What's the difference between "seat" and "chair"? Can you show me a way to tell the one from the other clearly. I can use your method easily to choose the right word in different cases. For example,

Catherine

What's the difference between "seat" and "chair"? Can you show me a way to tell the one from the other clearly. I can use your method easily to choose the right word in different cases. For example, in the cinema, we say "Take your seat." instead of saying "take your chair." Thank you so much!Thank you so much for all your help. Your answers make it much more easier for me to understand the exact meaning of "seat". But I still have two more questions. If "seat" can be anything that you sit on, then it can be chair, stool etc. It just has a larger range, right? Then can I just change the word "chair" to "seat" in simple sentences, not such kind of situations that "chair man" appears, but only as the meaning of a seat tool, can I? Second, if there's a seat which is fastened to the ground, we normally don't call it chair. We call it seat,right? Like the seats in vehicle,cinemas etc. Can we call them chairs?

Dec 13, 2010 12:20 AM

Answers · 13

seat can be anything that you can sit down on. like chairs, stools, seats in your car, saddle. if you want to sit on a crate, it's your seat too. take your seat = sit down by the way, I don't want to take your chair, my chair is better than yours.

December 13, 2010

Chair is the furniture. Seat is more abstract. Seat can also be the flat part of the chair. There are 300 chairs stored in the closet, which will provide 300 seats for 300 people. This chair is made of wood, but its seat is made of cloth. This is my seat (I'm sitting on it now), but it is your chair (you own the furniture). You should always give up your seat to an elderly person.

December 13, 2010

a seat doesn't have to be a chair... it can be anything that you can sit on to. a chair is a piece of furniture. take your seat means to sit down... sit anywhere. take your chair means to literally take your chair.

December 13, 2010

seat refers to: 1.A space reserved for sitting (as in a theatre or on a train or aeroplane) "he booked their seats in advance" 2.Furniture that is designed for sitting on "there were not enough seats for all the guests" 3.Any support where you can sit (especially the part of a chair or bench etc. on which you sit) "he dusted off the seat before sitting down" 4.The cloth covering for the buttocks the seat of his pants was worn through" while chairs refers to: 1.A seat for one person, with a support for the back he put his coat over the back of the chair and sat down" 2.An instrument of execution by electrocution; resembles an ordinary seat for one person "the murderer was sentenced to die in the chair" cowboy...

December 13, 2010