squat
- to sit in a low or crouching position with the legs drawn up closely beneath or in front of the body; sit on one's haunches or heels.
- to crouch down or cower, as an animal.
- to settle on or occupy property, especially otherwise unoccupied property, without any title, right, or payment of rent.
- to settle on public land under government regulation, in order to acquire title.
- Nautical. (of a vessel, especially a power vessel) to draw more water astern when in motion forward than when at rest.
- to cause to squat.
- to occupy (property) as a squatter.
- (of a person, animal, the body, etc.) short and thickset.
- low and thick or broad: The building had a squat shape.
- seated or being in a squatting position; crouching.
- the act or fact of squatting.
- a squatting position or posture.
- a weightlifting exercise in which a person squats and then returns to an erect position while holding a barbell at the back of the shoulders.
- Nautical. the tendency of a vessel to draw more water astern when in motion than when stationary.
- Slang. doodly-squat.
- a place occupied by squatters.
Origin of squat
Synonyms for squat
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comExamples from the Web for squatted
Contemporary Examples of squatted
Gingerly, about 30 couples lay down and squatted on mats and rugs for the mass face-sit.
Historical Examples of squatted
Sami squatted down and pulled at the weeds with all his might.
What Sami Sings with the BirdsJohanna Spyri
In ten minutes the old Indian was delivering an oration to us, squatted in resignation.
The ForestStewart Edward White
He squatted there like a pope with his cheek of earlier days.
L'AssommoirEmile Zola
He squatted beside me on the sand, his eyes searching my face.
The Man the Martians MadeFrank Belknap Long
When she sat up, Richard squatted just out of reach, watching curiously.
Tree, Spare that WoodmanDave Dryfoos
squat
- to rest in a crouching position with the knees bent and the weight on the feet
- to crouch down, esp in order to hide
- law (tr) to occupy land or property to which the occupant has no legal title
- weightlifting to crouch down to one's knees and rise to a standing position while holding (a specified weight) behind one's neck
- Also: squatty (ˈskwɒtɪ) short and broada squat chair
- a squatting position
- weightlifting an exercise in which a person crouches down and rises up repeatedly while holding a barbell at shoulder height
- a house occupied by squatters
Word Origin for squat
Word Origin and History for squatted
squat
early 15c., "crouch on the heels," from Old French esquatir "press down, lay flat, crush," from es- "out" (from Latin ex-) + Old French quatir "press down, flatten," from Vulgar Latin *coactire "press together, force," from Latin coactus, past participle of cogere "to compel, curdle, collect" (see cogent). Related: Squatted; squatting. Slang noun sense of "nothing at all" first attested 1934, probably suggestive of squatting to defecate. The adjective sense of "short, thick" dates from 1620s.