sit out

present singular third person sits out · participle present sitting out · participle past sat out · past sat out

1. ambitransitiveTo decline to participate; particularly, to decline to dance.

   I don't like this tune, and I'm rather tired, so I think I'll just sit out.

   1 more example

   I don't like this tune, and I'm rather tired, so I think I'll just sit it out.

   Synonyms: opt out

2. transitiveTo await the cessation of, without taking part.

   He thinks he can sit it out and still take a slice?

   2008 July 14, Christopher Nolan, Jonathan Nolan, The Dark Knight, spoken by Grumpy (Danny Goldring), Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Comics, Legendary Pictures

   2 more examples

   A large proportion of the millhands sat out the strike in their native villages, sometimes hundreds of miles from Bombay; the remainder survived precariously in the city with the help of casual labour and rations of grain […]

   2012 [1984], chapter 13, in Barry Munslow, Henry Finch, editors, Proletarianisation in the Third World (non-fiction), page 283

   England manager Roy Hodgson instantly restored Rooney after a two-match suspension in place of Andy Carroll with orders to make a belated mark on the campaign after sitting out the draw against France and victory against Sweden.

   2012 June 19, Phil McNulty, “England 1-0 Ukraine”, in BBC Sport

3. card gamesTo be away from the table in the midst of an ongoing game, thus automatically placing one's forced bets and otherwise folding every hand when it is one's time to act.
4. nauticalTo lean out to the windward side of a sailboat in order to counterbalance the effects of the wind on the sails.

   Synonyms: hike, lean out

5. governmentTo escape a hold while face down by swinging one's legs around into the sitting position.

plural sit outs

1. alternativeAlternative form of sitout.

   The bottom wrestler shoots both feet out as in the sit out.

   1987, Dale Mood, Frank F. Musker, Judith Rink, Sports and Recreational Activities for Men and Women, page 458

   5 more examples

   During seven NAACP-sponsored school “sit outs” or “holidays” in Jacksonville more than 108,000 children had been kept home by their parents to protest segregated schools and other inequities.

   1966, NAACP Annual Report, page 42

   The sit out is used as a good set up for a roll and occasionally provides a good opportunity to score a reversal with a switch.

   1993, Neil J. Dougherty, Physical Activity and Sport for the Secondary School Student, page 388

   All rooms are built with balcony or private sit outs for relaxing a breakfast or a romantic candlelight dinner.

   2012, Biju Mathew, Kerala Tradition & Fascinating Destinations, page 424

   They decided to take refuge under the sit out in the garden.

   2013, Nikhil Baliga, Swami G's Short Stories, page 19

   This weakening tends to impact state stability in the form of popular environmental movements, threatening “Jal Samadhi” Dharnas (sit outs) and hunger strikes.

   2014, Vandana Asthana, A. C. Shukla, Water Security in India, page 69

2. alternativeAlternative form of sit-out.

   The parent says, “If you don't start picking up your dirty clothes by the time I count to three, you will need to take a sit out.”

   2010, Jay Morgan, Fingerpainting in Psych Class, page 186

   1 more example

   A SIT OUT is required when there is a half table in the section, such as 8.5, 10.5, or 12.5 tables. There are more N/S Pairs than E/W Pairs or vice versa registered for the game.

   2020, Brian R. Gray, A Newcomer's Guide