Forms: 4–5 sqwat, 5 sqwate, 5–6 squatte, 6 sqwatte, 7 squatt, 9 squot, 5– squat. [ad. OF. esquatir, esquater, f. es- EX- + quatir QUAT v.1 Cf. the early combs. out-squat OUT- 15 and TO-SQUAT v.]
I. 1. trans. To crush, flatten, or beat out of shape; to smash or squash; to bruise severely. Now dial.
a. 1300. E. E. Psalter cix. 6. Sqwat sal he heuedes, blode and bane, In þe land of mani-ane.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. II. 68. Þis stoon shal falle on siche men, and squatte hem al to poudir. Ibid. (1382), 2 Sam. xxii. 8. The foundementis of hillis ben togidir smyten and squat.
1570. Redford, Marriage Wit & Sci., 216. In twenty gobbetes I showld have squatted them.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, 86. The same … is good for such as are squatte and brused with falling from above.
1674. Ray, Coll. Words, 77. To Squat, to bruise or make flat by letting fall…. Suss.
a. 1722. Lisle, Husb. (1757), 189. Iron-clayted shoes do not well to thresh wheat in, especially if it be new corn; for such shoes squat and bruise it much. Ibid., 262. It often happens, that such a cow’s knees fall against the side or flank of the cow with calf, and so squat the calf.
1825–. in many dial. glossaries and texts.
b. To dash down heavily or with some force; also, † to knock (gently). Now dial.
a. 1400. Leg. Rood (1871), 142. But whon þe Roode ros and doun was squat, Þe nayles renten him hondes and feete.
1519. Horman, Vulg., 178 b. If it be gluishe … and squatted on the grounde scatereth nat; it is a token of a fatte grounde.
1538. Elyot, Allido, to squatte or throw any thing agaynst the grounde or walles.
1599. T. M[oufet], Silkwormes, 59. Now squatting them vppon the floore or ground, Now squashing out their bellies soft and round.
1609. C. Butler, Fem. Mon., x. K vj. The Bees being dead, squat the hiue softly against the ground.
1828–. in Yks. glossaries.
† c. To knock out by smashing. Obs.–1
1553. Respublica (Brandl), V. vii. 28. Woulde ye have om sqwatte owt ous braine?
† d. To drive, force or thrust violently or abruptly. Obs.
1655. Gurnall, Chr. in Arm., II. 554. He saw the King like to recover, and he squatted his disease … to his heart by the wet cloth.
1686. F. Spence, trans. Varillas’ Ho. Medicis, 110. The Cardinal-Nephew’s continual Riots had squatted him in his Coffin at twenty-eight years old.
† 2. fig. To suppress; to repress. Obs. rare.
1577. Stanyhurst, Descr. Ireland, iii. 11 b/1, in Holinshed. Saying that although lawes were squatted in warre, yet notwithstanding they ought to be reuiued in peace. Ibid. (1582), Æneis, I. (Arb.), 24. His grief deepe squatting, hoap he yeelds with phisnomye cheereful.
† 3. intr. To fall or dash with some force or violence. Obs. rare.
1587. A. Day, Daphnis & Chloe (1890), 141. The yoong youth … shooke the raskall off, and that so rudelie, as his pampered drunken carcas squatted against the ground.
c. 1590. in Hazl., E. P. P., IV. 218. Thou shalte be handled for the nonce, That all thy braynes on the ground shall squat.
II. 4. refl. To seat (oneself) upon the hams or haunches; to take one’s seat in a crouching attitude or posture.
c. 1410. Master of Game (MS. Digby 182), xxxiv. And if it happe … þat she sqwat not her a forne þe houndes.
1737. Gray, Lett., in Poems (1775), 24. At the foot of one of these squats me I.
1775. Mme. D’Arblay, Early Diary, 6 Dec. The Prince at last squatted himself on the corner of a form.
1836. W. Irving, Astoria, II. 29. An old man … squatted himself near the door.
1842. Lover, Handy Andy, xxiii. He followed the cat, and off she went and squatted herself under the hedge.
fig. 1603. Florio, Montaigne, I. xxiii. (1632), 59. And seeking to squat himselfe [Fr. se desrober], hee the more enflamed and called them upon him.
b. Similarly with down. (Cf. 6 b.)
a. 1535. More, Wks., 1359/2. When thou hadest ietted thy fil, squat the down fair & wel in a chaire.
1583. Golding, Calvin on Deut., 1050. Yet will they squatte them downe in their filthinesse.
1641. Smectymnuus, Answ. Humb. Rem. (1653), Post. 88. The Archbishop of York, striving to sit above Canterbury, squatts him down on his lap.
