verbWord forms: squats, squatting or squatted(intransitive)
1.
to rest in a crouching position with the knees bent and the weight on the feet
2.
to crouch down, esp in order to hide
3. (transitive) law
to occupy land or property to which the occupant has no legal title
4. weightlifting
to crouch down to one's knees and rise to a standing position while holding (a specified weight) behind one's neck
adjective
5. Also: squatty (ˈskwɒtɪ)
short and broad
a squat chair
noun
6.
a squatting position
7. weightlifting
an exercise in which a person crouches down and rises up repeatedly while holding a barbell at shoulder height
8.
a house occupied by squatters
Derived forms
squatly (ˈsquatly)
adverb
squatness (ˈsquatness)
noun
Word origin
C13: from Old French esquater, from es-ex-1 + catir to press together, from Vulgar Latin coactīre (unattested), from Latin cōgere to compress, from co- + agere to drive
Examples of 'squatted' in a sentence
squatted
Nathan had squatted down beside him; he turned a curiously blank face up to hers.
Amanda Hemingway THE GREENSTONE GRAIL: THE SANGREAL TRILOGY ONE (2004)
Now the men, nine of them, squatted on the ground.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Socks down, naked fear dulling dead eyes, he squatted down instinctively.
Times, Sunday Times (2018)
The eldest son squatted at the head as the logs were lit.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The toad work has certainly squatted on my life.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
A squatted house, bucolic with ivy, has floral designs painted on the windows.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
I squatted on the floor to catch my breath.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Then he squatted on his haunches and stared into the single open eye.