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squeeze

Example Sentences Origin

verb (used with object)

to press forcibly together; compress.

to apply pressure to in order to extract juice, sap, or the like: to squeeze an orange.

to force out, extract, or procure by pressure: to squeeze juice from an orange.

to thrust forcibly; force by pressure; cram: to squeeze three suits into a small suitcase.

to fit into a small or crowded space or timespan: The doctor will try to squeeze you in between appointments.

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to enclose (another person's hand, arm, etc.) in one's hand and apply pressure as a token of affection, friendship, sympathy, or the like: His father squeezed his hand and wished him luck.

to give (someone) a hug.

to threaten, intimidate, harass, or oppress (a person) in order to obtain a favor, money, or an advantageous attitude or action.

to cause financial hardship to: manufacturers squeezed by high tariffs.

10.

to obtain a facsimile impression of.

11.

to cause to merge, as two or more lines of traffic into fewer lanes.

12.

Baseball.

to enable (a runner on third base) to score on a squeeze play (often followed by in): He squeezed him in with a perfect bunt.

to score (a run) in this way (often followed by in): The Dodgers squeezed in a run in the eighth inning.

13.

Bridge. to force (an opponent) to play a potentially winning card on a trick he or she cannot win.

COLLAPSE

verb (used without object)

14.

to exert a compressing force.

15.

to force a way through some narrow or crowded place (usually followed by through, in, out, etc.).

16.

to merge or come together.

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Squeeze is one of our favorite verbs.

So is hornswoggle. Does it mean:

to introduce subtleties into or argue subtly about.

to swindle, cheat, hoodwink, or hoax.

LEARN MORE FUN, UNUSUAL VERBS WITH WORD DYNAMO...

noun

17.

the act or fact of squeezing or the fact of being squeezed.

18.

a clasping of one's hand around another's hand, arm, etc., as a token of affection, friendship, sympathy, or the like.

19.

a hug or close embrace.

20.

a troubled financial condition, especially caused by a shortage or restriction, as of credit or funds.

21.

a small quantity or amount of anything obtained by squeezing.

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22.

squeak (def. 3).

23.

Slang. a sweetheart: his main squeeze.

24.

a facsimile impression of an inscription or the like, obtained by pressing some plastic substance over or around it.

25.

squeeze play.

26.

Bridge. a play or circumstance whereby an opponent is forced to waste or discard a potentially winning card.

27.

an act of threatening, intimidating, harassing, or oppressing a person or persons to obtain a favor, money, or an advantageous attitude or action: gangsters putting the squeeze on small businesses.

28.

money or a favor obtained in such a way.

COLLAPSE

Origin:
1590–1600; perhaps variant of obsolete squize (Old English cwȳsan) to squeeze, with initial s by false division of words in sandhi

Related forms

squeez·er, noun

squeez·ing·ly, adverb

in·ter·squeeze, verb (used with object), -squeezed, -squeez·ing.

un·squeezed, adjective

Synonyms
4. crowd, pack, jam, stuff.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To squeeze

Example Sentences

In a squeeze play, a runner charges home from third base as the batter bunts.

More public universities are striving to squeeze into the top tier.

Europe's biggest economy has largely escaped the squeeze.

EXPAND

In a squeeze play, a runner charges home from third base as the batter bunts.

More public universities are striving to squeeze into the top tier.

Europe's biggest economy has largely escaped the squeeze.

The monster constrictors can also squeeze the life out much larger prey before swallowing it whole.

The machine hopes to trap and squeeze hydrogen isotopes until they fuse together to form helium, releasing energy.

There are even drums with flexible flanks that you squeeze under your arm to change their tone.

Next you pour everything into a strainer and squeeze the rest of the milk from the butter.

That's removable, so you can squeeze this inside another box and run a cable to the mains.

The do-or-die suicide squeeze may be baseball's riskiest play.

In a sign of the times, universities and colleges are trying to squeeze fatter profits from the margins of their operations.

Rich countries need to squeeze their economies less hard and get serious about growth.

Lacking a skeleton and gas bladders, an octopus can pretty much squeeze itself into the smallest of crevices.

Many mothers offer their young children a hand to squeeze as they brave a vaccination in the doctor's office.

Top your latke with sour cream, and add cilantro, onion and a squeeze of lime.

Squeeze digger so the dark stomach shows through the meat, then snip around it and gills and remove.

