crouch

Meaning

Verb

1. (intransitive) To bend down; to stoop low; to stand close to the ground with legs bent, like an animal when waiting for prey, or someone in fear.
2. (intransitive) To bend servilely; to bow in reverence or humility.

Noun

A bent or stooped position.

Noun

A cross.

Synonyms

squat

stoop

bend down

bend

cower

lurk

bow

🙇

hunker

cringe

hunch

scrunch

hunker down

scrunch up

stoop down

bending over

grovel

bow down

kowtow

sit on one’s heels

crawl

lie down

lower

lie low

prostrate

shrink

shrivel

sit

🪑

squinch

be overwhelmed

wimple

wrinkle

crimple

lie hidden

prostrate oneself

fall into swoon

lie on one’s stomach

press into

crouch start

be huddled up

flex the legs

bend over

bent over

cluster

cockle

conceal

contract

creep

crinkle

crumple

cuddle

Translations

s’accroupir

agacharse

hocken

hurken

kauern

agachar-se

accovacciarsi

se recroqueviller

être accroupi

agachar

se tapir

inclinar

sich ducken

inchinarsi

chinarsi

Pronounced as (IPA)

/kɹaʊt͡ʃ/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: crouchen

Cognate with Middle Dutch: kroken

In summary

From Middle English crouchen (“to bend, crouch”), variant of croken (“to bend, crook”), from crok (“crook, hook”), from Old Norse krókr (“hook”), from Proto-Germanic *krōkaz (“hook”), from Proto-Indo-European *gerg- (“wicker, bend”), from Proto-Indo-European *ger- (“to turn, wind, weave”). Compare Middle Dutch krōken (“to crook, curl”). More at crook.