If you hunker down, you bend your knees so that you are in a low position, balancing on your feet. [US]
Betty hunkered down on the floor. [VERBPARTICLE + on]
He ended up hunkering down beside her. [VP + beside]
2. phrasal verb
If you say that someone hunkers down, you mean that they are trying to avoid doing things that will make people notice them or put them in danger. [US]
Their strategy for the moment is to hunker down and let the fuss die down. [VERBPARTICLE]