to move into a seated position, or to begin a serious discussion
to put your body on a chair, or to meet and talk calmly
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
to move from standing to a seated position
"Please sit down and make yourself comfortable."
Sit down before fact as a little child, and be prepared to give up every preconceived notion.
— T. H. Huxley, 'On the Advisableness of Improving Natural Knowledge'
to meet in order to talk seriously or deal with something
"We need to sit down and discuss the budget this afternoon."
It's time for us to sit down and talk seriously about the future.
— Paraphrased public-political formula; exact famous source not recalled
to start eating a meal at the table
"As soon as everyone arrived, we sat down to dinner."
Very common everyday phrasal verb. Also used before meals, classes, and discussions.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
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