sit on the fence

English

1898 British cartoon using the phrase

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Verb

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.

Related terms

• fence-sit
• fence sitter
• fence-sitting
• on the fence

 

Translations

Translations

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 騎牆／骑墙 (zh) (qíqiáng)

• Finnish: jäädä odottavalle kannalle, olla odottavalla kannalla
• Japanese: 日和る (hiyoru)
• Polish: siedzieć okrakiem na barykadzie impf, usiąść okrakiem na barykadzie (pl) pf
• Portuguese: em cima do muro

See also

• the jury is still out