sitting (n.)

early 13c., verbal noun from sit (v.). Meaning "a meeting of a body" is from c. 1400. Meaning "interval during which one sits" (for some purpose, especially to have one's portrait taken) is from 1706. Sitting-room first recorded 1771. Slang sitting duck "easy target" first recorded 1944; literal sense is from 1867 (it is considered not sporting to shoot at one).

Entries linking to sitting

sit (v.)

Old English sittan "to occupy a seat, be seated, sit down, seat oneself; remain, continue; settle, encamp, occupy; lie in wait; besiege" (class V strong verb; past tense sæt, past participle seten), from Proto-Germanic *setjan (source also of Old Saxon sittian, Old Norse sitja, Danish sidde, Old Frisian sitta, Middle Dutch sitten, Dutch zitten, Old High German sizzan, German sitzen, Gothic sitan), from PIE root *sed- (1) "to sit."

With past tense sat, formerly also set, now restricted to dialect, and sate, now archaic; and past participle sat, formerly sitten. In reference to a legislative assembly, from 1510s. Meaning "to baby-sit" is recorded from 1966.

To sit back "be inactive" is from 1943. To sit on one's hands was originally "to withhold applause" (1926); later, "to do nothing" (1959). To sit around "be idle, do nothing" is 1915, American English. To sit out "not take part" is from 1650s. Sitting pretty is from 1916.

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Definitions of sitting

sitting (n.)

(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait);

he wanted his portrait painted but couldn't spare time for the sitting

Synonyms: posing

sitting (n.)

the act of assuming or maintaining a seated position;

he read the mystery at one sitting

sitting (n.)

a meeting of spiritualists;

Synonyms: seance / session

sitting (n.)

a session as of a legislature or court;

sitting (adj.)

not moving and therefore easy to attack;

a sitting target

sitting (adj.)

(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks;

Synonyms: seated

From wordnet.princeton.edu

Dictionary entries near sitting

site

sith

sit-in

sitophobia

sitter

sitting

situ

situate

situation

situational

sit-up