slouch

C2 Topic:General Vocabulary

US /ˈslɐʊ̯t͡ʃ/ UK /ˈslaʊ̯t͡ʃ/ See IPA manual

Freq #31616

Meanings

1

noun
A hanging down of the head; a drooping posture; a limp appearance

He sat with an unenthusiastic slouch.
2

noun
Any depression or hanging down, as of a hat brim.

The plant hung in a permanent slouch.
3

noun
Someone who is slow to act.

In any case, Scotland has been no slouch at national invention. The Greek temple to commemorate James Thomson wasn’t the only monument raised by the 11th Earl of Buchan, who was a friend and neighbour of Walter Scott, and as great a romancer in his obsession with ruins, battlements and fancy dress.
4

verb
To hang or droop; to adopt a limp posture

Do not slouch when playing a flute.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

3 noun · someone who is slow to act. achievergo-getter idler laggard loaferunderachiever

4 verb · to hang or droop; to adopt... droop loll slump stoop

Word family

Forms slouching

Derived forms sloucherslouchinglyslouchy

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

slouch hat
a soft felt hat with a broad flexible brim

Noun + noun

Etymology

Unclear. Perhaps from Middle English slugge, from Old Norse slókr (“lazy fellow”). See also Swedish sloka (“to slouch, wilt”), related to Swedish slak (“slack, soft and flexible”) and Latin laxus (“loose, slack”).

Topics

General Vocabulary

External links

# slouch

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈslɐʊ̯t͡ʃ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈslaʊ̯t͡ʃ/
**Frequency rank:** 31616

## Meanings
1. A hanging down of the head; a drooping posture; a limp appearance
2. Any depression or hanging down, as of a hat brim.
3. Someone who is slow to act.
4. To hang or droop; to adopt a limp posture

## Examples
- He sat with an unenthusiastic slouch.
- The plant hung in a permanent slouch.
- In any case, Scotland has been no slouch at national invention. The Greek temple to commemorate James Thomson wasn’t the only monument raised by the 11th Earl of Buchan, who was a friend and neighbour of Walter Scott, and as great a romancer in his obsession with ruins, battlements and fancy dress.
- Do not slouch when playing a flute.

## Derived Forms
- sloucher
- slouchingly
- slouchy

## Etymology
Unclear. Perhaps from Middle English slugge, from Old Norse slókr (“lazy fellow”). See also Swedish sloka (“to slouch, wilt”), related to Swedish slak (“slack, soft and flexible”) and Latin laxus (“loose, slack”).

## Topics
- General Vocabulary

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