English Explanatory Dictionary

squeeze

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To apply pressure to from two or more sides at once.
  2. To embrace closely; to give a tight hug to.
  3. To fit into a tight place.
  4. To remove something with difficulty, or apparent difficulty.
  5. To put in a difficult position by presenting two or more choices.
  6. To oppress with hardships, burdens, or taxes; to harass.
  7. To attempt to score a runner from third by bunting.
noun
  1. An instance of squeezing.
  2. A close or tight fit.
  3. A difficult position.
  4. A hug or other affectionate grasp.
  5. A romantic partner.
  6. An illicit alcoholic drink made by squeezing Sterno through cheesecloth, etc., and mixing the result with fruit juice.
  7. The act of bunting in an attempt to score a runner from third.
  8. A play that forces an opponent to discard a card that gives up one or more tricks.
  9. A traversal of a narrow passage.
  10. A moulding, cast or other impression of an object, chiefly a design, inscription etc., especially by pressing wet paper onto the surface and peeling off when dry.
  11. The gradual closing of workings by the weight of the overlying strata.
  12. The situation experienced by a middleman when pressured from both sides, especially financially.

Pronunciation

/skwiːz/ en-us-squeeze.ogg

Word forms

squeeze squeezes squeezing squeezed squoze squozen

Etymology

From earlier squize, squise (whence also dialectal English squizzen and squeege), first attested around 1600, further origin uncertain; probably an alteration of quease (which is attested since 1550), from Middle English queisen (“to squeeze”), from Old English cwȳsan (“to crush, squeeze”), itself also of unknown origin, perhaps imitative (compare Swedish qväsa, kväsa (“to squeeze, bruise, crush; quell”), Dutch kwetsen (“to injure, hurt”), German quetschen (“to squeeze”)). Or, a blend of obsolete squiss (“to squeeze”) (whence also squash and squish) with quease. Compare also French esquicher from Old Occitan esquichar (“to press, squeeze”). The slang expression "to put the squeeze on (someone or something)", meaning "to exert influence", is from 1711. The baseball term "squeeze play" is first recorded 1905. "Main squeeze" ("most important person") is attested from 1896, the specific meaning "one's sweetheart, lover" is attested in 1970s. The nonstandard strong forms squoze and squozen, attested dialectally since at least the mid-19th century, are by analogy with freeze.

Synonyms

condense compress

Related words

squash squeegee squish

Derived words

exsqueeze me nonsqueezing oversqueezed resqueeze scrunch scruze squeezable squeeze blood from a turnip squeeze blood out of a turnip squeeze box squeezebox squeezedness squeeze-grape squeeze in squeeze into squeeze off squeeze one out squeeze out squeeze play squeezer squeeze stile squeeze the pips squeeze under squeeze up squeezingly squeezy squizzle synchrosqueezed unsqueeze coastal squeeze credit squeeze juice is worth the squeeze put the squeeze on safety squeeze short squeeze squeeze ball squeeze bore squeeze-bore squeeze boxer squeeze chute squeeze machine squeeze theorem squeeze zoom suicide squeeze tight squeeze winkle squeeze
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