[Vocabulary] Stooping while sitting down?

[naweewra]

Hello,

This may be really silly to ask, but can you "stoop" when you sit? Like you are sitting on a chair and stoop down to tie your shoe.

Thank you.

Nawee

 

[5jj]

You normally bend down to tie a shoe.

 

[emsr2d2]

"Stooping" can really only be done when you are standing upright. As 5jj said, you bend down to tie your shoe, and you can do that whether you are sitting or standing.

 

[naweewra]

So what do you normally "stoop" down to do?

You stoop down to talk to a child?

You stoop down to pick up something from the floor?

 

[emsr2d2]

I don't really use "stoop" in that sense. It's usually used to describe the way that someone stands or walks, ie with the back hunched over. It's usually involuntary.

For me, this is an old stooping woman.

However, I have to concede that when I Googled for images of "stooping woman" I found a lot of picture of them doing what I consider to be "bending down" or "bending over". Many of them were picking something up off the floor or even tying their shoelaces. All I can say is that I would not use "stoop" in that context. It seems quite old-fashioned.

 

[BobK]

:up: But if you don't sit up straight in a chair you slump. If something's wrong (drugged/dead/injured/asleep...) you can also 'slump forward'. But if you just slump (no preposition) you simply fail to sit upright. 'No wonder back pain is so common; after a day slumped in front of a computer we drive home to spend the evening slumped in front of the TV.'

{Hmm, that's interesting, two 's _ _ _ p' words both referring to bent backs (and as a mnemonic, you need lumbar support to stop you slumping.} [Nurse, he's out of his bed again. ;-)]

b

PS AND (more vocab) if you don't stand up straight just because you're lazy or uninterested you 'slouch'.