haunch

• haunce, haunse
• (architechture) hanch, hance, hanse

From Middle English haunche, hanche, from Old French hanche, hance, anche (compare French hanche, Italian anca), from a Germanic source, probably Frankish *hanka, from Proto-Germanic *ankō (“joint; ankle”), from Proto-Indo-European *ang- (“joint; lith”). Cognate with Old High German ancha, encha, einka (“the leg; joint, bend”) (compare Old High German anchila, enchila (“ankle”), German Hanke (“haunch”), West Frisian hancke (“haunch”). More at ankle.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /hɔːntʃ/, /hɒntʃ/
• (some accents) IPA^(key): /hɑːntʃ/
• (US) IPA^(key): /hɔntʃ/, /hɑntʃ/

• Audio (US)

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• Audio (AU)

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• Rhymes: -ɔːntʃ, -ɑːntʃ

haunch (plural haunches)

1. (anatomy) The area encompassing the upper thigh, hip and buttocks on one side of a human, primate, or quadruped animal, especially one that can sit on its hindquarters.
   • 2018 July 15, Jonathan Jurejko, “Novak Djokovic wins fourth Wimbledon by beating Kevin Anderson”, in BBC Sport‎:

     He dropped to his haunches just inside the baseline as Centre Court rose to acclaim the champion, hugging South African Anderson at the net before skipping over towards his box and celebrating wildly in front of his coaching team and wife Jelena.

2. The loin and leg of a quadruped, especially when used as food.
3. (architecture) A squat vertical support structure.

• 1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], chapter II, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. In Four Parts. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume II, London: Printed for Benj[amin] Motte, […], OCLC 995220039, part IV (A Voyage to the Houyhnhnms):

  But I had no time to pursue these reflections; for the gray horse came to the door, and made me a sign to follow him into the third room where I saw a very comely mare, together with a colt and foal, sitting on their haunches upon mats of straw, not unartfully made, and perfectly neat and clean.

• 18?? — John Greenleaf Whittier, The Garrison of Cape Ann

  On the rough-hewn oaken table the venison haunch was shared.

• 1855 — Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Song of Hiawatha, III

  And the rabbit from his path-way
  Leaped aside, and at a distance
  Sat erect upon his haunches.

• 1894 — Rudyard Kipling, The Jungle Book

  Now these are the Laws of the Jungle,
  and many and mighty are they;
  But the head and the hoof of the Law
  and the haunch and the hump is – Obey!

• 1916 — Wilfred Owen, The Wrestlers

  While Heracles, - the thews and cordage of his thighs
  Straitened and strained beyond the utmost stretch
  From quivering heel to haunch like sweating hawsers.

• c.1918 — Carl Sandburg, Fog

  The fog comes on little cat feet.
  It sits looking over harbor and city
  on silent haunches and then moves on.

haunch (third-person singular simple present haunches, present participle haunching, simple past and past participle haunched)

1. (transitive, architecture) To provide with a haunch or supporting structure.