slouch

What it means

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

   He sat with an unenthusiastic slouch.

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

   The plant hung in a permanent slouch.

3. Someone who is slow to act.

   Its Rotten Tomatoes score — 97 percent — is similar to that of “The Godfather” and “Schindler’s List.” Plus, unlike those latter two slouches, this cartoon has singalong screenings in the United States, Britain and Australia.

   2025 August 16, Euny Hong, “‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Is My Kind of Globalism”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

   1 more example

   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.

   2014 September 16, Ian Jack, “Is this the end of Britishness”, in The Guardian

   Synonyms: idler, loafer, laggard, underachiever · Antonyms: achiever, go-getter

In a sentence

He sat with an unenthusiastic slouch.

Where it comes from

1. Latinlaxus“loose, slack”
2. Swedishslak“slack, soft and flexible”
3. Old Norseslókr“lazy fellow”
4. Middle Englishslugge
5. Englishslouch

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”).