babysit

1. To look after another person's child or children in a temporary capacity. Julia will babysit the kids on Saturday. Any chance you can babysit Justin while I'm at parent-teacher conferences? Your sitter canceled? Don't worry, I can babysit the kids tonight, that's not a problem.

2. By extension, to look after or monitor someone, something, or an animal. Can you babysit these petri dishes and make note of any changes while I go to lunch? A: "Uncle Al is going to know you asked me to babysit him, and he won't be happy." B: "Well, too bad, because I'm not leaving him alone!" Maggie asked me to babysit her cat while she travels for work.

1. To watch another person's child or children. In this usage, the child is listed after "for." Julia will babysit for the kids on Saturday. Any chance you can babysit for Justin while I'm at parent-teacher conferences? Your sitter canceled? Don't worry, I can babysit for the kids tonight, that's not a problem.

2. To help another person by watching their child. In this usage, the person being helped is listed after "for," and a noun or pronoun can be used between "babysit" and "for." Can you babysit for us tonight? Dave's company is having a work event that we have to go to. I got one of the neighbors to babysit Charlotte for me so I could come to the party. Nah, we ended up staying home—our sitter canceled at the last minute, and we couldn't find anyone else to babysit for us.

1. To look after another person's child or children in a temporary capacity. Julia will babysit with the kids on Saturday. Any chance you can babysit with Justin while I'm at parent-teacher conferences? Your sitter canceled? Don't worry, I can babysit with the kids tonight, that's not a problem.

2. To look after another person's child or children in tandem with someone else. I know you've never babysat before, so you'll babysit with Julia on Saturday. Can you please babysit with Mom on Saturday? I know she can't keep up with two toddlers on her own. You're only 12! I won't let you watch my kids unless you babysit with your older sister, got it?

3. By extension, to look after or monitor someone, something, or an animal. Can you babysit with these petri dishes and make note of any changes while I go to lunch? A: "Uncle Al is going to know you asked me to babysit with him, and he won't be happy." B: "Well, too bad, because I'm not leaving him alone!" Maggie asked me to babysit with her cat while she travels for work.

1. to attend and care for a child for a period of time. I'm looking for someone to babysit for my cousin. Will you babysit with my cousin?

2. to attend and care for a child for someone for a short period of time. Would you mind babysitting Roger for me for a few minutes? Sure, I will babysit for you.