idly

sit (idly) by

To stand aside and refrain from acting or intervening. They may not have broken the law themselves, but the CEOs certainly sat by and allowed these illegal activities to happen unchecked. I feel so guilty for sitting idly by while my son was going through such a difficult time in his life.
See also: by, sit

stand (idly) by

To refrain from acting or intervening while something bad happens or unfolds. They may not have broken the law themselves, but the CEOs certainly stood by and allowed these illegal activities to happen unchecked. I feel so guilty for standing idly by while my son was going through such a difficult time in his life.
See also: by, stand
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

sit by someone

to sit next to someone. May I sit by you? Come over here and sit by me.
See also: by, sit

sit idly by

 and stand idly by
to remain close, doing nothing to help. I do not intend to stand idly by while my children need my help. The wealthy man sat idly by while the poor people starved.
See also: by, idly, sit
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

sit by

Also, sit idly by. Refrain from interfering, remain passive, as in I can't just sit by and let her get in trouble.
See also: by, sit
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

sit by

v.
To remain uninvolved; refrain from acting: I did the work while the others sat by and watched.
See also: by, sit
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • sit (idly) by
  • sit by
  • sit idly by
  • sit on (one's) hands
  • sit on hands
  • sit on its hands
  • sit on one's hands
  • sit on your hands
  • stand (idly) by
  • stand by
References in periodicals archive
WONDER idly whether Dave is actually in love with Kieren.
Why all this fuss? What price Fallon for title now?
Unless the coach is organized, players will stand idly by while he is demonstrating.
The Art of Practice
"We could no longer stand idly by while the rights of our law-abiding customers were being repeatedly trampled upon."
Cannon Safe Supports SAF Lawsuit
ON Thursday, I was wondering, idly, how long it would be before we went through the farce again - so I called the Labour Party's HQ and asked: how often will London mayoral elections be held?
Carol Sarler's Column: Basics take a back seat
Finally one day, while gazing idly at an orphaned screw-top with spout which just happened to be lying on the counter next to an empty two-liter soda bottle, I put two and two together and came up with a five-cent replacement water bottle.
Inexpensive water bottles
Competition from these new-technology EP elastomers and new-generation polyolefins is fierce, but producers of conventional products will not stand idly by, allowing their products to be displaced unchallenged.
EP elastomers to be impacted by new technologies
Because of our own "tragic legacy," we Americans will not sit idly by while blacks continue to be "owned" as property.
LETTERS
Listen to what Smith - a strong supporter of the Communications Decency Act - said on introducing his bill: "The Internet user, or Netizen, is in a vulnerable position in the new medium and we in Congress cannot stand idly by as law-abiding citizens have their privacy invaded on an almost regular basis." Just how "vulnerable" are people on a medium they freely choose to frequent?
Unlovely spam: efforts to deter unsolicited e-mail may cause more problems than they would solve
I'm walking home from the second performance that day, remembering that I have yet a third cast to see the following matinee, and idly thinking that there must be less mentally perilous ways of making a living.
Recitatives, arias, and mothers-in-law
Congress has many compelling reasons to act now to clarify the law and no reason to stand idly by."
Treatment of "interest" accrued on nonqualified deferred compensation
Aphids swarm on the dahlias, drinking a sticky sap and I lurch with a groan out of canvas sling chair to hose them off, idly rubbing leaf ribs and crisp tips clean, soaking my sneakers, then play the spray on the sagging fence, to wet down the darkening compost heap, as the last boat gives three honks from the harbor, leaving for Norwich.
Evening, with leaves
President Duterte is scheduled to travel to Port Irene in Santa Ana town, Cagayan province, next week to personally oversee the destruction of imported vehicles that have been sitting idly in a warehouse there.
Duterte to watch car wrecking in Cagayan
But Mr Buchanan told the Assembly: "His comments tell republicans if you believe you have a vision of equality and freedom and if you know the risks you cannot stand idly by."
KELLY DEMO SPEECH 'GLORIFIED TERROR' Sinn Fein MLA to face standards probe
The district administration stands idly by, as ice dealers eke out an excuse of receiving ice block at Rs500 as against the previous price of Rs.330.
Citizens burdened by inflated prices of ice blocks
RMT general secretary Bob Crow yesterday accused Business Secretary Vince Cable and the coalition Government of "standing idly by" as bankers partied "like it's 1999".
Workers' battle cry over bank bonuses