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.
Meanings
A bent or stooped position.
The cat waited in a crouch, hidden behind the hedge.
et kükk (bent or stooped position) · et kummardus (bent or stooped position) · fi kumara (bent or stooped position) · pt agachar (bent or stooped position) · es inclinación (bent or stooped position) · fi kyykky (bent or stooped position)
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.
Meanings
(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.
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. 1922, Virginia Woolf, chapter 2, in Jacob's Room:
We crouched behind the low wall until the squad of soldiers had passed by.
(intransitive) To bend servilely; to bow in reverence or humility.
kings ſhall crouch vnto our conquering ſwords,
And hoſtes of Souldiers ſtand amazd at vs,
When with their fearfull tongues they ſhall confeſſe
Theſe are the men that al the world admires, c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene ii:
Must I stand and crouch
Under your testy humour? 1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
a crouching purpose 1816, William Wordsworth, Thanksgiving Ode:
fr se recroqueviller (to bend down) · es encogerse (to bend down) · el κουλουριάζω (to bend, as in humility or fear) · fi kumartua (to bend, as in humility or fear) · mi kōpipiri (to bend down) · ja 蹲る (to bend down) · et kummardama (to bend, as in humility or fear) · ru ви́ться (to bend, as in humility or fear) · bg стоя приведен (to bend, as in humility or fear) · vi núp (to bend down) · ru пресмыка́ться (to bend servilely) · bg свивам се (to bend, as in humility or fear) · izh kyyrystäissä (to bend down) · ru присе́сть (to bend down) · vi cúi (to bend down) · bg раболепнича (to bend servilely) · gd crom (to bend down) · fr se tapir (to bend down) · pl podkurczać się (to bend down) · pt agachar (to bend down) · kea djangotô (to bend down) · gl agachar (to bend down) · ru извива́ться (to bend, as in humility or fear) · fr s'incliner (to bend servilely) · sh čučnuti (to bend down) · eo kaŭriĝi (to bend down) · sh saviti (to bend, as in humility or fear) · cmn 蹲 (to bend down) · bg свивам (to bend, as in humility or fear) · fr s'accroupir (to bend down) · es inclinarse (to bend, as in humility or fear) · mi whakapāhake (to bend down) · et küürutama (to bend down) · sv huka (to bend down) · ja しゃがむ (to bend down) · mi ngunu (to bend down) · cmn 臥 /卧 (to bend down) · ru раболе́пствовать (to bend servilely) · bg навеждам се (to bend down) · ota پوصمق (to bend down) · vi né (to bend down) · pl podkurczyć się (to bend down) · it accovacciarsi (to bend down) · gl anicar (to bend down) · ota پوصمق (to bend, as in humility or fear) · la conquiniscō (to bend down) · tr çömelmek (to bend down) · mi tūruru (to bend down) · grc πτήσσω (to bend down) · fi kyykistyä (to bend down) · tr pusmak (to bend down) · ru приседа́ть (to bend down) · el κάθομαι οκλαδόν (to bend down) · grc ὀκλάζω (to bend down) · es encogerse (to bend, as in humility or fear) · et kükitama (to bend down) · mi pāhake (to bend down) · gl agochar (to bend down) · pt prostar-se (to bend, as in humility or fear) · de kauern (to bend down) · es agazaparse (to bend down) · mi whakamaoko (to bend servilely) · es agacharse (to bend down) · fi kumartua (to bend servilely) · hu guggol (to bend down) · ca ajupir-se (to bend down) · et kummardama (to bend servilely) · fi kyyristyä (to bend down) · fa دولا شدن (to bend down)
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.
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.
es persignarse (to sign with the cross) · sh prekrstiti (to sign with the cross) · sh prekrižiti (to sign with the cross) · enm crouchen (to sign with the cross) · bg прекръствам (to sign with the cross)