sit-in
/ˈsɪt ɪn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsɪt ɪn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsit-ˌin/ (ame, mw)
sit-in — noun
1. a form of protest in which a group of people enter a building or occupy a public
a form of protest in which a group of people enter a building or occupy a public area and stay there, refusing to leave until the people in charge listen to their demands or make a change
Sixty students organised a sit-in at the administration building to demand lower tuition fees.
organise a sit-in at [location]
Factory workers held a sit-in at the main entrance until management discussed their pay.
hold a sit-in at [location]
Lunch counter sit-ins became a powerful tool against racial segregation in the American South.
Two hundred activists began a sit-in outside City Hall with tents and sleeping bags.
The student sit-in at the library drew news crews and local politicians to campus.
- occupation
more general; can refer to taking over a building for any reason, not necessarily protest
- protest
broader term for any public demonstration; not specifically about occupying a space
- blockade
focuses on physically blocking access, which sit-ins sometimes involve
用法筆記
Often used with the verb hold or organise. The location of the sit-in is introduced with at or outside. Frequently modified by a noun describing the participants (student sit-in, worker sit-in).
常見錯誤
sit-in — verb
- sit-inpresent simple I / you / we / they
- sit-ins3rd person singular
- sit-inning-ing form
- sit-innedpast simple
1. to attend a meeting, a class, a rehearsal, or a discussion as a guest or observe
to attend a meeting, a class, a rehearsal, or a discussion as a guest or observer rather than as a regular participant — for example, a journalist sitting in on a band's recording session, or a parent sitting in on a school lesson
Grace sat in on the jazz band's rehearsal to hear their concert preparation.
sit in on [event] to [purpose]
Several parents sat in on the head teacher's weekly meeting at the primary school.
Arjun asked if he could sit in on the graduate seminar without being officially enrolled.
The visiting composer sat in on the orchestra's practice and gave feedback on the tempo.
Two trainee nurses sat in on Dr. Okafor's clinic to learn how he treated patients.
文法句型
sit in on + noun phrase (meeting, class, rehearsal, session)
sit in + adverb (sit in quietly)
用法筆記
Always takes the particle on before the object. The focus is on passive observation or learning — the person sitting in does not have an active role. Common in educational and artistic contexts.
常見錯誤
2. to take part in a sit-in — a protest in which people occupy a building or public
to take part in a sit-in — a protest in which people occupy a building or public space and refuse to leave — as an active participant
Students from six colleges sat in at the council chamber until their proposal was discussed.
sit in at [location] to demand [action]
Kavita and her neighbours sat in at the local bank to protest unfair loan policies.
Forty workers sat in at the head office, demanding old safety equipment be replaced.
The activists vowed to sit in at the courthouse weekly until the case was reopened.
- protest
broader; can refer to any form of public demonstration
- occupy
stronger; suggests taking control of a space for an extended period
- demonstrate
more general; includes marches, rallies, and other protest forms
文法句型
sit in at + location (restaurant, building, office)
用法筆記
This sense derives directly from the noun sit-in. Unlike the SIT IN ON sense, it does not take on — the location is introduced with at. Frequently used in news reports about activism.