babysitba‧by‧sit /ˈbeɪbisɪt/ verb (past tense and past participle babysat /-sæt/, present participle babysitting) [intransitive, transitive] 
Verb Table Examples
a babysitting service—babysitter noun [countable]
Verb TableVERB TABLE
babysit
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | babysit |
| he, she, it | babysits | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | babysat |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have babysat |
| he, she, it | has babysat | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had babysat |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will babysit |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have babysat |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am babysitting |
| he, she, it | is babysitting | |
| you, we, they | are babysitting | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was babysitting |
| you, we, they | were babysitting | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been babysitting |
| he, she, it | has been babysitting | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been babysitting |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be babysitting |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been babysitting |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
Thesaurus- Ask Alex and Joan next time you're babysitting.
- He used to babysit for Mary when she worked nights.
- I'll ask Jane to babysit on Wednesday night.
- A girl had murdered two small children whom she was babysitting for, and had then drowned herself.
- Beyond a little babysitting, there is often nothing one can do except wait.
- Child care: day care, nursery school, babysitting.
- Children's pool; playground; cots available; babysitting available.
- Harrick was left with babysitting chores.
- He was doubling for Immigration who had gone home to babysit while his wife went to the movies with her sister.
- His big break at ninety-one was in getting to babysit instead of being babysat.
- You'd be independent and I could babysit for Maggie.
THESAURUS► take care of somebody
to take care of children while their parents are away for a short time—babysitting noun [uncountable]: (also look after somebody especially British English) to make sure a child or an old or sick person is safe and has the things they need: · I have to look after my little brother.· Taking care of a baby is hard work.· She is taking care of her grandmother while her grandfather is in hospital.
► care for somebody to take care of someone. Care for somebody is less common and more formal than take care of/look after somebody: · He was cared for by a team of nurses.· Caring for an elderly relative can be very rewarding.
► nurse to look after someone who is ill: · He nursed his wife through a long illness.· The monks nursed him back to health (=looked after him until he was well again).
► babysit to look after children in the evening while their parents go out somewhere: · I’ll ask Jane to babysit on Wednesday night.· He used to babysit for Mary when she worked nights.
► mind British English to look after a child while their parents are not there, especially for a short time: · Will you mind the baby while I go to the shop?
Longman Language Activatorto look after someone► look after/take care of especially British to spend time with a child or with someone who is old or sick, and make sure they are safe and have the things they need: · Can you look after the kids for me this afternoon?· I've told you, I can't come. There's no one to look after Frieda.· Jonathon has no idea what it means to take care of a baby all day long. · We specialize in helping caregivers who take care of relatives in their own homes.
► care for somebody to look after someone who is very ill or very old by doing everything for them: · Elsie had to leave her job to care for her sick father.· St Helen's Hospice, which cares for the terminally ill, is holding a special fund-raising week.· It is one of the only charities to care for Aids patients and ex-prisoners.
► mind British to look after children for a short time while their parents are out doing something else: · The woman who minds Pip and Emma collects them from school and gives them an evening meal.· Mothers who work part-time are able to mind other people's children when they are not working.
► babysit also sit American to look after children in the evening while their parents go out somewhere, especially when they pay you a small amount of money for doing this: · I'll ask Jane to babysit on Wednesday night.· Ask Alex and Joan next time you're babysitting.babysit for: · He used to babysit for Mary when she worked nights.· Jenny sat for us last Friday evening when we went to the movies.
► keep an eye on to stay with a child and watch them to see that they are safe, especially for a short time: · Benjy, I want you to stay in the yard where I can keep an eye on you.· Would you mind keeping an eye on Stacey while I go for a cigarette?keep a close/careful/watchful eye on somebody: · He warned parents to continue to keep a close eye on their children.
► nurse to look after someone who is ill and to make them well again or to make them comfortable: · Tony nursed his wife through her long illness without ever complaining.· Irina had wanted to nurse him, but the doctors had sent her away.nurse somebody back to health (=look after a sick person until they are well again): · The monks tended his wounds and nursed him back to health.
► carer British /caregiver American someone who looks after another person who is too young or ill to look after himself or herself - used especially on official forms, in official letters, in newspapers etc: · Hospital staff can provide additional home support for carers.· We have a high number of volunteer carers at the day centre.· Like many caregivers, Marian gave up her job to provide 24-hour care for an elderly relative.
someone who is paid to look after children► babysitter also sitter American someone who is paid to look after children when their parents go out for the evening: · I'll come with you if I can get a babysitter for Friday.· I guess we should have some snacks around for the sitter.
► childminder British /babysitteror sitter American someone who is paid to look after children while their parents are at work: · Sheila's setting up in business as a registered childminder (=on a special list of childminders that have been approved by the authorities).· I asked my childminder to do what I do when Laura is naughty.
► nanny a woman who is paid to look after someone else's children, and who sometimes lives in the house with the family: · He turned and flung himself into his nanny's arms.· I can't afford a nanny.
► au pair someone, usually a young person from a foreign country, who lives with a family and helps with work around the house and with looking after the children. Au pairs often do this kind of work in order to learn about another country and its language: · Working as an au pair, I spend most of my time with young children, so I dress casually.· Don't worry, the au pair will clean it up.
► childcare/child care also day care American an arrangement in which young children are looked after during the day while their parents are at work: · Even women in well-paid jobs, who can afford childcare, are faced with managing the home and a career.· After-school childcare is an area of particular importance to many working mothers.· How much does it cost an employer to provide daycare facilities?childcare/daycare center: · She works in a daycare center.in daycare: · Jordan's been in daycare since he was six months old.
a babysitting service—babysitter noun [countable]