hunch
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a feeling or guess that something is true, even if you do not have proof yet.
n.an intuitive feeling or premonition regarding a situation or event, lacking immediate empirical evidence.
Simple“I had a hunch that the meeting would be cancelled, so I stayed home.”
In context“The detective followed a gut hunch that the witness was withholding information, despite the lack of physical evidence at the scene.”
UsageCommonly used with the verbs 'have', 'follow', or 'act on'.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to lean forward and raise your shoulders, often because you are cold, tired, or hiding.
v.to arch the back and draw the shoulders forward and upward, often as a postural response to cold, concentration, or physical discomfort.
Simple“He had to hunch his shoulders to fit through the tiny doorway.”
In context“The programmer remained hunched over the keyboard for hours, oblivious to the growing tension in his neck and shoulders.”
UsageOften used with the particle 'up' or the preposition 'over'.
Antonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
n.a rounded lump or hump on a person's back.
n.a physical protuberance or hump, typically referring to a curvature of the spine.
Simple“The old man had a slight hunch in his back from years of hard work.”
In context“The character was described as having a prominent hunch, a physical trait that the author used to symbolise his years of social isolation.”
Synonymshumpprotuberance
Assibilated variant of hunk, of uncertain origin. Alternatively, a derivative of hump, via an earlier Middle English hunche, humpchin, from *hump + -chin, -chen (diminutive suffix), equivalent to hump + -kin. In the sense of an intuitive impression, said to be from the old gambling superstition that it brings luck to touch the hump of a hunchback.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.