# squat

/ˈskwɑt/ (US) · /skwˈɒt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/squat
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to crouch down

verb · CEFR B1

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

For teachers: 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.

### 2. to live in a building illegally

verb · CEFR B2

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

For teachers: 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.

### 3. an exercise

noun · CEFR B1

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

For teachers: 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.

### 4. an occupied building

noun · CEFR B2

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

For teachers: 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.

### 5. nothing at all

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal · Slang · American English

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

For teachers: 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.

Teaching tip: Often used as a shortened form of 'diddly-squat'. It is very informal and can sound slightly aggressive.

### 6. short and wide

adjective · CEFR B2

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

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- He had to squat down to tie his shoelaces.
- The group decided to squat in the abandoned warehouse until the city provided better housing options.
- During the power lifting competition, she managed to squat twice her body weight, demonstrating exceptional lower-body strength and stability.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.