1771. Smollett, Humph. Cl. (1815), 172. Curtseying so low, that I thought she intended to squat herself down on the floor.
1772–84. Cook’s Voy. (1790), IV. 1389. At the conclusion of each combat, the victor squatted himself down before the chief.
1806. J. Beresford, Miseries Hum. Life, IV. viii. Two friends, perfect strangers to you, squatting themselves down at your right and left hand.
1852. Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., xviii. She set down her basket, [and] squatted herself down.
c. With quasi-reflexive object. Also, to let (the tail) droop or fall.
1727. A. Hamilton, New Acc. E. Ind., I. xxii. 262. Assoon as he saw me, he squatted his Belly to the Ground,… and crawled slowly towards me.
1739. R. Bull, trans. Dedekindus’ Grobianus, 102. When Eloquence your Wrath has overcome, Then offer in a Chair to squat your Bum.
1801. Surr, Splendid Misery, I. 172. Foul imps of ignominy will squat their loathsome forms on my unbruised bones.
1825. Mirror, V. 30/1. A mad dog … generally goes … in a straight line … and never squats his tail.
5. intr. Of hares: To sit close to the ground in a crouching attitude; to crouch or cower down, esp. in order to avoid observation or capture.
c. 1410. Master of Game (MS. Digby 182), i. And somtyme [the hare runs] a litell while and thenn abydith and squattith, and that done they ofte.
1576. Turberv., Venerie, lix. 163. If she come to the side of any yong spring or groue, she will … squat vnder the side thereof. Ibid., lxi. 172. Yet they will squatte vpon the outsides of the wayes or very neare to them.
1605. Tryall Chev., III. ii. in Bullen, Old Pl. (1884), III. If they were hares as they are men, I should think them squatted.
1660. W. Secker, Nonsuch Prof., 56. The fearful Hare squats at every noyse.
1711. Budgell, Spect., No. 116, ¶ 7. The Hare now, after having squatted two or three Times, and been put up again as often [etc.].
1731. Fielding, Grub St. Op., I. iv. Poor puss’s cunning, and shifting, and shunning!… First this way, then that; First a stretch, and then squat.
1821. Clare, Vill. Minstr., II. 196. The coy hare squats nestling in the corn.
1838. [see SQUAT sb.1 4].
fig. 1653. A. Wilson, Jas. I., 248. Two great Favourites though of different Kingdoms could not well squat in one form.
1676. Hobbes, Iliad, XXII. 333. So coursed Hector was, Nor suffer’d was to double or to squat.
b. Of other animals, birds, etc.
c. 1410. Master of Game (MS. Digby 182), ii. Þen he [the hart] maketh a ruse … and þere he stalleth or squatteth.
1599. T. M[oufet], Silkwormes, 36. Did euer thing do Cupid so much ill As once a Bee which on his hand did squat?
1601. Holland, Pliny, I. 262. He [sc. the ram-fish] squatteth close under the shade of bigge ships.
1611. Cotgr., Blotir, to squat, skowke, or ly close to the ground, like a daring Larke.
1665. Hooke, Microgr., 184. It [sc. a fly] presently squats down, as it were, that it may be the more ready for its rise.
1826. Hood, Irish Schoolm., vi. Also he schools some tame familiar fowls, Whereof, above his head, some two or three Sit darkly squatting.
1865. Livingstone, Zambesi, xv. 306. Then the Crocodiles squat on them till they are drowned.
1895. J. G. Millais, Breath fr. Veldt (1899), 92. If then suddenly approached with a pointer, they become confused and squat well.
6. Of persons: To sit down with the legs closely drawn up beneath the hams or in front of the body; esp. to sit on the ground in this way or in a crouching attitude. Also jocularly, to sit (down).
Freq. const. with preps., esp. on or upon (the ground, hams, etc.).
1573. Tusser, Husb. (1878), 43. Then squatteth the master, or trudgeth away, and after dog runneth as fast as he may.
1784. Russell, Hist. Mod. Europe (1818), V. 186. Canadians and Indians … squatted below bushes, or skulked behind trees.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., II. 37. Men and women squat round this mat, which is covered with dishes.
1806. J. Beresford, Miseries Hum. Life, X. vi. Squatting plump on an unsuspected cat in your chair.
1865. Livingstone, Zambesi, viii. 174. The operator squatting, places his great toes on each end to keep all steady.
1878. Bosw. Smith, Carthage, 437. With groups of camels … tended all night long by some swarthy Arab squatting on his haunches.
1883. Stevenson, Treas. Isl., III. xiv. I crawled under cover of the nearest live-oak, and squatted there.
transf. 1895. Zangwill, Master, I. viii. 93. The rock that squatted on guard at the mouth of the harbour.
