crouched; crouching; crouches

intransitive verb

1
a
: to lower the body stance especially by bending the legs
The sprinter crouched and was ready to go.
b
: to lie close to the ground with the legs bent
… a pair of cats, crouching on the brink of a fight.Aldous Huxley
2
: to bend or bow servilely : cringe
3
: to stand at a low height
Cottages crouched along the river.

transitive verb

: to bow especially in humility or fear : bend
The dog crouched its head.
crouch noun

Examples of crouch in a Sentence

She crouched down, trying to get a closer look at the spider. The lion crouched in the tall grass, waiting to attack the gazelle.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That will provide standing space for children, though, and will provide adults a little more headroom for crouching, whether to grab something out of the alcove, get changed, or otherwise stand on two feet inside. New Atlas, 10 Oct. 2024 Photos recently went viral of students crouching beneath their desks during a police operation on a nearby boulevard, where fleeing suspects tossed spikes onto the streets to puncture the tires of National Guard vehicles chasing them. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 9 Oct. 2024 Zhenya crouches there in the hallway, cradling her hands, her jacket released. Suzanne Seggerman, Curbed, 14 Nov. 2024 In the opening scene of the third season of Somebody Somewhere, Bridget Everett’s character, Sam Miller, crouches on the floor of a bar, talking baby-talk to a dog. Lyz Lenz, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for crouch 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of crouch was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near crouch

Cite this Entry

“Crouch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crouch. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

crouch

verb
: to stoop or bend low with the arms and legs close to the body
crouch noun

More from Merriam-Webster on crouch

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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