slouch

American  

[slouch] / slaʊtʃ /

verb (used without object)

1. to sit or stand with an awkward, drooping posture.

2. to move or walk with loosely drooping body and careless gait.

3. to have a droop or downward bend, as a hat.

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verb (used with object)

1. to cause to droop or bend down, as the shoulders or a hat.

noun

1. a drooping or bending forward of the head and shoulders; an awkward, drooping posture or carriage.

2. an awkward, clumsy, or slovenly person.

3. slouch hat.

4. a lazy, inept, or inefficient person.

   Synonyms:

   sluggard, loafer, laggard

slouch British  

/ slaʊtʃ /

verb

1. (intr) to sit or stand with a drooping bearing

2. (intr) to walk or move with an awkward slovenly gait

3. (tr) to cause (the shoulders) to droop

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noun

1. a drooping carriage

2. informal (usually used in negative constructions) an incompetent or slovenly person

   he's no slouch at football

Other Word Forms

• sloucher noun
• slouching adjective
• slouchingly adverb
• unslouched adjective
• unslouching adjective

Etymology

Origin of slouch

First recorded in 1505–15; origin uncertain

Example Sentences

I slouch down in my seat as she glares at the phone in my hand.

From Literature

An easy grin played across his face as he slouched and faced the reporters.

From Literature

Of course those activities are "a good thing" she says, but they won't make up for sitting all day at work staring at a screen or spending the evening slouching on the couch.

From BBC

I slouch in my seat; he, for almost the whole hourlong conversation, sits on the edge of his.

From The Wall Street Journal

My hair was slicked back under a dirty slouch hat, and my dusty boots stuck out from beneath a ratty pair of men’s trousers.

From Literature

Related Words

• crouch
• droop
• loll