A Scottish term for a small, cowering person or an animal huddled close to something for warmth or protection.
From Scottish Gaelic or Old English origins, related to 'cower' and Germanic words for huddling. The term evolved to describe the posture of something small seeking shelter.
In Scottish dialect, 'courie doon' means to huddle down, and animals instinctively do this in harsh Highland weather—it's the same posture humans unconsciously adopt when we're cold or scared, a survival behavior that's literally written into our bodies.
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