SQUAT (squatted, squatter, squattest, squatting)

Pronunciation (US):

• SQUAT (noun)
  The noun SQUAT has 3 senses:

1. exercising by repeatedly assuming a crouching position with the knees bent; strengthens the leg muscles
2. a small worthless amount
3. the act of assuming or maintaining a crouching position with the knees bent and the buttocks near the heels

  Familiarity information: SQUAT used as a noun is uncommon.

• SQUAT (adjective)
  The adjective SQUAT has 2 senses:

1. short and thick; as e.g. having short legs and heavy musculature
2. having a low center of gravity; built low to the ground

  Familiarity information: SQUAT used as an adjective is rare.

• SQUAT (verb)
  The verb SQUAT has 3 senses:

1. sit on one's heels
2. be close to the earth, or be disproportionately wide
3. occupy (a dwelling) illegally

  Familiarity information: SQUAT used as a verb is uncommon.

• SQUAT (noun)

Meaning:

Exercising by repeatedly assuming a crouching position with the knees bent; strengthens the leg muscles

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

knee bend; squat; squatting

Hypernyms ("squat" is a kind of...):

leg exercise (exercise designed to strengthen the leg muscles)

Meaning:

A small worthless amount

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Synonyms:

jack; doodly-squat; diddlysquat; diddlyshit; diddly-squat; diddly-shit; diddly; diddley; squat; shit

Context example:

you don't know jack

Hypernyms ("squat" is a kind of...):

small indefinite amount; small indefinite quantity (an indefinite quantity that is below average size or magnitude)

Meaning:

The act of assuming or maintaining a crouching position with the knees bent and the buttocks near the heels

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

squatting; squat

Hypernyms ("squat" is a kind of...):

motility; motion; move; movement (a change of position that does not entail a change of location)

• SQUAT (adjective)

Meaning:

Short and thick; as e.g. having short legs and heavy musculature

Synonyms:

squatty; squat; low-set; stumpy; dumpy; chunky

Context examples:

some people seem born to be square and chunky / a dumpy little dumpling of a woman / dachshunds are long lowset dogs with drooping ears / a little church with a squat tower / a squatty red smokestack / a stumpy ungainly figure

Similar:

short (low in stature; not tall)

Meaning:

Having a low center of gravity; built low to the ground

Synonyms:

squat; underslung

Similar:

low (literal meanings; being at or having a relatively small elevation or upward extension)

• SQUAT (verb)

Meaning:

Sit on one's heels

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

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

Context examples:

In some cultures, the women give birth while squatting / The children hunkered down to protect themselves from the sandstorm

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

sit; sit down (be seated)

Sentence frames:

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

Sentence examples:

The children squat in the rocking chair
There squat some children in the rocking chair

Meaning:

Be close to the earth, or be disproportionately wide

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

The building squatted low

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

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something

Meaning:

Occupy (a dwelling) illegally

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

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

lodge in; occupy; reside (live (in a certain place))

Sentence frames:

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