squat

¹squat

verb \ˈskwät\

squat·tedsquat·ting

Definition of SQUAT

transitive verb

1

: to cause (oneself) to crouch or sit on the ground

2

: to occupy as a squatter <squat in an abandoned building>

intransitive verb

1

: to crouch close to the ground as if to escape observation <a hare squatting in the grass>

2

: to assume or maintain a position in which the body is supported on the feet and the knees are bent so that the buttocks rest on or near the heels

3

: to be or become a squatter

Examples of SQUAT

1. He squatted behind the bush to avoid being seen.
2. A family has been squatting in that house for months.

Origin of SQUAT

Middle English squatten to crush, crouch in hiding, from Middle French (Picard dialect) esquatir, escuater, from Old French es- ex- + quatir to hide, from Vulgar Latin *coactire to squeeze, alteration of Latin coactare to compel — more at cache

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to SQUAT

Synonyms: couch, huddle, hunch, hunker (down), scrunch, crouch, squinch

Related Words: curl up

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Rhymes with SQUAT

aught, baht, blot, bot, clot, cot, dot, ghat, grot, hot, jot, khat, knot, kyat, lot, lotte, Mott, motte, naught, not, plot, pot, rot, scot, Scot, shot, skat, slot, snot, sot, spot, stot, swat, swot, tot, trot, watt, Watt, what, wot, yacht