Hunch Meaning
/hʌnt͡ʃ/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounA hump; a protuberance.
nounA stooped or curled posture; a slouch.
Sentence Examples
I had a hunch something pleasant was going to happen.
I have a hunch that it will rain.
CEFR Practice Quiz
I had a strong ____ that the answer was C, but I couldn't prove it.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I have a strong ____ that the surprise party is going to be a huge success tonight.
Word Origin & History
Assibilated variant of hunk, of uncertain origin. Alternatively, a derivative of hump, via an earlier Middle English *hunche, *humpchin, from *hump + -chin, -chen (diminutive suffix), equivalent to hump + -kin. In the sense of an intuitive impression, said to be from the old gambling superstition that it brings luck to touch the hump of a hunchback.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
""The greedy little bastards! They had a 'unch of bread each when I 'ad my dinner.""
— 1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019:
"Sandy, you will never get anywhere by hunching over your putter, hold your shoulders back and bend from the waist."
— 1961, Muriel Spark, chapter 5, in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, New York: HarperPerenniel, published 1994, page 156:
"She rolled over and hunched into a fetal position."
— 1978, Armistead Maupin, “… and many happy returns”, in Tales of the City, New York: Ballantine Books, page 76:
"Danc[ing] Mast[er]. […] not too fast […] keep you[r] leg[s] straight, […] don’t hunch up your shoulders so;"
— 1672, Edward Ravenscroft, The Citizen Turn’d Gentleman, London: Thomas Dring, act I, scene 1, page 4:
"If you hunch your shoulders too long against a storm your shoulders will grow bowed...."
— 1924, Ford Madox Ford, Some Do Not ..., New York: Grosset & Dunlap, Part 2, Chapter 2:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
I had a strong ____ that the answer was C, but I couldn't prove it.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I have a strong ____ that the surprise party is going to be a huge success tonight.