Which means they'll not only fit inside a backpack, they might even squeeze inside a jacket or a pair of pants.

Russell would probably find a way to squeeze a couple of papers out of the data.

Companies are seeking outsiders' help to squeeze more out of their equipment.

Somehow, more than a million people squeeze life from this parched land.

And if a commuter does squeeze in, the trials continue.

Squeeze a lemon over them, using your fingers to coat any exposed parts of the fruit.

Serve hot or cold with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of chives, and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Squeeze the grip and the brakes are actuated according to a radio signal.

But at the same time you do not want to squeeze out all that the newcomers hold dear and important.

The squeeze comes as a surge in demand for high-tech equipment has sent demand for rare earths soaring.

And constrictors squeeze prey until it stops breathing.

The restrictive tactics have enabled publishers to squeeze more dollars from their subscribers.

Then maybe if decided to, squeeze in a dual between the dinosaurs.

Tucson's mountains could occupy a lifetime's exploration, but the ambitious can squeeze several peaks and canyons into a day.

If the watercraft is going forward, a squeeze of the brake lever reverses the motor and slows it down.

We squeeze the paragraph hard, forcing out the dross.

The squeeze on margins has filtered down to lower-quality borrowers.

Decades of disease and overuse of pesticides have put the squeeze on populations of the domesticated honeybee.

Cold fusion using fullerene to squeeze heavy hydrogen is one method.

Gently squeeze the water out of each tube, then dry and store for next year.

The more stuff you can squeeze in, the smarter you'll look.

Yet some universities are beginning to squeeze costs.

However, they can squeeze through tiny holes as if they were moving from room to room through keyholes.

Then, it will squeeze more efficiency out of the gasoline drivetrain.

Serve with tartar sauce on the side to add to taste and lime wedges to squeeze over top.

Squeeze lime to taste and garnish with coriander leaves.

Putting a figure on the extent and length of investment squeeze depends, sadly, on knowing the extent and depth of the recession.

Put potatoes on a large rimmed baking sheet and squeeze contents of bag over them.

Mandrills are feeling the squeeze of spreading agriculture and human settlement-both are shrinking their rain forest homeland.

And squeeze every mpg out of our existing gasoline fueled vehicles.

Squeeze the leaves to break them up into little bits, and pull out the little stems.

Squeeze excess broth from the soaked bread and add to the oil and tomatoes.

When you treat personal health as a business, you injure uncountable lives to squeeze out some hypothetical dollars.

Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with lime wedges to squeeze over chile.

As their name suggests, boa constrictors slowly squeeze their prey to death.

However, trying to squeeze open her beak at the hinge-the way you'd squeeze open a cat's jaw--definitely didn't work.

Squeeze it down and pack it in your bag when the sun comes out.

Also a good way to squeeze a tree into a small yard.

To apply the frosting, squeeze it out of a sealed freezer bag with a whole cut in one corner.

Top with cider then squeeze lime wedge over the top and drop the wedge on in.

Soak bread in half the milk, squeeze out the excess liquid, and mash with a fork.

If you played hooky to head up during daylight, squeeze in a mini adventure before dinner.

The tiniest swim-throughs require divers to take off their tanks to squeeze through.

Properly moistened compost feels moist but water droplets do not squeeze out.

Lichens and mosses can squeeze into cracks and crevices, where they take root.

Have students squeeze their marshmallows and ask them what happens.

Transfer to a clean cloth kitchen towel, and twist the cloth hard to squeeze out as much moisture as possible.

Squeeze balsamic extraction around pesto sauce poured in center of plate.

Pour the mixture into a plastic squeeze bottle, such as an old shampoo bottle, and let it stand overnight.

Squeeze or push the handle on the pump that is attached to the siphon to start the sucking, or siphoning, of the standing water.

They squeeze those muscles to wiggle their bodies forward in a series of curves.

Declining numbers of qualified clergy put squeeze on searches.

Squeeze the juice from the membranes into the bowl and discard the membranes.

More airlines are using narrower jets on long-haul flights, putting an even greater squeeze on travelers in coach.

The squeeze means students and parents have fewer options to fund college educations.

Squeeze the topping into shaggy chunks and scatter over the apricots.

The rugged laptop also manages to squeeze in pretty much.

The more he could find in welfare, the less the squeeze would be for the public services.

