sit out

sit out (third-person singular simple present sits out, present participle sitting out, simple past and past participle sat out)

1. (idiomatic) To decline to participate; particularly, to decline to dance.

   I don't like this tune, and I'm rather tired, so I think I'll just sit out.

   I don't like this song and I'm really tired, so I think I'll just sit it out.

2. (idiomatic) To not participate.
   • 2012 June 19, Phil McNulty, “England 1-0 Ukraine”, in BBC Sport‎:

     England manager Roy Hodgson instantly restored Rooney after a two-match suspension in place of Andy Carroll with orders to make a belated mark on the campaign after sitting out the draw against France and victory against Sweden.

3. (nautical) To lean out to the windward side of a sailboat in order to counterbalance the effects of the wind on the sails.
4. (wrestling) To escape a hold while face down by swinging one's legs around into the sitting position.
5. (poker) To be away from the table in the midst of an ongoing game, thus automatically placing one's forced bets and otherwise folding every hand when it is one's time to act.

• (decline to participate): sit this one out, opt out
• (lean to the windward side): hike, lean out

• outsit