hunker

hunker
/hung"keuhr/, v.i.
1. to squat on one's heels (often fol. by down).
2. Informal.
a. to hunch: The driver hunkered over the steering wheel.
b. to hide, hide out, or take shelter (usually fol. by down): The escaped convicts hunkered down in a cave in the mountains.
c. to hold resolutely or stubbornly to a policy, opinion, etc., when confronted by criticism, opposition, or unfavorable circumstances (usually fol. by down): Though all the evidence was against him, he hunkered down and refused to admit his guilt.
3. Slang. to lumber along; walk or move slowly or aimlessly.
n.
4. hunkers, one's haunches.
5. on one's hunkers,
a. Brit. Informal. squatting on one's heels.
b. suffering a period of poverty, bad luck, or the like.
[1710-20; appar. hunk (perh. nasalized var. of huck haunch; akin to ON huka to crouch) + -ER6]

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  • Hunker — Hunker, PA U.S. borough in Pennsylvania Population (2000): 329 Housing Units (2000): 138 Land area (2000): 0.370977 sq. miles (0.960826 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.370977 sq. miles… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Hunker, PA — U.S. borough in Pennsylvania Population (2000): 329 Housing Units (2000): 138 Land area (2000): 0.370977 sq. miles (0.960826 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.370977 sq. miles (0.960826 sq. km)… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • 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 — ► 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 — Hun ker, n. Originally, a nickname for a member of the conservative section of the Democratic party in New York; hence, one opposed to progress in general; a fogy. [Political Cant, U.S.] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • hunker — [huŋ′kər] vi. [orig. dial., prob. < or akin to Faroese hokna, to crouch < ON hokra, to creep < IE * keuk (< base * keu , to bend) > Sans čúčīm, to cower] to settle down on one s haunches; squat or crouch: often with down n. [pl.] 1 …   English World dictionary

  • Hunker — Der Herr von Hunker ist ein alter Junker. (Nordamerika.) Aus dem nordamerikanischen Parteileben. Mit dem Worte »Hunker« wurde um das Jahr 1850 die alte Demokratie bezeichnet; und die neu eingewanderten Deutschen wollen mit dem Sprichworte sagen,… …   Deutsches Sprichwörter-Lexikon

  • 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

  • hunker — intransitive verb (hunkered; hunkering) Etymology: probably akin to Middle Dutch hucken, huken to squat, Middle Low German hōken to squat, peddle, Old Norse hūka to squat Date: 1720 1. crouch, squat usually used with down 2. to settle in or dig… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • hunker — hun|ker [ˈhʌŋkə US ər] v hunker down phr v [Date: 1700 1800; Origin: Perhaps from a Scandinavian language] 1.) to bend your knees so that you are sitting on your heels very close to the ground = ↑squat 2.) to make yourself comfortable in a safe… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • hunker — hun|ker [ hʌŋkər ] verb ,hunker down phrasal verb intransitive 1. ) to sit close to the ground on your heels with your knees bent up in front of you: SQUAT 2. ) AMERICAN to wait for a difficult situation to end …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

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