Wiktionary

crouch

See also: Crouch

English edit

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /kɹaʊt͡ʃ/
  • Rhymes: -aʊtʃ
  • Audio (UK)(file)

Etymology 1 edit

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.

Verb edit

 
Crouching Venus

crouch (third-person singular simple present crouches, present participle crouching, simple past and past participle crouched)

  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.
    We crouched behind the low wall until the squad of soldiers had passed by.
    • 1922, Virginia Woolf, chapter 2, in Jacob's Room:
      Archer and Jacob jumped up from behind the mound where they had been crouching with the intention of springing upon their mother unexpectedly, and they all began to walk slowly home.
  2. (intransitive) To bend servilely; to bow in reverence or humility.
Translations edit

Noun edit

crouch (plural crouches)

  1. A bent or stooped position.
    The cat waited in a crouch, hidden behind the hedge.
Translations edit

Etymology 2 edit

From Middle English crouche, cruche, from Old English crūċ (“cross”). Compare Old Saxon krūci (“cross”), Old High German krūzi (“cross”). Doublet of cross and crux.

Noun edit

crouch (plural crouches)

  1. (obsolete) A cross.
Derived terms edit

Verb edit

crouch (third-person singular simple present crouches, present participle crouching, simple past and past participle crouched)

  1. (obsolete) To sign with the cross; bless.
Translations edit

See also edit

Anagrams edit

Middle English edit

Noun edit

crouch

  1. Alternative form of crucche
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