squatting

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squat

 (skwŏt)
v. squat·ted, squat·ting, squats
v.intr.
1. To sit in a crouching position with knees bent and the buttocks on or near the heels.
2. To crouch down, as an animal does.
3. To settle on unoccupied land without legal claim.
4. To occupy a given piece of public land in order to acquire title to it.
v.tr.
1. To put (oneself) into a crouching posture.
2. To occupy as a squatter.
3. Sports To lift (an amount of weight) when doing a squat.
adj. squat·ter, squat·test
1. Short and thick; low and broad.
2. Crouched in a squatting position.
n.
1. The act of squatting.
2. A squatting or crouching posture.
3. Sports A lift or a weightlifting exercise in which one squats and stands while holding a weighted barbell supported by the back of the shoulders.
4. Chiefly British The place occupied by a squatter.
5. The lair of an animal such as a hare.
6. Slang A small or worthless amount; diddly-squat.

[Middle English squatten, from Old French esquatir, to crush : es-, intensive pref. (from Latin ex-; see ex-) + quatir, to press flat (from Vulgar Latin *coāctīre, from Latin coāctus, past participle of cōgere, to compress : co-, co- + agere, to drive; see ag- in Indo-European roots).]

squat′ter n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

squatting

(ˈskwɒtɪŋ)
n
(Law) the practice of occupying land or property to which one has no legal title
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.squatting - exercising by repeatedly assuming a crouching position with the knees bentsquatting - exercising by repeatedly assuming a crouching position with the knees bent; strengthens the leg muscles
leg exercise - exercise designed to strengthen the leg muscles
2.squatting - the act of assuming or maintaining a crouching position with the knees bent and the buttocks near the heels
movement, motility, motion, move - a change of position that does not entail a change of location; "the reflex motion of his eyebrows revealed his surprise"; "movement is a sign of life"; "an impatient move of his hand"; "gastrointestinal motility"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
References in classic literature ?
The females and young squatted in a thin line at the outer periphery of the circle, while just in front of them ranged the adult males.
They squatted beneath the trees upon the southern edge of a clearing.
For what seemed hours Carthoris squatted upon the stone floor of his prison, his back against the wall in which was sunk the heavy eye-bolt that secured the chain which held him.
However, he spoke soothingly to the animal who squatted at the Russian's side looking first at one and then another of the sailors.
In the stern was Mugambi, and just in front of him squatted Akut, while between Akut and Tarzan the twelve hairy apes sat upon their haunches, blinking dubiously this way and that, and now and then turning their eyes longingly back toward shore.
He did not consider the natives squatting about them as of sufficient consequence to consider, since they would not understand the language in which he addressed Virginia, and in the dusk he failed to note that Sing squatted with the Dyaks, close behind them.
Karain never moved without that attendant, who stood or squatted close at his back.
On the platform proper squatted an enormous warrior heavily loaded with metal ornaments, gay-colored feathers and beautifully wrought leather trappings ingeniously set with precious stones.
At his feet had squatted his three old wives, the oldest of them, toothless and somewhat palsied, ever presenting to his hand, at his head nod, a basket rough-woven of pandanus leaf.
He turned his eyes upon the rykor and squatted there glaring at the insensate thing.