hunkers
hunkers Lexical Profile
hunkers Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To settle in, take shelter, or apply oneself seriously to a task for an extended period (usually followed by 'down'; third-person singular present tense of 'hunker').
"Every winter, the small coastal village hunkers down against the fierce Atlantic gales."
To squat or crouch low to the ground with the knees bent (third-person singular present tense of 'hunker').
"The cat hunkers low in the tall grass while watching a bird."
• noun
The haunches, buttocks, or thighs when in a squatting or crouching position (usually used in the phrase 'on one's hunkers').
"The gardener sat back on his hunkers to inspect the newly sprouted seedlings."
Word Nuance & Usage
As a noun, 'hunkers' is almost exclusively used in the plural in phrases such as 'on one's hunkers', especially in Scottish, Irish, and North American English.
Word Origin & Etymology
First recorded in the 18th century in Scottish English, the word is likely related to Old Norse 'huka' (to squat) and Middle Dutch 'hucken' (to crouch).