scooch

verb

variants or less commonly scootch
scooched also scootched; scooching also scootching; scooches also scootches
1
transitive + intransitive : to move a short distance by or as if by sliding
The 8-year-old scooches over on the couch to nestle right up against this visitor.Lauren Ritchie
I sucked in my stomach and scooched sideways through the narrow passageway …Susan Glaser
… the first violins scootched themselves and their music stands back to make room for the afternoon's soloist …Sarah Bryan Miller
… just scootch every title down the list one spot.Jacob Oller
especially : to make room for another person by sliding the body while seated
often used with over
Can you scooch over a bit?
2
intransitive : to crouch (as in hiding)
He scooched (down) behind the bushes.

Examples of scooch in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Next, scooch your knees as close to the couch as possible, and put your feet on top of the couch. Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 14 Aug. 2023 Of course, that required everybody to scooch over a notch and move Jason Peters, who has had a Hall of Fame career, and play left tackle. Dallas News, 30 Dec. 2022 Unhappy John Breem, scooch over to make some room for Greta on our consciousness-raising couch! Rose Maura Lorre, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'scooch.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

variant of scouch, attested slightly earlier, probably expressive variant of crouch

Note: Sense 1, not attested until the mid-twentieth century, may be by association with scoot. Compare scrooch "to crouch, bend," a variant of scrouch, itself a variant of scrouge, and, with an additional nasal consonant, scrunch entry 1. Collectively, these appear to constitute a family of expressive verbs that suggest in one way or another compression of the body or some part of the body.

First Known Use

1858, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of scooch was in 1858

Dictionary Entries Near scooch

Cite this Entry

“Scooch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scooch. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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