hunker down

verb

1. hold stubbornly to a position
   1. The wife hunkered down and the husband's resistance began to break down

2. sit on one's heels
   1. In some cultures, the women give birth while squatting
   2. The children hunkered down to protect themselves from the sandstorm

   Synonym:    squatcrouchscrunchscrunch uphunker

3. take shelter
   1. During the sandstorm, they hunkered down in a small hut