hunker down

verbs

sit on one's heels
"In some cultures, the women give birth while squatting"; "The children hunkered down to protect themselves from the sandstorm"
crouch, hunker, hunker down, scrunch, scrunch up, squat
take shelter
"During the sandstorm, they hunkered down in a small hut"
hunker down
is a type of (narrower)
be or go into hiding; keep out of sight, as for protection and safety
"Probably his horse would be close to where he was hiding"; "She is hiding out in a cabin in Montana"
hide, hide out
hold stubbornly to a position
"The wife hunkered down and the husband's resistance began to break down"
hunker down
is a type of (narrower)
refuse to abandon one's opinion or belief
hold firm, stand fast, stand firm, stand pat