hunker down meaning and definition

HUNKER DOWN verb

Definition of hunker down (verb)

1. sit on one's heels
   • "In some cultures, the women give birth while squatting"; "The children hunkered down to protect themselves from the sandstorm"
   • synonyms: crouch, hunker, scrunch, scrunch up, squat
2. take shelter
   • "During the sandstorm, they hunkered down in a small hut"
3. hold stubbornly to a position
   • "The wife hunkered down and the husband's resistance began to break down"