slouch
slouch — verb
- slouchpresent simple I / you / we / they
- sloucheshe / she / it
- slouchedpast simple
- slouching-ing form
1. to let your shoulders drop forward and your head hang low when you sit, stand, o
to let your shoulders drop forward and your head hang low when you sit, stand, or walk, giving your body a tired or careless look
Ada slouched in her chair through the entire three-hour meeting.
slouch + in [seat/chair]
Vivek stopped slouching the moment the teacher glanced his way.
stop slouching — common correction
Jenna slouches whenever she scrolls on her phone for too long.
Ignacio slouched so badly at his desk that his back ached by noon.
Min caught himself slouching at the dinner table and sat up straight.
- stand tall
opposite posture: upright and confident
- straighten up
the action of correcting a slouched position
文法句型
slouch + in/on/at + place
slouch + adverb
用法筆記
Often implies the person looks tired, bored, or lazy, even when these feelings are not stated directly.
常見錯誤
slouch — noun
- slouchsingular
- slouchesplural
1. a body position where the upper body droops forward, often signalling tiredness,
a body position where the upper body droops forward, often signalling tiredness, boredom, or low confidence
Mira's slouch gave away how exhausted she was after the night shift.
possessive + slouch — describing someone's posture
The photographer asked Ari to lose the slouch and stand tall for the portrait.
lose the slouch — common instruction
Naoko noticed her daughter's slouch was getting worse during exam season.
With a slouch that spoke of defeat, Mauricio walked slowly back to the bench.
- stoop
more often associated with a permanent bend from the waist, especially in older people
用法筆記
Distinguish from the verb sense (guide word HANG FORWARD): the noun describes the posture itself as a thing someone has, while the verb describes the action of adopting it.
2. a person who lacks skill, ability, or drive — almost always used in the negative
a person who lacks skill, ability, or drive — almost always used in the negative phrase 'no slouch' to praise someone who is actually good at something
Andrei is no slouch on the tennis court — he reached the semi-finals last year.
no slouch + on [domain]
Ziad may be the youngest on the team, but he is no slouch at coding.
no slouch + at [activity]
The head chef is no slouch in the kitchen — she trained under two Michelin-starred masters.
Kwame finished the marathon in under four hours, so he is clearly no slouch.
- nobody
more dismissive and general; 'slouch' is specifically about lacking ability
- lightweight
informal; suggests someone lacks influence or substance, not just skill
文法句型
no slouch
not a slouch
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the negative form 'no slouch' or 'not a slouch.' The affirmative 'he is a slouch' is rare and sounds dated.