seat en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /siːt/
- (US) audio
Etymology
From Middle English sete, from Old English sǣte, possibly from (or simply cognate with) Old Norse sæti (“seat”), both from Proto-Germanic *sētiją (“seat”), from Proto-Indo-European *sed- (“to sit”); compare Old English set (“seat”). Noun sense 2 (“location or site”) is probably derived from Old English sǣte (“house”), which is related to Old High German sāza (“sedan, seat, domicile”). Cognates * Middle Dutch gesaete * Old High German gisazi (modern German Gesäß)
Meanings
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Something to be sat upon.
Several pressmen have nearly lost their lives, to say nothing of the seats of their trousers, from these creatures.
1929, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, When the World Screamed:I love these new biker pants I bought! There's padding in the seat to protect my rear end.
2006 July 20, Tom Armstrong, Marvin (comic):
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Something to be sat upon. ▸ A place in which to sit.
There are two hundred seats in this classroom.
The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again;[…]. Our table in the dining-room became again the abode of scintillating wit and caustic repartee, Farrar bracing up to his old standard, and the demand for seats in the vicinity rose to an animated competition.
1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter VIII, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:[…] Grand Union proposes making a seat part of the price of a ticket, with 50% refunds for those travelling for longer than 30 minutes unable to obtain a seat.
2019 October, “South Wales open access bid”, in Modern Railways, page 15:
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Something to be sat upon. ▸ The horizontal portion of a chair or other furniture designed for sitting.
He sat on the arm of the chair rather than the seat, which always annoyed his mother.
the seat of a saddle
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Something to be sat upon. ▸ A piece of furniture made for sitting, such as a chair, stool, or bench; any improvised place for sitting.
She pulled the seat from under the table to allow him to sit down.
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(slang) Something to be sat upon. ▸ A piece of furniture made for sitting, such as a chair, stool, or bench; any improvised place for sitting. ▸ An ejection seat.
Hey, fighter boy, our radar's putting out enough energy to launch your seat from this distance!
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Something to be sat upon. ▸ The part of an object or individual (usually the buttocks) directly involved in sitting.
Instead of saying "sit down", she said "place your seat on this chair".
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Something to be sat upon. ▸ The part of a piece of clothing (usually pants or trousers) covering the buttocks.
The seat of these trousers is almost worn through.
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Something to be sat upon. ▸ A part or surface on which another part or surface rests.
The seat of the valve had become corroded.
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(figuratively) A location or site. ▸ A membership in an organization, particularly a representative body.
Our neighbor has a seat at the stock exchange and in congress.
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A location or site. ▸ The location of a governing body.
Washington D.C. is the seat of the U.S. government.
The K'o-tzu-lo-su Kirghiz chou bordered on the K'o-shih chuan-ch'ü and its seat at A-t'u-shih was only twenty-five kilometers from K'o-shih shih.
1963, Henry G. Schwarz, Policies and Administration of Minority Areas in Northwest China and Inner Mongolia, 1949-1959, volume 2, →OCLC, page 338:But how the neurons are organised in these lobes and ganglia remains obscure. Yet this is the level of organisation that does the actual thinking—and is, presumably, the seat of consciousness.
2013 August 3, “The machine of a new soul”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8847:
- (qualifier:certain Commonwealth countries) A location or site. ▸ An electoral district, especially for a national legislature.
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A location or site. ▸ A temporary residence, such as a country home or a hunting lodge.
A man of fortune, who lives in London, may, in plays, operas, routs, assemblies, French cookery, French sauces, and French wines, spend as much yearly, as he could do, were he to live in the most hospitable manner at his seat in the country.
1806, William Cobbett, The Parliamentary History of England:
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A location or site. ▸ The place occupied by anything, or where any person, thing or quality is situated or resides; a site.
Where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Revelation 2:13:He that builds a fair house upon an ill seat committeth himself to prison.
1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Building”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:I stopped taking the sweets and condiments I had got from home. The mind having taken a different turn, the fondness for condiments wore away, and I now relished the boiled spinach which in Richmond tasted insipid, cooked without condiments. Many such experiments taught me that the real seat of taste was not the tongue but the mind.
