Definition

1. Noun:
   • The act of assuming or maintaining a crouching position with the knees bent and the buttocks near the heels: "Squatting" refers to the physical posture where the body is lowered close to the ground with bent knees.
   • Exercising by repeatedly assuming a crouching position with the knees bent; strengthens the leg muscles: "Squatting" also describes a specific strength-training exercise involving lowering and raising the body from this position.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The gardener was in a squatting position while weeding the flower beds.
  • Regular squatting is excellent for building quadriceps and gluteal strength.

Advanced Usage

• "to be caught squatting": to be discovered in the act of occupying a property without permission (a legal/idiomatic extension from the posture of hiding or residing illicitly).
  • The property owner found the trespassers squatting in the abandoned warehouse.

Variants and Related Words

• Squat (verb): to crouch or sit in a squatting position.
  • He had to squat to look under the car.
• Squat (noun/adjective): can describe the posture itself or something that is short and thick.
• Squatter (noun): a person who occupies unused or abandoned property without legal claim.

Synonyms

• Crouching: bending the knees and lowering the body.
• Hunkering (down): settling into a squatting position.

Related Phrases

• Squat thrust: an exercise that combines a squat with a leg thrust.
• Squat rack: gym equipment designed to support weight during squat exercises.

Notes on Different Meanings

The primary meanings are physical (posture and exercise). In socio-legal contexts, "squatting" can refer to the unauthorized occupation of land or buildings, deriving from the idea of someone settling in a place (like assuming a position). This secondary meaning is listed here as it is a direct derivative of the verb "to squat."

Noun

1. the act of assuming or maintaining a crouching position with the knees bent and the buttocks near the heels
2. exercising by repeatedly assuming a crouching position with the knees bent; strengthens the leg muscles