hunker

hunker
hun•ker
[[t]ˈhʌŋ kər[/t]] v. -kered, -ker•ing, n. v.i.
1) to squat on one's heels (often fol. by down)
2) cvb inf to hunch: students hunkering over their books
3) to hide, hide out, or take shelter (usu. fol. by down)
4) to hold firmly or stubbornly to one's opinion, course, etc., as when criticized or thwarted (usu. fol. by down)
5) hunkers, the haunches
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Etymology: 1710–20; appar. hunk (perh. alter. of huck haunch)

From formal English to slang. 2014.

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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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