Hunker down

Hunker down
Hunker down Hun"ker down, v. 1. to crouch or squat; to sit on one's haunches. [PJC]

2. to settle in at a location for an extended period; -- also (figuratively) to maintain a position and resist yielding to some pressure, as of public opinion. [PJC]

3. to take shelter, literally or figuratively; to assume a defensive position to resist difficulties. ``We hunkered down to ride out the storm in an abandoned cabin.'' [PJC]

While many businessmen were hunkering down for another bust after the lean years of the Second World War and the Great Depression before it, Taylor and company correctly reckoned it was the dawn of an era of prosperity and growth. --Richard Siklos [Shades of Black, 1995] [PJC]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • hunker down — phrasal verb [intransitive] Word forms hunker down : present tense I/you/we/they hunker down he/she/it hunkers down present participle hunkering down past tense hunkered down past participle hunkered down 1) mainly American to sit close to the… …   English dictionary

  • hunker down — 1) PHRASAL VERB If you hunker down, you bend your knees so that you are in a low position, balancing on your feet. [AM] [V P on n] Betty hunkered down on the floor... [V P beside n] He ended up hunkering down beside her. Syn: squat 2) PHRASAL… …   English dictionary

  • hunker down — to stay in a place or situation. Members of Congress were hunkered down for weeks of debate on the issue. It had been raining since early morning, a perfect day to hunker down behind the computer and get some work done …   New idioms dictionary

  • hunker down — get ready to lift or work, prepare to make an effort    To achieve our sales goals, we all have to hunker down …   English idioms

  • hunker down — verb 1. sit on one s heels (Freq. 1) In some cultures, the women give birth while squatting The children hunkered down to protect themselves from the sandstorm • Syn: ↑squat, ↑crouch, ↑scrunch, ↑scrunch up, ↑hunker …   Useful english dictionary

  • hunker down — apply oneself seriously to a task. → hunker …   English new terms dictionary

  • hunker down — verb a) To take shelter; to prepare oneself for some eventuality; to focus on a task. b) To stubbornly hold to a position …   Wiktionary

  • hunker — ► VERB 1) squat or crouch down low. 2) (hunker down) apply oneself seriously to a task. ORIGIN probably related to German hocken …   English terms dictionary

  • hunker — (v.) to squat, crouch, 1720, Scottish, of uncertain origin, possibly from a Scandinavian source, Cf. O.N. huka to crouch, hoka, hokra to crawl. Hunker down, Southern U.S. dialectal phrase, popularized c.1965, from northern British hunker haunch.… …   Etymology dictionary

  • hunker — UK [ˈhʌŋkə(r)] / US [ˈhʌŋkər] verb Word forms hunker : present tense I/you/we/they hunker he/she/it hunkers present participle hunkering past tense hunkered past participle hunkered Phrasal verbs: hunker down …   English dictionary

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