Meaning of “seat” in the English Dictionary

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"seat" in English

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seatnoun

uk ​ /siːt/ us ​ /siːt/

seat noun (FURNITURE)

A2 [ C ] a piece of furniture or part of a train, plane, etc. that has been designed for someone to sit on:

Chairs, sofas and benches are different types of seat.
Please have/take a seat (= sit down).
A car usually has a driver's seat, a front/passenger seat and back/rear seats.
My ticket says 22D but there's already someone in (= sitting on) that seat.
Is this seat free/taken (= is anyone using it)?
Would you keep (= stop anyone else from sitting in) my seat (for me) while I go get some food?
formal Please stay in/keep your seats (= stay sitting down) until asked to leave.
Could I book/reserve two seats (= arrange for them to be officially kept for me) for tomorrow evening's performance?

More examples

Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

seat noun (POSITION)

C2 [ C ] an official position as a politician or member of a group of people who control something:

She has a seat on the board of directors.
He is expected to lose his seat on the city council in next month's elections.
She won her seat in Parliament in 2004.
He has a very safe seat (= a position that is very unlikely to be lost in an election).

› [ C ] Indian English the place in an office where a particular person sits:

I'm sorry - he's not in his seat right now.

› [ C ] Indian English a place on a course to study something:

On receipt of the tuition fees, the college will issue a letter confirming your seat on the course.

Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

seat-of-the-pants
adjective [ before noun ] uk ​ /ˌsiːt.əv.ðəˈpænts/ us ​ /ˌsiːt.əv.ðəˈpænts/

›

She has a seat-of-the-pants ability to find the best way out of a crisis.

Idiom(s)

bums on seats
seat of learning
by the seat of your pants

seatverb

uk ​ /siːt/ us ​ /siːt/

› [ T + adv/prep ] to arrange for someone to have a particular seat:

The waiter greeted me with a big smile and seated us by the window.
seat yourself [ usually + adv/prep ]

› to sit somewhere:

"I'm so glad to see you!" she said, seating herself between Eleanor and Marianne.

C2 [ T not continuous ] (of a building, room, table, or vehicle) to have enough seats for the stated number of people:

The new concert hall seats 1,500 people.

Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

-seatsuffix

uk ​ / -siːt/ us ​ / -siːt/

(Definition of “seat” from the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

"seat" in American English

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seatnoun [ C ]

us ​ /sit/

seat noun [ C ] (PLACE TO SIT)

› a piece of furniture or other place for someone to sit:

She left her jacket on the back of her seat.
I got a seat on the flight to New York.
Please take a seat (= sit down).

› A seat is a part of something on which a person sits:

a bicycle seat
There’s a piece of gum stuck under the seat of the chair.
He stood up and brushed the sand off the seat of his pants.

seat noun [ C ] (OFFICIAL POSITION)

› an official position as a member of a legislature or group of people who control an organization:

She decided to run for a seat on the school board.

seat noun [ C ] (PLACE)

› a place that is a center for an important activity, esp. government:

Pittsburgh is the county seat of Alleghany County.

Idiom(s)

by the seat of your pants

seatverb [ T ]

us ​ /sit/

seat verb [ T ] (HAVE PLACE TO SIT)

› to have or be given a place to sit:

I was seated between Jasmine and Emily.
The concert hall seats 350.
Our group is still waiting to be seated for dinner.
Please be seated (= sit down).

(Definition of “seat” from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

"seat" in Business English

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seatnoun [ C ]

uk ​ /siːt/ us ​

› POLITICS an official position as a politician:

a seat in sth a seat in Parliament/the House of Representatives
She is expected to lose her seat at the next election.

› WORKPLACE, MANAGEMENT an official position as a member of a group of people who control a company or organization:

a seat on sth The investors demanded several seats on the board.

› STOCK MARKET, FINANCE a position as a member of a particular stock exchange, commodities exchange, etc. who has the right to trade there:

a seat on sth A seat on the New York Exchange confers membership in the exchange.

› COMMERCE, TRANSPORT one of the places on a plane, etc. or in a theatre, etc. where the passengers or audience sit:

We managed to find a seat on a later flight.
The best seats at the concert had been reserved for corporate sponsors.

See also

back
be in the driving seat
the hot seat

(Definition of “seat” from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

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