sit (redirected from sitting tight)

make someone sit up and take notice

to make someone suddenly notice something and become interested in it. That was the record that made me sit up and take notice of Neil Hannon. (often + of)

See also: notice, take

sit in judgment on/over someone

to say that what someone has done is morally wrong, believing yourself to be better. We none of us have the right to sit in judgment on our fellow man.

See also: judgment, over

sit on your arse (very informal!)

to do nothing, especially when other people are busy or need your help. It's time you stopped sitting on your arse and found yourself a job.

See also: arse

sit (around) on your backside (British & Australian, very informal!)

to do nothing, especially when other people are busy or need your help. How do people expect things to change if they just sit on their backsides and don't bother to vote?

See also: backside

sit on your hands

to do nothing about a problem or a situation that needs dealing with. Every day the crisis worsens and yet the government seems content to sit on its hands.

See also: hand

sit on the fence

to delay making a decision when you have to choose between two sides in an argument or a competition. She criticized members of the committee for sitting on the fence and failing to make a useful contribution to the debate.

See also: fence

sit tight (informal)

1. to remain in a place, usually sitting down. Just sit tight while I go and phone for help. Sit tight and don't move that leg.

2. to not take any action while you wait for something to happen. Shareholders are advised to sit tight and see how the situation develops.

See also: tight

not sit well with someone (mainly American)

if a situation or an idea does not sit well with someone, they do not like it or accept it. The idea of people other than police combating crime does not sit well with many of the public.

See also: well

stand pat (American, informal, Australian, informal)

to refuse to make any changes. Our advice to investors is, stand pat - the recession will soon be over.

See also: pat, stand

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not sit well (with someone)

to be difficult for someone to agree with or accept. The idea of declaring war does not sit well with many voters. Having the state's future decided in Washington, D.C., doesn't sit well with the people of Alaska.

Usage notes: sometimes used in the form not sit right with someone: Hiring more federal workers wouldn't sit right with conservatives.

See also: well

sit back

to stop being active. We haven't had many opportunities to sit back and talk to each other. We're not so good that we can afford to just tell people we're the greatest and then sit back.

See also: back

sit back and do something

to take no action and allow something to happen. You can't just sit back and let them close down the library. Americans shouldn't just sit back and allow this technology to run their lives.

See also: back

sit (idly) by (and do something)

to take no action. I felt we simply couldn't sit by and see the peace process threatened. We can't afford to sit idly by while dangerous people threaten our way of life.

sit in (for someone)

to do someone's job or fulfill a responsibility for them. The vice president will sit in for the president at today's meeting. Their drummer was sick so they asked if I could sit in.

sit in (on something)

to go to a group event without being officially involved. Do you mind if I sit in on your class?

sit in judgment (of someone)

1. to decide whether someone is guilty or not guilty of something. The men and women who sit in judgment of the bomber can decide whether or not he is put to death for his crime.

2. to decide whether someone is good or bad. There is a committee that sits in judgment of every job applicant, and they can be very harsh.

Usage notes: sometimes used to suggest that someone sitting in judgment should not be: How can they sit in judgment of anyone when they have so little experience?

See also: judgment

sit in judgment (of something)

to decide whether something is good or bad. I should probably not be allowed to sit in judgment of movies made for teens.

See also: judgment

sit on your hands

to take no action. Many companies are sitting on their hands, unable to decide which of the new technologies for linking computers is the smartest choice.

See also: hand

sit through something

to stay until the end of something. It's hard for little kids to sit through a whole baseball game.

Usage notes: often said about something you do not enjoy: We had to sit through another boring lecture.

See also: through

sit tight

to wait patiently and take no action. You just sit tight while I go get help.

See also: tight

sit up

to stay awake past the time that you usually go to sleep. We sat up talking half the night. Many nights I sat up until dawn, trying to get my term papers finished on time.

sit up and take notice

to suddenly give something your attention. His election made even people who don't care about politics sit up and take notice.

See also: notice, take

stand pat

to leave something just as it is, without any change. While he stood pat, other people found a better way to solve the problem.

See also: pat, stand