hurkle
English
Alternative forms
- hurple, hirple, hurtle
Etymology
A word of unknown origin, perhaps cognate with Scots hirple (“to limp”) or Dutch hurken (“to squat”), plus the suffix -le. This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.
Pronunciation
- Rhymes: -ɜː(r)kəl
Verb
hurkle (third-person singular simple present hurkles, present participle hurkling, simple past and past participle hurkled)
- (intransitive) to draw in the parts of the body, especially with pain or cold
- to cower
- (of the limbs) to contract, to pull in
Scots
Etymology
Unknown. May come from Old Norse, possibly related to Dutch hurken (“to squat”). This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [hʌrkl], [hɪrkl]
Verb
hurkle (third-person singular present hurkles, present participle hurklin, past hurkled, past participle hurkled)
- to sit huddled in a crouched position either for warmth or secrecy, to draw oneself together like a crouching animal
- to walk with the body in a crouching position
Derived terms
- hurklin (“hunchbacked, misshapen”)
Noun
hurkle (plural hurkles)
- (anatomy) the upper part of the thigh, the hip
Derived terms
- hurkle-bane (“hip bone”)