squat
verb (used without object)
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.
were squatting
-
past progressiveof squat.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She says some families broke into the building and were squatting in the empty flats.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2024
Outside Jalalabad, I visited a neighborhood called Behsud, where thousands of families were squatting in abandoned compounds after fleeing violence and poverty in their home districts.
From The New Yorker ● Oct. 21, 2019
Others were squatting in abandoned homes around the city.
From Seattle Times ● May 8, 2019
In a neighbouring house, the two detainees were squatting in a corner, resting against the green walls of a bare room, lit by a fluorescent light that hung from the ceiling.
From The Guardian ● Nov. 21, 2017
They were squatting right at the halfway point where Henry had told them to stop, watching the men working.
From "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Pérez
