hunker down

[ huhng-ker doun ]
/ ˈhʌŋ kər ˈdaʊn /

verb phrase

to crouch or squat on one’s heels: Some of the taller kids have trouble with the exercises that involve a lot of hunkering down.
  1. to hide out or take shelter, often for just a few hours or less, as from a pursuer or a storm: Runaways hunkered down in all sorts of places along the Underground Railroad. Rain pelted our boat through the night, but we were able to hunker down in a small harbor until daybreak.
  2. to settle in to the safety of one’s home or other designated shelter for a potentially prolonged time, as would be necessitated by a natural disaster or an outbreak of a contagious disease: Before hunkering down, we made sure we had enough food, water, batteries, and first-aid supplies to last at least three weeks.
to hold resolutely or stubbornly to a policy, opinion, etc., when confronted by criticism, opposition, or unfavorable circumstances: Rather than moving toward compromise, both sides continue to hunker down.
to give one’s full and earnest attention to a project, assignment, or other obligation: No partying for me this weekend—I’ve got to hunker down and finish this term paper.

Words nearby hunker down

Definition for hunker down (2 of 2)

hunker
[ huhng-ker ]
/ ˈhʌŋ kər /

verb (used without object)

to squat on one's heels (often followed by down).
  1. to hunch: The driver hunkered over the steering wheel.
  2. to hide, hide out, or take shelter (usually followed by down): The escaped convicts hunkered down in a cave in the mountains.
  3. to hold resolutely or stubbornly to a policy, opinion, etc., when confronted by criticism, opposition, or unfavorable circumstances (usually followed by down): Though all the evidence was against him, he hunkered down and refused to admit his guilt.
Slang. to lumber along; walk or move slowly or aimlessly.

noun

hunkers, one's haunches.

Origin of hunker

First recorded in 1710–20; apparently hunk (perhaps nasalized variant of huck “haunch”; akin to Old Norse hūka “to crouch”) + -er6

British Dictionary definitions for hunker down

hunker
/ (ˈhʌŋkə) /

verb

(intr often foll by down) to squat; crouch