Part 430

Sistine chapel, a chapel in the Vatican at Rome, built by Pope Sixtus IV., and decorated with frescoes by Michael Angelo and others.

Sis"tren (?), n. pl. Sisters. [Obs.] Chaucer.

||Sis"trum (?), [L., fr. Gr. &?;&?;&?;, from &?;&?;&?; to shake.] ||(Mus.) An instrument consisting of a thin metal frame, through which ||passed a number of metal rods, and furnished with a handle by which ||it was shaken and made to rattle. It was peculiarly Egyptian, and ||used especially in the worship of Isis. It is still used in Nubia.

Sis`y*phe"an (?), a. Relating to Sisyphus; incessantly recurring; as, Sisyphean labors.

Sis"y*phus (?), n. [L. Sisyphus, Sisyphus, fr. Gr. &?;&?;&?;&?;.] (Class. Myth.) A king of Corinth, son of Æolus, famed for his cunning. He was killed by Theseus, and in the lower world was condemned by Pluto to roll to the top of a hill a huge stone, which constantly rolled back again, making his task incessant.

Sit (?), obs. 3d pers. sing. pres. of Sit, for sitteth.

Sit, v. i. [imp. Sat (?) (Sate (?), archaic); p. p. Sat (Sitten (?), obs.); p. pr. & vb. n. Sitting.] [OE. sitten, AS. sittan; akin to OS. sittian, OFries. sitta, D. zitten, G. sitzen, OHG. sizzen, Icel. sitja, SW. sitta, Dan. sidde, Goth. sitan, Russ. sidiete, L. sedere, Gr. &?;&?;&?;, Skr. sad. √154. Cf. Assess,Assize, Cathedral, Chair, Dissident, Excise, Insidious, Possess, Reside, Sanhedrim, Seance, Seat, n., Sedate, 4th Sell, Siege, Session, Set, v. t., Sizar, Size, Subsidy.] 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.

And he came and took the book put of the right hand of him that sate upon the seat.

Bible (1551) (Rev. v. 7.)

I pray you, jest, sir, as you sit at dinner.

Shak.

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

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

And Moses said to . . . the children of Reuben, Shall your brothren go to war, and shall ye sit here?

Num. xxxii. 6.

Like a demigod here sit I in the sky.

Shak.

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

The calamity sits heavy on us.

Jer. Taylor.

5. To be adjusted; to fit; as, a coat sts well or ill.

This new and gorgeous garment, majesty, Sits not so easy on me as you think.

Shak.

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

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

As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not.

Jer. xvii. 11.

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