verb

crouch

KROWCH

verb

To bend the knees and lower the body close to the ground, often to hide, prepare to spring, or avoid being seen.

"The cat crouched low, watching the bird on the fence."

"Sprinters crouch at the starting blocks before the gun goes off."

noun

The bent, low position taken up when crouching.

"He dropped into a crouch behind the sofa."

How to Use Crouch

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo bend down low with knees bent, like getting ready to jump or hide.

Common pairings

crouch down crouch behind something a low crouch

crouched past tense, crouched past tense, crouches plural, crouches plural, crouches singular, crouches singular

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The cat _____ low, watching the bird on the fence.

From Middle English crouchen, related to "crook" — ultimately from an Old Norse word for a hook, describing the bent shape of the body.

ouch touch couch pouch vouch slouch grouch