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(ɹ)kəl

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Verb

hurkle (third-person singular simple present hurkles, present participle hurkling, simple past and past participle hurkled)

1. (intransitive) to draw in the parts of the body, especially with pain or cold
2. to cower
3. (of the limbs) to contract, to pull in

Derived terms

• hurkle-durkle

Middle English

Verb

hurkle

1. Alternative form of hurtelen

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 simple present hurkles, present participle hurklin, simple past hurkled, past participle hurkled)

1. to sit huddled in a crouched position either for warmth or secrecy, to draw oneself together like a crouching animal
2. to walk with the body in a crouching position

Derived terms

• hurklin (“hunchbacked, misshapen”)

Noun

hurkle (plural hurkles)

1. (anatomy) the upper part of the thigh, the hip

Derived terms

• hurkle-bane (“hip bone”)