crouch
/kraʊtʃ
/verb [no object]
Adopt a position where the knees are bent and the upper body is brought forward and down, typically in order to avoid detection or to defend oneself: we crouched down in the trench (be crouched) Leo was crouched before the fire...
- He rose up on one knee, then crouched there, body tight, as if tensing for the pounce.
- One armed officer wearing a helmet and body armour crouched behind the corner of a house and was aiming his weapon.
- Kit was still crouching in his position from the last strike and slowly stood to look at her.
Synonyms
squat (down), duck (down), hunker down, bob down, hunch over;
bend (down), stoop (down), bow (down), kneel (down), cower, cringe, shrink, huddle
North American informal scooch
noun [in singular]
A crouching stance or posture: he dropped into a defensive crouch...
- She swore, covering her eyes, and stepped back, instinctively moving into a defensive crouch.
- Nor did we immediately want to send the public officials whom we wanted to influence into a defensive crouch.
- Those who remain in a defensive crouch are in danger of being left behind.
Origin
Late Middle English: perhaps from Old French crochir 'be bent', from croche (see crotch).