1927–1929, M[ohandas] K[aramchand] Gandhi, chapter XVII, in The Story of My Experiments with Truth: Translated from the Original in Gujarati, volume (please specify |volume=I or II), Ahmedabad, Gujarat: Navajivan Press, →OCLC:a seat of plenty, content, and tranquillity
1856 February, [Thomas Babington] Macaulay, “Oliver Goldsmith”, in T[homas] F[lower] E[llis], editor, The Miscellaneous Writings and Speeches of Lord Macaulay, new edition, London: Longman, Green, Reader, & Dyer, published 1871, →OCLC:
- (England, Wales) A location or site. ▸ One of a series of departmental placements given to a trainee solicitor as part of their training contract.
- (historical) A location or site. ▸ Any of several autonomous regions in the medieval Kingdom of Hungary.
- The starting point of a fire.
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Posture, or way of sitting, on horseback.
She had so good a seat and hand she might be trusted with any mount.
1876, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], chapter III, in Daniel Deronda, volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), Edinburgh; London: William Blackwood and Sons, →OCLC:George was a perfect picture on horseback; he had a light, firm seat, and seemed as if he were a part of his horse, and was only happy when away in the saddle for hours together, mustering cattle or tracking a missing horse.
1887, Harriet W. Daly, Digging, Squatting, and Pioneering Life in the Northern Territory of South Australia, page 85:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| seats | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
back-seat game · would you mind putting on your seat belt · seat rail · rearseat · seat hogging · child seat · available seat-mile · Arthurs Seat · multiseat · seat belt · seatwork · seat lock · tip-up seat · seat of ease · seatholder · seat stay · seat cushion · seat of government · seat post · in the hot seat · safety seat · seatpin · seatside · seat-mile · shooting seat · car safety seat · seating · Seat of Wisdom · loveseat · seat tube · seatback · seatie · seater · backseat · toddler seat · take the front seat · beseat · bums on seats · take a back seat · seatbox · seatworm · seat earth · deseat · on the edge of one's seat · unseated · infant safety seat · municipal seat · Arthur's Seat · seatearth · seatment · seat time · seatmate · have several seats · take one's seat · seatmile · seat back · take a seat · fly by the seat of one's pants · window-seat · seat only · infant seat · back-seat driver · hunt seat · seatless · high seat · seat at the table · in the driving seat · bums in seats · seat sale · in the driver's seat · seat-belt · seat reservation ticket · shower seat · disseat · is this seat taken · back-seat gamer · seat-of-the-pants · -seater · triple seat · seatlike · seat belt syndrome · auto safety seat · back-seat · have a seat · seat filler · double seat · chair seat
Hyponyms
mother-in-law seat · jump seat · gunfighter seat · ejection seat · saddle seat · catbird seat · bead seat · nosebleed seat · driver's seat · ringside seat · mourner's seat · passenger seat · rising seat · car seat · priority seat · wiggle seat · aisle seat · hot seat · whisky seat · child safety seat · airline seat · rout seat · rumble seat · country seat · railfan seat · drop seat · mercy seat · keyseat · tree seat · death seat · overhang seat · cuddle-seat · whiskey seat · Elijah's seat · booster seat · leveling seat · bomber seat · safe seat · box seat · toilet seat · bitch seat · window seat · front seat · driving seat · love seat · ejector seat · baby seat · banana seat · flap seat · bucket seat · Elijah seat · back seat
Translations (252)
isd tuxaw (place in which to sit) · cs místo (place in which to sit) · grc ἕδρα (place in which to sit) · ur سیٹ (place in which to sit) · fr siège (location of a governing body) · is sæti (place in which to sit) · ru ме́сто (place in which to sit) · hu fenék (part of clothing) · el έδρα (membership in a representative body) · got 𐍃𐍄𐍉𐌻𐍃 (piece of furniture) · ce барч (place in which to sit) · pl siedzenie (horizontal portion of a chair) · es curul (membership in a representative body) · th ที่นั่ง (place in which to sit) · war lingkuran (place in which to sit) · af sitplek (place in which to sit) · es duho (piece of furniture) · mk седиште (place in which to sit) · kmr kursî (place in which to sit) · it seduta (place in which to sit) · pt sede (location of a governing body) · cy eisteddfâu (place in which to sit) · ota كرسی (piece of furniture) · it sedile (place in which to sit) · nl zitplaats (place in which to sit) · sh sjȅdalo (horizontal portion of a