Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц
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[sink one’s teeth into] See: GET ONE’S TEETH INTO.
[sink or swim]{v. phr.} To succeed or fail by your own efforts, without help or interference from anyone else; fail if you don’t work hard to succeed. •/When Joe was fourteen, his parents died, and he was left by himself to sink or swim./ •/Tom’s new job was confusing and no one had time to help him learn, so he had to sink or swim./
[sit] See: GO SIT ON A TACK, ON THE FENCE also FENCE-SITTING.
[sit back]{v.} 1. To be built a distance away; stand away (as from a street). •/Our house sits back from the road./ 2. To relax; rest, often while others are working; take time out. •/Sit back for a minute and think about what you have done./
[sit by]{v.} 1. To stay near; watch and care for. •/The nurse was told to sit by the patient until he woke up./ •/Mother sat by her sick baby all night./ 2. To sit and watch or rest especially while others work. •/Don’t just sit idly by while the other children are all busy./
[sit down]{v.} To sit on a seat or resting place. •/After gym class Jim was tired and was glad to sit down and rest./
[sit in]{v.} 1. To be a member; participate. •/We’re having a conference and we’d like you to sit in./ also [sit in on]: To be a member of; participate in. •/We want you to sit in on the meeting./ 2. To attend but not participate. Often used with "on". •/Our teacher was invited to sit in on the conference./ Compare: LOOK ON.
[sit on]{v.} 1. To be a member of (a jury, board, commission), etc. •/Mr. Brown sat on the jury at the trial./ 2. {informal} To prevent from starting or doing something; squelch. •/The teacher sat on Fred before he could get started with the long story./ •/The teacher sat on Joe as soon as he began showing off./
[sit on a bomb] or [bombshell]{v. phr.}, {informal} To be in possession of anything that is potentially disastrous or dangerous. •/The finance department will be sitting on a bomb unless it finds a way to cut overhead expenses./
[sit on a volcano]{v.}, {informal} 1. To be in a place where trouble may start or danger may come suddenly. •/Bob was in that part of South America before the revolution began. He knew he was sitting on a volcano./ •/The policemen who patrolled the big city slum area that summer were sitting on a volcano./
[sit on one’s hands]{v. phr.}, {informal} To do nothing; fail or refuse to do anything. •/We asked Bill for help with our project, but he sat on his hands./
[sit on the fence] See: ON THE FENCE.
[sit out]{v.} To not take part in. •/The next dance is a polka. Let’s sit it out./ •/Toby had to sit out the last half of the game because his knee hurt./
[sitter] See: ON THE FENCE also FENCE-SITTER.
[sitting on a powder keg] See: SIT ON A VOLCANO.
[sit through]{v.} To watch or listen until (something) is finished. •/The show was so boring that we could hardly sit through the first act./ •/Elaine liked the movie so much that she sat through three showings./
[sit tight]{v. phr.}, {informal} To make no move or change; stay where you are. — Often used as a command. •/Sit tight; I’ll be ready to go in a few minutes./ •/The doctor said to sit tight until he arrived./ •/The gangsters sat tight in the mountains while the police looked for them./ Compare: STAND PAT.
[sitting on top of the world] See: ON TOP OF THE WORLD.
[sitting pretty]{adj.}, {slang} To be in a lucky position. •/The new library is sitting pretty because a wealthy woman gave it $10,000 worth of reference books./ •/Mr. Jones was sitting pretty until his $25,000-a-year job was dropped by the company./
[sit up]{v.} 1. To move into a sitting position. •/Joe sat up when he heard the knock on his bedroom door./ 2. To stay awake instead of going to bed. •/Mrs. Jones will sit up until both of her daughters get home from the dance./ •/We sat up until two A.M. hoping for news from Alaska./ 3. {informal} To be surprised. •/Janice really sat up when I told her the gossip about Tom./
[sit-up]{n.} A vigorous exercise in which the abdominal muscles are strengthened by locking one’s feet in a fastening device and sitting up numerous times. •/Do a few sit-ups if you want to reduce your waist./
[sit up and take notice]{v. phr.}, {informal} To be surprised into noticing something. •/Grace had never impressed her teachers. Hearing that she had won the essay contest made them sit up and take notice./ •/George’s sudden success made the town sit up and take notice./
[sit up for]{v. phr.} To wait until after the usual bedtime for someone’s return. •/Mrs. Smith always sits up for her two daughters, no matter how late it is./
[sit up with]{v. phr.} To be with; particularly to keep someone ill company. •/Mrs. Brown sat up with her sick husband all night in the hospital room./
[sit well (with)]{v.} Find favor with; please. •/The reduced school budget did not sit well with the teachers./