the time referred to.
| (a) 1706 Luttrell Brief Rel. (1857) VI. 19 Petitioners against sir Thomas Bellot and Mr. Cotton, the sitting members. 1813 Exam. 1 March 139/1 Three of the Sitting Members..were not duly elected. 1890 M. S. Williams Leaves of Life II. v. 44 A property which he had bought when sitting Member for Preston. |
| (b) 1768 Ann. Reg. 57 The sitting Magistrates..at the Rotation-office in Whitechapel. 1843 Chambers's Edin. Jrnl. 45/2 The case being brought before one of the metropolitan police courts, the sitting magistrate committed the soldier for trial. |
| (c) 1844 H. Stephens Bk. Farm I. 614 The new conditions will be made as if the sitting tenant were a stranger. 1884 Rogers Six Cent. Work & Wages I. 54 Raising rent on the sitting tenant, to use a modern phrase. |
4. That sits:
a. Of animals or birds,
esp. of hen-birds whilst hatching.
| 1611 Cotgr., Couveresse, a sitting henne. c 1709 Prior Dove xiii, Have You observ'd a sitting Hare, List'ning [etc.]? 1844 H. Stephens Bk. Farm II. 708 Places should be chosen for placing the sitting hens in. 1883 Century Mag. 682 A deep,..elaborate structure, in which the sitting bird sank. |
† b. Bot. Sessile.
Obs.| 1796 Withering Brit. Plants (ed. 3) I. 82 Sitting Flowers, are those which have no Fruit-stalk. Ibid. 328 In Leontodon Taraxacum the down is supported on a long pedicle, in all the other English species it is sitting. 1837 P. Keith Bot. Lex. 17 It is..placed immediately on the ovary or pistil, and is said to be sitting. 1851 Richardson Geol. vii. 203 Leaves are..either sessile or petiolate, that is, either sitting or having footstalks. |
c. Of persons, figures, etc.: Seated.
| 1839 Civil Eng. & Arch. Jrnl. II. 426 Monument of Maximilian-Joseph I... Colossal sitting figure. 1842 Tennyson Vision of Sin i. 12 Sitting, lying, languid shapes. 1887 Mahaffy Gk. Life & Thought vi. 112 The proposal..to carve Mount Athos into a sitting figure. |
d. Of a huntsman's target: stationary, and so easily hit. Freq.
fig. (
orig. Mil.) in
sitting bird,
sitting duck, etc.
| 1867 Trollope Claverings I. x. 126 The man who fires at a sitting bird is known to be no sportsman. 1944 R.A.F. Jrnl. Aug. 270 Carriers are sitting birds for enemy surface craft. 1944 Reader's Digest May 53 (heading) Why tankers are no longer sitting ducks. 1948 Harper's Mag. Apr. 290/2 Ever since Sinclair Lewis gave the first lessons in marksmanship, men of the Senator's type have been sitting ducks for the opposition. 1949 Sat. Even. Post 16 July 23/3 (caption) Rescuing downed aviators sometimes got a sitting-duck submarine fired on by our own quick⁓triggered forces. 1954 J. Blish in If; Worlds Sci. Fict. No. 4. 38/2 You're a sitting duck for a real infection if you abuse your time during convalescence. 1958 ‘A. Gilbert’ Death against Clock vi. 89 ‘It could be he was financin' another establishment and didn't want Mrs M. to know. And Wife No. 2 might be makin' trouble.’ ‘Simpler to put her light out in that case.’.. ‘Ah, but then he'd be a sitting duck for the police. Someone always comes forward in cases like these to say he..saw the dear departed with a gent.’ 1961 B. Fergusson Watery Maze vii. 183 We had learned that for tanks to land before tank obstacles had been breached was lethal; they would inevitably be halted, and would become sitting ducks. 1977 ‘J. D. White’ Salzburg Affair xiii. 109 Narrow streets, he'd be a sitting target. 1978 J. Wainwright Thief of Time 195, I have no ‘gentlemanly’ distaste at shooting sitting targets; wood pigeons, rabbits, hares..let them be motionless..and I have meat for supper. |
e. fig. That can hardly be bungled.
| 1932 Evening Standard 28 Jan. 11/2 They had a hand which contained a ‘sitting’ game in Spades—one of two had five to the four top honours. 1960 I. Peebles Bowler's Turn 190 Against these two Dexter with a bit of luck (dropped at square leg at 30 and off a sitting return by Worrell at 32) played confidently. |
5. dial. To which one sits down.
| 1889 Westall Birch Dene I. 251 A ‘standing gill’ cost a penny, a ‘sitting gill’ three-halfpence. 1898 J. M. Cobban Angel 180 To take a sitting drink..with the Gordon gentlemen. |