chair) · bg седа́лка (place in which to sit) · bua һандали (place in which to sit) · pt lugar (place in which to sit) · sv plats (place in which to sit) · my ထိုင်ခုံ (place in which to sit) · hi आसनी (place in which to sit) · sv säte (location of a governing body) · uk сиді́ння (place in which to sit) · ru ме́сто (membership in a representative body) · la sedīle (piece of furniture) · gl sede (location of a governing body) · ja 腰掛け (place in which to sit) · ilo tugaw (place in which to sit) · qu tiyana (place in which to sit) · hi आसन (piece of furniture) · el κάθισμα (place in which to sit) · fr assise (horizontal portion of a chair) · hi आसन (place in which to sit) · lt vieta (place in which to sit) · es curul (place in which to sit) · fi takamus (part of clothing) · ar مَقْعَد (place in which to sit) · de Sitzplatz (place in which to sit) · sl sedež (place in which to sit) · pl siedzisko (place in which to sit) · fi paikka (membership in a representative body) · ar مَقْعَدَة (place in which to sit) · de Bestuhlung (piece of furniture) · pl siedzenie (place in which to sit) · es escaño (membership in a representative body) · eo sidloko (place in which to sit) · mk место (place in which to sit) · hi सिंहासन (location of a governing body) · bg седалище (location of a governing body) · bg седалка (part of an object or individual directly involved in sitting) · da plads (membership in a representative body) · haw noho (place in which to sit) · ro scaun (place in which to sit) · gd suidheachan (horizontal portion of a chair) · sv säte (membership in a representative body) · bg седа́лка (horizontal portion of a chair) · pt assento (piece of furniture) · es butaca (piece of furniture) · it seggio (membership in a representative body) · da sæde (membership in a representative body) · ca escó (membership in a representative body) · st setulo (piece of furniture) · grc ἕδρα (piece of furniture) · ta இருக்கை (place in which to sit) · mk изборна единица (electoral district) · akk 𒄖𒍝 (place in which to sit) · es sede (location of a governing body) · fi tuolinistuin (horizontal portion of a chair) · ota كرسی (place in which to sit) · sv sits (piece of furniture) · sv säte (horizontal portion of a chair) · hy նստոց (place in which to sit) · sa आसन (piece of furniture) · mk седиште (location of a governing body) · de Sitzmöbel (piece of furniture) · bg мя́сто (place in which to sit) · hu ülés (part of an object or individual directly involved in sitting) · cs sedadlo (place in which to sit) · nl zitmeubel (part of an object or individual directly involved in sitting) · es asiento (place in which to sit) · ru сиде́нье (piece of furniture) · da mandat (membership in a representative body) · nl zetel (horizontal portion of a chair) · it seduta (piece of furniture) · ja 座部 (part of an object or individual directly involved in sitting) · ko 자리 (place in which to sit) · grc θᾶκος (place in which to sit) · ru местонахожде́ние (location of a governing body) · fr séant (part of an object or individual directly involved in sitting) · hu ülőhely (place in which to sit) · ja 席 (place in which to sit) · vi ghế (piece of furniture) · gd suidheachan (place in which to sit) · ja 座席 (place in which to sit) · fi istuin (piece of furniture) · ota مجلس (place in which to sit) · grc δίφρος (piece of furniture) · it scranno (place in which to sit) · eo seĝo (piece of furniture) · bg седа́лище (place in which to sit) · got 𐍃𐌹𐍄𐌻𐍃 (place in which to sit) · ja シート (place in which to sit) · ia sedia (place in which to sit) · sm nofoa (place in which to sit) · be сядзе́нне (place in which to sit) · pt fundilhos (part of clothing) · ur نشست (place in which to sit) · mk наслон (horizontal portion of a chair) · sh се̏дало (horizontal portion of a chair) · ms tempat duduk (place in which to sit) · es escaño (place in which to sit) · pl miejsce siedzące (place in which to sit) · de Stuhl (piece of furniture) · cmn 位子 (place in which to sit) · ja 中枢 (location of a governing body) · hu választókerület (electoral district) · it posto (place in which to sit) · de Sitz (place in which to sit) · hu mandátum (membership in a representative body) · gd suidheachan (piece of furniture) · fr fond (part of clothing) · fi satula (part of an object or individual directly involved in sitting) · ja 中枢 (electoral district) · nrf siège (place in which to sit) · de Sitz (location of a governing body) · sh sjȅdīšte (horizontal portion of a chair) · nb sete (place in which to sit) · ca seu (location of a governing body) · grc θᾶκος (piece of furniture) · fr siège m chaise (piece of furniture) · fi istuntopaikka (location of a governing body) · hu