squat

v. to lower your body by bending your knees while keeping your feet on the floor.

v. to sit on one's heels or crouch close to the ground by bending the knees fully.

“He had to squat down to talk to the small child at eye level.”

“The photographer had to squat in the mud for several minutes to capture the perfect low-angle shot of the rare orchid.”

v. to live in an empty building or on land without the owner's permission.

v. to occupy an abandoned or unoccupied area of land or a building without legal title or payment of rent.

“After the factory closed, several people started to squat in the empty warehouse.”

“The group decided to squat in the derelict Victorian villa to protest the lack of affordable housing in the city centre.”

n. an exercise where you lower and raise your body by bending your knees.

n. a weight-training or callisthenic exercise performed by lowering the hips from a standing position and then standing back up.

“She did thirty squats every morning as part of her leg workout.”

“The trainer emphasized that performing a squat with incorrect form could lead to significant lower back strain over time.”

n. a building that people are living in without the owner's permission.

n. a building or residence occupied by people who have no legal right to be there.

“The old police station has been turned into a famous artists' squat.”

“Authorities eventually cleared the squat, though the occupants argued they had improved the property during their three-year stay.”

n. nothing; used to say you have no money or know nothing about a topic.

n. used in negative constructions to mean 'nothing' or 'anything at all'.

“I worked all weekend and I still have squat to show for it.”

“Despite his claims of expertise, it became clear during the interview that he knew squat about the actual mechanics of the software.”

Informal · Slang · American English

adj. short and thick or wide in a way that looks strong but not graceful.

adj. disproportionately short and thick; low to the ground and broad.

“The teapot was squat and heavy, making it hard to pour.”

“The landscape was dotted with squat stone cottages that seemed built to withstand the fierce Atlantic gales.”