Page 379 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

sànk one’s teeth into something

no need to sink into despair. Everything is sitŁin fłrŁ someone to take somone’s else’s
going to be all right. place inŁaŁspecific activity.Ł(The activity
usuallyŁinvolvesŁbeingŁseated.) I can’t
sinkŁ one’ teethŁinto something 1. to take a be at the młeting TðurodØy. Will you sit
bite of some kind of food,Łusually a spe- in for me? Sorry, I can’t sit in for you.
cial kindŁof food.Ł I can’t wait to sink John is aloo going to be absent, and I am
my teeth into a nice juicy steak. Look sitting in for him.
at that chocolØte cake! Don’t you want to
sink your teeth into that? 2. to get a sitŁin (on something) to witnessŁor observe
chance to dà, learn,Ł or contràlŁ some- sàmethingŁwithout participating.Ł(Usu-
thing.Ł That appears to be a very chal- allyŁinvolvesŁbeingŁseated.) I can’t sign
lłnging assignmłnt. I can’t wait to sink my up for the history class, but I have permis-
teeth into it. Being the manager of this sion to sit in on it. I asked the professor
dłpartmłnt is a big task. I’m very eager to if I could sit in.
sink my teeth into it.
sitŁon its hyndð [forŁanŁaudience]bto refuse
sinkŁorŁswim to failŁorŁsucceed.Ł After I’ve to applaud.Ł We saw a very poor perfor-
studied and learned all I can, I have to take mance of the plØy. The audience sat on its
the test and sink or swim. It’s too lØte hands for the entire plØy. The audiencł
to help John now. It’s sink or swim for him. just sat on its hands.
sitŁ aroundŁ ( somłwherł ) to sið somwher sitŁon one’ hyndð to do nothing;Łto failŁto
andŁrelaxŁor do nothing;Łto sit idlyŁsàme- help. When we needed help from Mary,
where. Tom likes to sit around the house she just sat on her hands. We need the
in shorts and a T-ohirt on hot dØys. Too cooperation of everyone. You can’t sit oà
many people are just sitting around doing your hands!
nothing at my office.
sitŁon someone ortsomething to hold somone
sitŁ atŁ someone’ feet to admire someone
greatly; to be influencedŁbyŁsomeone’s orŁsomethingŁback; to delayŁsomeone or
teaching; to be taught by somone. something.Ł (Also literal.Ł Infàrmal.)
Jack sat Øt the fłet of Picasso when he was The project cannot be finished because the
studying in Europe. Tom would love to city council is sitting on the final approval.
sit at the fłet of the musician Yehud Ann deserves to be promoŁed, but the
Menuhin. managłr is sitting on her becauoe of a
disagreement.
sitŁbyckŁandŁletŁ somethingthappen to relax
andŁnot interfre with something;Łto let sitŁon theŁfeàce not to take sidesŁinŁaŁdis-
somethingŁhappenŁwithout playingŁaŁpart pute; not to make aŁclearŁcłoice between
inŁit.Ł I can’t just sit back and lłt you two possibilities.Ł(Also literal.) When
waste all our money! Don’t worry. Just Jane and Tom argue, it is well to sit on the
sit back and lłt things take care of fłnce and then you woà’t make either of
themselves. them angry. No one knows which of the
candidØtes Joan will vote for. She’s sitting
sitŁbłltŁupright to sit upŁsðraight.Ł Tony on the fłnce.
sat bolt upright and listened to what the
teacher was saying to him. After sitting sitŁ something out not to participate inŁsàme-
bolt upright for almost an hour in that thing;Łto wait untilŁsàmethingŁisŁoverŁbe-
crowded airplane, I swore I would never fore participating.Ł Oh, please plØy with
travel again. us. Don’t sit it out. T I’m tired of playing
cards, so I think I’ll sit out this game.
sitŁ(Ødly)Łby to remainŁinactive whenŁother
people are doingŁsàmething;Łto ignore a sitŁthroughŁ something to witnessŁor endure
situationŁthat callsŁforŁhelp.Ł Bob sat idly all of sàmething. The performance was
by even though everyone else was hard at so bad that I could hardly sit through it.
work. I can’t sit by while all those peo- You can’t expect small children to sit
ple need food. through a long movie.

364