hely (place in which to sit) · af stoel (piece of furniture) · ur حَلْقَہ اِنْتِخاب (electoral district) · grc δίφρος (place in which to sit) · it posto (part of an object or individual directly involved in sitting) · es sitial (place in which to sit) · fi istuin (part of an object or individual directly involved in sitting) · acw مَقْعَد (place in which to sit) · fi istumapaikka (place in which to sit) · sh sȅdalo (horizontal portion of a chair) · ko 시트 (place in which to sit) · pl miejsce (place in which to sit) · fr siège (part of an object or individual directly involved in sitting) · sh sȅdīšte (horizontal portion of a chair) · so fadhi (place in which to sit) · ru местопребыва́ние (location of a governing body) · mk место (membership in a representative body) · ang setl (place in which to sit) · vi ghế (place in which to sit) · sw kiti (piece of furniture) · it seduta (horizontal portion of a chair) · gl asento (place in which to sit) · fr place (place in which to sit) · it sezione (electoral district) · pt assento (place in which to sit) · es dúho (piece of furniture) · sa सदस् (place in which to sit) · pl siedzenia (horizontal portion of a chair) · de Gestühl (piece of furniture) · km កៅអី (place in which to sit) · ast asientu (place in which to sit) · sh сје̏дӣште (place in which to sit) · af setel (location of a governing body) · ca seient (place in which to sit) · la sedīle (place in which to sit) · hu székhely (location of a governing body) · ru пост (membership in a representative body) · ru седа́лище (part of an object or individual directly involved in sitting) · sk miesto (place in which to sit) · de Sitzgelegenheit (place in which to sit) · hu ülep (part of clothing) · nv bikááʼ dah asdáhí (place in which to sit) · fi vaalipiiri (electoral district) · nl zitvlak (part of an object or individual directly involved in sitting) · be ме́сца (place in which to sit) · uk мі́сце (place in which to sit) · fi takamus (part of an object or individual directly involved in sitting) · it fondo (part of clothing) · it sede (location of a governing body) · bg стол (piece of furniture) · el καρέκλα (membership in a representative body) · fi paikka (place in which to sit) · sh сје̏дало (horizontal portion of a chair) · war lingkudan (place in which to sit) · ur حلقہ (electoral district) · ja 籍 (membership in a representative body) · rsk шедзиско (place in which to sit) · sv säte (part of an object or individual directly involved in sitting) · az oturacaq (place in which to sit) · sh се̏дӣште (place in which to sit) · ko 좌석 (place in which to sit) · cy eisteddfa (place in which to sit) · zh 席位 (membership in a representative body) · ru стул (piece of furniture) · nl zetel (membership in a representative body) · es asiento (horizontal portion of a chair) · sh sȅdīšte (place in which to sit) · ceb linkoranan (place in which to sit) · sh sjȅdīšte (place in which to sit) · it sedia (piece of furniture) · te ఆసనము (place in which to sit) · sh sȅdalo (place in which to sit) · ab аҳә (part of an object or individual directly involved in sitting) · ar وِثَاب (place in which to sit) · es asiento (part of an object or individual directly involved in sitting) · sh сје̏дӣште (horizontal portion of a chair) · ja 席 (membership in a representative body) · mn суудал (place in which to sit) · nl zetel (location of a governing body) · it cavallo (part of clothing) · mnc ᡨᡝᡴᡠ (place in which to sit) · ru седа́лище (horizontal portion of a chair) · it assito (horizontal portion of a chair) · pt assento (part of an object or individual directly involved in sitting) · et iste (place in which to sit) · ru местоположе́ние (location of a governing body) · kmr rûniştek (place in which to sit) · gl sentadoiro (place in which to sit) · sh се̏дало (place in which to sit) · hu ülőke (horizontal portion of a chair) · lv sēdeklis (piece of furniture) · sh sjȅdalo (place in which to sit) · eo sidejo (location of a governing body) · cmn 座席 (place in which to sit) · sv sittplats (place in which to sit) · sh сје̏дало (place in which to sit) · ru сиде́нье (place in which to sit) · fa جا (place in which to sit) · lo ບ່ອນນັ່ງ (place in which to sit) · sv stuss (part of an object or individual directly involved in sitting) · hy նստատեղ (place in which to sit) · ast asientu (piece of furniture) · sk sedadlo (place in which to sit) · fr siège (membership in a representative body) · bn আসন (place in which to sit) · la sēdēs (place in which to sit) · fi istuinosa (horizontal portion of a chair) · pt lugar (membership in a representative body) · sh се̏дӣште (horizontal portion of a chair) · cmn 座位 (place in which to sit)