1906. Sir F. Treves, Highways Dorset, viii. 115. A commonplace town squatting soberly in the meadows.
b. With down. (Cf. 4 b.)
1609. Dekker, Gull’s Horn Bk., Wks. (Grosart), II. 207. Teach them both how to squat downe to their meat, and how to munch … like Loobies.
1687. A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., I. 33. They squat down upon their heels, like Taylors, about the Soffta.
1768–74. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1834), I. 128. She squats down upon a chair.
1812. Combe, Syntax, Picturesque, III. Down on the grass the Doctor squatted.
1840. R. H. Dana, Bef. Mast, xiv. The lazy Indians … squatting down upon their hams.
1901. D. B. Hall & Ld. A. Osborne, Sunshine & Surf, vi. 60. We would all squat down cross-legged, which is the correct way to sit at a native meal.
fig. 1760. Foote, Minor, II. Your gettings should be added to his estate, and my cousin Margery and I squat down together in the comfortable state of matrimony.
c. In pa. pple. used predicatively.
1577. Grange, Golden Aphroditis, L iij b. Thus squatted vpon this pleasaunt mount from mornyns to euenyng they spende their tyme.
1798. O’Keeffe, Wild Oats, V. iv. Leaving me, a chubby little fellow, squatted on a carpet.
1816. Tuckey, Narr. Exped. R. Zaire, iv. (1818), 137. The assembly was composed of about fifty persons squatted in the sand.
1867. Lady Herbert, Cradle L., i. 15. The guests being seated, or rather squatted, on the divan.
1886. C. Scott, Sheep-Farming, 82. Catch the ewe gently with the crook; lay her on her left side, yourself being squatted at her back.
† d. To crouch or lie down (upon the belly).
1650. T. B[ayley], Worcester’s Apoph., 88. As soon as ever he came in sight of the enemy, he squatted upon his belly.
7. trans. To cause to squat; to put into, place in, a squatting attitude or posture. rare.
1600. Breton, Pasquil’s Fooles-cap, lxxvi. Hee that squats a Hare within a furrowe, And sees how shee within her Muce doth Nuzzle.
1744. Gray, in Gosse, Gray (1882), 74. He came to meet me…, [and] squatted me into a fauteuil.
1850. Bentley’s Misc., Nov., 597. They next squatted Sam upon the ground, and began to divest him of the hair of his head.
8. intr. † a. fig. To sink into (something lower or less important). Obs.–1
1641. Milton, Ch. Govt., I. vi. The lofty minds … thought it a poor indignity, that the high-rear’d Government of the Church should so on a sudden … squat into a Presbytery.
† b. With in: To remain hid; to retire from view. Obs.
1655. Gurnall, Chr. in Arm., xi. (1669), 43/2. Peter, whose grace that squatted in for a while, came forth with such a force [etc.]. Ibid., xv. 165/2. It makes all the joy which flusht out before, squat in on a sudden.
c. To sink in or down, in various uses.
1687. A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., II. 54. These Borrachios must be wet every half quarter of an hour, for fear they should squat for want of Wine.
a. 1722. Lisle, Husb. (1757), 80. The inner parts of these lands bind and squat together below the harrow tinings.
1846. Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., VII. II. 591. The peas soon shake hands across the furrow, and to attempt to hoe after they have done so, or have squatted, will [etc.].
9. To settle upon new, uncultivated or unoccupied land without any legal title and without the payment of rent. Orig. U.S.
Freq. const. on or upon (land).
1800. Mississippi Territorial Archives (1906), 212. I wish also to be instructed for my Conduct towards those people Squatting or establishing themselves upon the Public Lands.
1829. Marryat, F. Mildmay, xxi. He was a Kentucky man, of the Ohio, where he had ‘squatted,’ as we say.
1854. Thoreau, Walden (1863), 70. As for a habitat, if I were not permitted still to squat, I might purchase one acre.
1884. St. James’s Gaz., 20 June, 6/1. The ancestors of many of the present freeholders began to squat upon the uncultivated slopes of the hills.
transf. 1879. Dixon, Windsor, IV. xxix. 269. Paupers had squatted in many of the towers.
b. Austr. To rent or take up government or crown land for pasturage as a squatter.
1828. P. Cunningham, N. S. Wales (ed. 3), II. 154. They have therefore … much to gain by new settlers ‘squatting’ near their locations.
1852. Earp, Gold Col. Australia, 98. The remaining mode of occupying land in New South Wales is to ‘squat,’ i. e. to lease a large tract from the Government for purposes purely pastoral.
1870. Daily News, 15 Feb., 5/4. A tract of 160 acres of Government land, on which he ‘squatted,’ with the right to buy it at five English shillings an acre.
