crouch /kraʊtʃ/ BrE AmE verb [intransitive]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Origin: Perhaps from Old French crochir 'to become hook-shaped' , from croche ; ⇨ ↑ crochet ]
1 . ( also crouch down ) to lower your body close to the ground by bending your knees completely ⇨ squat :
He crouched in the shadows near the doorway.
Paula crouched down and held her hands out to the fire.
2 . to bend over something so that you are very near to it ⇨ lean
crouch over
a young girl crouched over a book
—crouch noun [countable] :
She dropped to the ground in a crouch.