Sitdown

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A form of protest where participants remain seated to show dissent ; a scheduled meeting or negotiation to discuss issues formally
2. An act of demonstrating by staying seated to express opposition ; an arranged gathering to debate or resolve matters
3. A demonstration method involving sitting as a sign of protest ; a planned session where parties meet to confer and negotiate

Etymology: The noun "sitdown" is built directly from the verb phrase "sit down," with the noun formed by turning that verb into a noun, a process linguists call deverbal formation. Its two meanings grew from the same physical act. A sitdown protest is one in which participants simply remain seated, refusing to move until their demands are heard, so the plain gesture of sitting becomes a form of dissent. The second sense, a formal meeting or negotiation, follows from the same idea of people sitting down together to talk through a problem. The word's history is closely tied to the physical act of sitting down, and the protest sense is the one most readers will recognize first. Both senses preserve the original image of a person choosing to stay put, whether to resist or to bargain.

Synonyms: meeting, gathering, conference, assembly, discussion