Hunker (down)

[Perry Lassiter]

Much of the United States has been hunkered down during this bill cold, icy, and snow. OEtymD she is the expiration dates from 1965, and is a southern colloquialism taken from England.probably not related to the other southern colloquialism – hanker- as in I've got a hankering for fried chicken.

[Slava]

Here's what our Dr. G. has to say on the matter.

Oh, and Perry, you might want to review what your voice-to-text software is coming up with.

[bnjtokyo]

In support of OEtymD, the ngram view leads us to "Idioms in the News - 1000 Phrases, Real Examples" by Peter Bergelsdorf who says the current meaning was not common until the 1970's. He quotes as an early example LIFE Magazine, Oct 27, 1967: "The President is said to be subdued these days, inclined to 'hunker down' and let the Vietnam criticism beat over him."