sit on the fence

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

English

[edit]
1898 British cartoon using the phrase

Pronunciation

[edit]

Verb

[edit]

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

  1. (idiomatic, intransitive) To remain neutral on a certain topic, to not have a stance or opinion.
    • 1897, John James Procter, The philosopher in the clearing, page 240:
      and Bloomah will sometimes sit on the fence, concerning whose discretion, the same thing may be said...
    • 1956, Theology, Great Britain: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, page 22:
      The curate refused to label himself; so the squire growled, "Oh, you sit on the fence, do you?"
    • 1972, Joseph Robinson, The first book of Kings, page 207:
      Elijah stepped forward and said to the people, "How long will you sit on the fence? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him."
    • 2019 April 20, Tom Watson, “Labour can’t defeat Nigel Farage by sitting on the fence”, in The Observer[1], →ISSN:
      We won’t win if we sit on the fence about the most crucial issue that has faced our country for a generation.
[edit]

Translations

[edit]

See also

[edit]