hunker

/ˈhʌŋkər/
verb
  1. To crouch down or sit on one's heels with the knees bent.
    • The soldiers hunkered in the trench to avoid enemy fire.
    • The children hunkered down behind the sofa during the game.
    • He hunkered to tie his shoelaces.
  2. To settle in and prepare to stay for a long time, often in a difficult situation.
    • We hunkered down for a long winter with plenty of supplies.
    • The family hunkered down in the basement during the storm.
    • The team hunkered down to finish the project before the deadline.
Antonyms
What does "hunker" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean