to sit at meat

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

1.To rest upon the haunches, or the lower extremity of the trunk of the body; -- said of human beings, and sometimes of other animals; as, to sit on a sofa, on a chair, or on the ground. [1913 Webster]

And he came and took the book put of the right hand of him that sate upon the seat.— Bible (1551) (Rev. v. 7.)[1913 Webster]

I pray you, jest, sir, as you sit at dinner.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

2.To perch; to rest with the feet drawn up, as birds do on a branch, pole, etc. [1913 Webster]

3.To remain in a state of repose; to rest; to abide; to rest in any position or condition. [1913 Webster]

And Moses said to . . . the children of Reuben, Shall your brothren go to war, and shall ye sit here?— Num. xxxii. 6.[1913 Webster]

Like a demigod here sit I in the sky.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

4.To lie, rest, or bear; to press or weigh; -- with on; as, a weight or burden sits lightly upon him. [1913 Webster]

The calamity sits heavy on us.— Jer. Taylor.[1913 Webster]

5.To be adjusted; to fit; as, a coat sits well or ill. [1913 Webster]

This new and gorgeous garment, majesty, Sits not so easy on me as you think.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

6.To suit one well or ill, as an act; to become; to befit; -- used impersonally. [Obs.] --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

7.To cover and warm eggs for hatching, as a fowl; to brood; to incubate. [1913 Webster]

As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not.— Jer. xvii. 11.[1913 Webster]

8.To have position, as at the point blown from; to hold a relative position; to have direction. [1913 Webster]

Like a good miller that knows how to grind, which way soever the wind sits.— Selden.[1913 Webster]

Sits the wind in that quarter?— Sir W. Scott.[1913 Webster]

9.To occupy a place or seat as a member of an official body; as, to sit in Congress. [1913 Webster]

10.To hold a session; to be in session for official business; -- said of legislative assemblies, courts, etc.; as, the court sits in January; the aldermen sit to-night. [1913 Webster]

11.To take a position for the purpose of having some artistic representation of one's self made, as a picture or a bust; as, to sit to a painter. [1913 Webster]

To sit at, to rest under; to be subject to. [Obs.] "A farmer can not husband his ground so well if he sit at a great rent". --Bacon.

To sit at meat or To sit at table, to be at table for eating.

To sit down. (a) To place one's self on a chair or other seat; as, to sit down when tired. (b) To begin a siege; as, the enemy sat down before the town. (c) To settle; to fix a permanent abode. --Spenser. (d) To rest; to cease as satisfied. "Here we can not sit down, but still proceed in our search." --Rogers.

To sit for a fellowship, to offer one's self for examination with a view to obtaining a fellowship. [Eng. Univ.]

To sit out. (a) To be without engagement or employment. [Obs.] --Bp. Sanderson. (b) To outstay. (c) To elect not to participate in, as a dance or a hand of cards.

To sit under, to be under the instruction or ministrations of; as, to sit under a preacher; to sit under good preaching.

To sit up, to rise from, or refrain from, a recumbent posture or from sleep; to sit with the body upright; as, to sit up late at night; also, to watch; as, to sit up with a sick person. "He that was dead sat up, and began to speak." --Luke vii. 15. [1913 Webster]

1.Food, in general; anything eaten for nourishment, either by man or beast. Hence, the edible part of anything; as, the meat of a lobster, a nut, or an egg. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, . . . to you it shall be for meat.— Gen. i. 29.[1913 Webster]

Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you.— Gen. ix. 3.[1913 Webster]

2.The flesh of animals used as food; esp., animal muscle; as, a breakfast of bread and fruit without meat. [1913 Webster]

3.Specifically: Dinner; the chief meal. [Obs.] --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

Meat biscuit. See under Biscuit.

Meat earth (Mining), vegetable mold. --Raymond.

Meat fly. (Zool.) See Flesh fly, under Flesh.

Meat offering (Script.), an offering of food, esp. of a cake made of flour with salt and oil.

To go to meat, to go to a meal. [Obs.]

To sit at meat, to sit at the table in taking food. [1913 Webster]