1. for sitting on
ADJECTIVE
available,
empty,
spare,
vacant
There were no empty seats left in the hall.
Do you have a spare seat in your car?
comfortable,
comfy
(informal)
plush
cushioned,
leather
plush leather seats
bicycle,
car
back,
front,
middle,
rear
I always feel sick if I sit in the back seat of the car.
driver's (AmE),
driving (BrE),
passenger
bucket
I slid into the leather bucket seat and fastened my seat belt.
booster,
car,
child (esp. BrE),
safety
airline,
theatre/theater
aisle,
window
I always ask for an aisle seat when I fly.
front-row,
good,
ringside
I got to the concert early to get a good seat.
We had ringside seats for the boxing match.
bleacher
(AmE) (usually just bleachers)
Seating will consist of 2 140 bleacher seats and 1 610 chairs.
bench
love
(= a comfortable seat for two people to sit on)
ejection (AmE),
ejector
(esp. BrE)
lavatory (BrE),
loo (BrE,informal),
toilet
usual
I took my usual seat at the front of the classroom.
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VERB + seat
find,
get,
grab (informal),
have,
take
Please take a seat.
Is this seat taken?
occupy,
sit on
The best seats were occupied by the friends and families of the performers.
It is very uncomfortable to sit on these seats.
get (up) out of,
leave,
rise from
give up,
offer,
vacate
He gave up his seat on the bus to a pregnant woman.
resume,
return to
The audience resumed their seats for the second half of the play.
fill
Not all theatres/theaters can fill their seats so easily.
book (esp. BrE),
reserve
Is it possible to reserve seats for the play?
save
Can you save me a seat if you get there first?
lean back in,
recline in,
settle back in
lean forward in
settle into
We had hardly settled into our seats when the first goal was scored.
slide into
She slid into the driver's seat.
shift in
put back,
recline
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seat + NOUN
cover
cushion
reservation
(BrE)
Seat reservations are free.
an electronic seat-reservation system
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PREPOSITION
in a/the seat
The man in the passenger seat seemed to be asleep.
on a/the seat
I found my gloves lying on the back seat.
out of a/the seat
He leaped out of his seat when he saw the rat.
seat for
I managed to get some seats for the ballet.
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PHRASES
the best seat in the house
We had the best seats in the house for the concert.
lean back in your seat,
settle back in your seat
We settled back into our seats and waited for the show to begin.
on the edge of your seat
With two minutes to go before the end, I was on the edge of my seat.
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2. in Parliament, Congress, etc.
ADJECTIVE
congressional,
House,
Senate
(all in the US)
Republicans won 52.7% of the House seats.
Commons,
parliamentary
(both in the UK)
council
(BrE)
board
the search for finance chiefs to fill board seats
marginal
(esp. BrE)
open
(AmE)
The Democrats captured 18 of the 30 open seats.
safe
Democratic,
Labour,
Republican,
Tory,
etc.
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VERB + seat
gain,
pick up,
secure,
take (BrE),
win
Republicans gained five seats in the Senate.
The Liberals took seven seats from Labour.
The Labour candidate took the seat with a majority of 163.
lose
He lost his seat in the last election.
hold,
keep,
retain
The party held the seat with a 10 000 majority.
regain,
win back
contest (esp. BrE),
fight (BrE),
run for
(AmE)
He has been selected to fight the seat at the next election.
She is running for a seat in the New York State Assembly.
defend
take
(= begin your duties in Parliament)
She took her seat in Parliament as Britain's youngest MP.
hold,
occupy
Republicans currently hold 51 seats in the Senate.
resign,
vacate
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PREPOSITION
seat in
a seat in Congress
seat on
a seat on the board
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