▪ I. slouching, vbl. n.
(ˈslaʊtʃɪŋ)
[f. slouch v.]
Ungainly walking, lounging or loafing, etc.
a 1764 Lloyd Dial. 285 As some take stiffness for a grace,..And others, for familiar air Mistake the slouching of a bear. 1891 Scrivener Our Fields & Cities 80 The men you see standing in groups..are branded lazy fellows, who prefer slouching to any other condition. |
▪ II. slouching, ppl. a.
(ˈslaʊtʃɪŋ)
[f. as prec.]
1. Hanging down, drooping; heavy. rare.
1611 Cotgr., Oreilles lasches, slowching, or hanging eares. 1655 tr. Com. Hist. Francion iii. 76 A famisht Norman..fell into such a passion against the Pastry-man,..that he flung all the Crust of the Pye at his slouching Chops. 1886 Westm. Rev. CXXV. 85 He had..rather rough-hewn slouching features. |
2. Of persons: Having an awkward, stooping, slip-shod carriage or gait; walking or moving with a slouch.
1668 H. More Div. Dial. ii. xxi. (1713) 157 The forcing of a rich, beautiful and vertuous Bride upon some poor slouching Clown. 1845 Dickens Chimes iii. 126 A slouching, moody, drunken sloven. 1868 Helps Realmah vii. (1876) 146 It did not..enable him to perceive a timid, slouching figure. 1874 Burnand My Time xi. 95 A slouching young man..touched his hat to me. |
3. Of a hat: Having a brim which hangs over the face. Also transf. of other garments, etc.: Hanging down in a loose untidy manner; slovenly.
1691 tr. Emilianne's Frauds Rom. Monks (ed. 3) 406, I go to the Lawyers..with my great Slouching-Hat. 1719 D'Urfey Pills I. 354 Next then the slouching Sledo, and our huge Button, And now our Coats, flanck broad, like Shoulder Mutton. 1840 Dickens Barn. Rudge xxxiv, Enveloped from head to foot in an old, frowsy, slouching horse-cloth. 1842 Borrow Bible in Spain xxiii, They wear the sombrero, or broad slouching hat of Spain. 1878 B. Harte Man on Beach 115 His thought was not always clothed in the best language, and often appeared in the slouching, slangy undress of the place and period. |
4. Marked or characterized by a slouch or clumsy stooping carriage or bearing.
a 1773 Chesterfield (Todd), The awkward, negligent, clumsy, and slouching manner of a booby. 1774 in Burke Corr. (1844) I. 513 Formerly they had a slouching, slovenly air. Now every peasant..is erect and soldier-like. 1838 Dickens Nich. Nick. xliv, The man..lingered with slouching steps by the wayside. 1888 F. Hume Mme. Midas i. Prol., He was followed by the dumb man with bent head and slouching gait. |
Hence ˈslouchingly adv., in a slouching or slovenly manner.
1858 Chambers's Jrnl. IX. 106 Men lounging about..in slouched attitudes, and slouchingly attired. 1889 M. E. Carter Mrs. Severn II. ii. ii. 141 Man and dog advanced slouchingly. |