hunch

Everyday

1. (noun) A feeling that something is true, even though you have no proof. tree →
2. (verb) To bend your back and shoulders forward and up, often from cold, tiredness or worry. tree →
3. (noun, old) A hump or lump. tree →

In the lessons

Sense 1 is common in detective stories and everyday talk: «I had a hunch», «follow your hunch». In science a hunch must be tested with an experiment before it is accepted. Sense 2 describes body position: «hunched over his desk», «hunched against the cold». Mole hunched himself up in a hollow tree in the Wild Wood.

Examples

• I had a hunch it would rain, so I took an umbrella. tree →
• The detective followed his hunch and found the thief. tree →
• He hunched over his book, reading. tree →
• The old man hunched his shoulders against the wind. tree →
• Mole hunched himself up in the hollow of a tree. tree →
• Scientists test their hunches with careful experiments. tree →
• Don't hunch over your desk; sit up straight. tree →
• "It looks very near," said Jane, hunching up her shoulders to keep her neck warm. tree →

Note

Noun countable: a hunch, hunches. Verb: hunched, hunching. A «hunchback» is an old, now hurtful word for someone with a curved spine; say «a curved spine» instead. A hunch is a guess, not proof.