hunker down in WordNet English dictionary

1. sit on one's heels
   "In some cultures, the women give birth while squatting"; "The children hunkered down to protect themselves from the sandstorm"
   squat  crouch  scrunch  scrunch up  hunker  hunker down 
   
2. hold stubbornly to a position
   "The wife hunkered down and the husband's resistance began to break down"
   hunker down 
   
3. take shelter
   "During the sandstorm, they hunkered down in a small hut"
   hunker down