hun ‧ ker /ˈhʌŋkə $ -ər/ BrE AmE verb
[ Date: 1700-1800 ; Origin: Perhaps from a Scandinavian language ]
hunker down phrasal verb American English
1 . to bend your knees so that you are sitting on your heels very close to the ground SYN squat
2 . to make yourself comfortable in a safe place, especially for a long time
3 . informal to prepare yourself for a difficult situation