To crouch means to bend your knees and lower your body close to the ground while staying on your feet. Picture a baseball catcher behind home plate, knees bent, ready to catch the pitch. That's crouching.

Athletes crouch at starting lines before races, coiling their muscles like springs ready to explode forward. A photographer might crouch down to get a better angle for a picture. You might crouch behind a couch during hide-and-seek, or crouch low when walking through a space with a low ceiling.

Crouching isn't the same as kneeling (where your knees touch the ground) or sitting (where you're fully resting). When you crouch, you're balanced on your feet, ready to move quickly if needed. That's why animals often crouch before pouncing, and why people crouch when moving carefully through dangerous areas.

The position can feel uncomfortable if held too long because your leg muscles have to work hard to keep you balanced. But crouching gives you advantages: you're harder to spot, you can move in tight spaces, and you're positioned to spring into action instantly.