HUNKER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does hunker mean? 

• HUNKER (verb)
  The verb HUNKER has 1 sense:

1. sit on one's heels

  Familiarity information: HUNKER used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HUNKER (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they hunker    ... he / she / it hunkers   
Past simple: hunkered   
Past participle: hunkered   
-ing form: hunkering   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Sit on one's heels

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

crouch; hunker; hunker down; scrunch; scrunch up; squat

Context example:

The children hunkered down to protect themselves from the sandstorm

Hypernyms (to "hunker" is one way to...):

sit; sit down (be seated)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

 Context examples 

For instance: Opportunity, as a solar powered rover, would have to hunker down to save energy; the upcoming InSight lander's parameters would need to be adjusted for safe entry, descent and landing in November; and all the cameras on rovers and orbiters would need to deal with low visibility.

(Dust Storms Linked to Gas Escape from Mars Atmosphere, NASA)