Dictionary
Find
in
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Translations

Click to move up the list of words
crotch
crotchet
crotchet rest
crotchety
croton
Croton bug
croton oil
crotonic acid
crouch
croup (1)
croup (2)
croupier
croustade
croute
crouton
Crow
crow (1)
Click to move down the list of words
Print Preview
See pronunciation key
Search for "crouches" in all of MSN Encarta
E-mail this entry
Blog about this entry on MSN Spaces
Download the MSN Encarta Right-Click Dictionary

crouch

crouch [ krowch ]


intransitive verb  (past and past participle crouched, present participle crouch·ing, 3rd person present singular crouch·es)
Definition:
 
1. bend down low: to squat down on the balls of the feet with knees bent and body hunched over
I had to crouch to get under the table.

2. bend in preparation to pounce: to stay down close to the ground with legs bent, waiting to spring or run forward ( refers to animals )



noun  (plural crouch·es)
Definition:
 
crouching position: the position of a human squatting with back and knees bent or of an animal with the body pressed low to the ground in readiness to spring

[14th century. Probably < variant of Old French crochir "be crooked" < croche (see crochet)]
Advertisement

Also on Encarta
Englishtown: Learn English online
Our Partners
Also on MSN
Encarta Message Boards (© Rubberball/Jupiterimages)
Shopping
© 2009 Microsoft