English Reference

Word

slouch

US/ˈsɫaʊtʃ/

UK/slˈaʊtʃ/

Definitions

01to sit or stand poorly

B2

v. to sit, stand, or walk with your shoulders and head dropped forward in a lazy way.

v. to adopt a drooping or limp posture while sitting, standing, or walking.

“Try not to slouch in your chair during the interview, as it looks unprofessional.”

“The teenager continued to slouch against the wall, appearing entirely indifferent to the principal's stern lecture regarding his recent absences.”

Synonyms

slumphunchdroop

02to walk lazily

C1

v. to walk in a slow, clumsy, or lazy manner.

v. to move or walk with a heavy, clumsy, or indolent gait.

“He slouched into the room and threw his bag on the floor.”

“After the defeat, the players slouched toward the locker room, their heads hanging low in disappointment.”

Informal

Synonyms

Antonyms

03a lazy or unskilled person

C1

n. a person who is lazy or does not work hard; often used in the phrase 'no slouch'.

n. an awkward, lazy, or incompetent person; most commonly encountered in the idiomatic negative 'no slouch' to indicate high competence.

“She is no slouch when it comes to math; she finished the test in ten minutes.”

“Although he was new to the industry, he proved he was no slouch when it came to negotiating complex international contracts.”

Informal

Usage

Usually used in the negative construction 'be no slouch at something'.

Synonyms

idlerlayabout

04a drooping posture

B2

n. a way of sitting or standing where your back is not straight.

n. a drooping or rounded physical carriage of the body.

“His permanent slouch was the result of years spent working at a low desk.”

“The physical therapist noted that the patient's habitual slouch was contributing significantly to his chronic lower back pain.”

Synonyms

Antonyms

uprightness

Real-World Examples

“Unmarried, he is slouching into an impecunious and unloved middle age, apprehensive about the coming changes in medical practice and pessimistic about his future.”
The Guardian · 22 May 2009

Etymology

Unclear. Perhaps from Middle English slugge, from Old Norse slókr (“lazy fellow”). See also Swedish sloka (“to slouch, wilt”), related to Swedish slak (“slack, soft and flexible”) and Latin laxus (“loose, slack”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
C2 · Proficiency
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

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