One can't squeeze blood from a turnip, but new research suggests that a bit of transgenic tweaking may make it possible to.

The openings are so small that ants could barely squeeze through.

The financial aid office acted as if it had some kind of directive to squeeze as much student loan money out of me as possible.

Some claimed that sending the money back would squeeze their ability to finance health and education properly.

As the animal cools, its cells and organs squeeze out water and shrink.

The result has been a serious squeeze on university budgets.

However, some private-equity firms are under pressure to squeeze more money out of their investments, and quickly.

However, he added that he does worry about whether he can squeeze into the often overcrowded train.

In other words, that's why it tastes so much better when you actually take a bunch of fresh oranges and squeeze them yourself.

Squeeze five dollops of the bratwurst beer puree randomly in close proximity to the puff.

In high school he had been an indifferent student, and this time around he wanted to squeeze something from each lesson.

My departure is going to really squeeze the department as far as teaching power.

First, that as you squeeze the bottle the pressure increases and the volume of trapped air decreases.

Any process that can squeeze extra information from the first examination is therefore welcome.

Manga tried to squeeze off another round, but the gun jammed.

Squeeze an orange over the steak when you've finished grilling, and season it with good coarse.

When the fluid column is four or five inches from your mouth, squeeze hard and pull the hose from your mouth in one motion.

Now it is devising ways to squeeze the banks in order to defend society.

It took forever to squeeze through the door without him.

Ie you can't squeeze another planet in anywhere and expect the system to.

Caught in the squeeze are the business owners and public officials who are trying to accommodate everyone.

Of course the market will spike up because they are, in essence, making a short squeeze.

Unable to cut costs or squeeze retailers' margins, smaller brewers are struggling.

When the big squeeze comes it will not be a pleasant place to.

With crisp-battered fish, this delicate, lemony white is better than a squeeze of lemon.

The site has become a popular weekend haunt for day trippers willing to squeeze through fences and scale rickety scaffolds.

Life's too short to make yourself miserable trying to squeeze yourself into something that's not a good fit.

The great squeeze cannot go on forever, of course, but it shows no sign of slackening.

The labels could be trying to squeeze blood out of stone.

Now, with a squeeze on tenure-track jobs, even those at the top of the academic food chain are feeling big changes.

During the downturn, companies held off on technology purchases and retooled existing systems to squeeze out extra efficiency.

Just place the ball between your knees and slowly squeeze it until you can't squeeze any farther.

He'll squeeze you a faculty smoothie and slip you a side of diploma mill, and do it with a smile.

They wash it over and over, then squeeze the pulp in a giant strainer.

Fill the canister with liquid nitrogen, squeeze the trigger, and start chillin'.

Antar also argues that the release of first-quarter results was timed to put a squeeze on short sellers.

The couple squeeze into the backseat, she carrying a bright blue gym bag, he the dull burden of history.

If the clips which fit over the pins are too loose, insert a toothpick in each one and squeeze it with pliers to tighten it.

Second, more bullets can be fired with one squeeze of the trigger before the gun recoils.

Check this surgeon squeeze a baseball sized egg sack out of this guy's head while pop music idly plays in the background.

People who thought they could avoid the gas squeeze are encountering fare hikes.

It helps to use your teaspoon to squeeze the tea-bag between the spoon and the walls of the mug occasionally.

COLLAPSE

Collins

World English Dictionary

squeeze (skwiːz)

—vb
1.	to grip or press firmly, esp so as to crush or distort; compress
2.	to crush or press (something) so as to extract (a liquid): to squeeze the juice from an orange; to squeeze an orange
3.	to apply gentle pressure to, as in affection or reassurance: he squeezed her hand
4.	to push or force in a confined space: to squeeze six lettuces into one box; to squeeze through a crowd
5.	to hug closely
6.	to oppress with exacting demands, such as excessive taxes
7.	to exert pressure on (someone) in order to extort (something): to squeeze money out of a victim by blackmail
8.	(intr) to yield under pressure
9.	to make an impression of (a coin, etc) in a soft substance
10.	bridge, whist to lead a card that forces (opponents) to discard potentially winning cards

—n
11.	the act or an instance of squeezing or of being squeezed
12.	a hug or handclasp
13.	a crush of people in a confined space
14.	chiefly (Brit) a condition of restricted credit imposed by a government to counteract price inflation
15.	an impression, esp of a coin, etc, made in a soft substance
16.	an amount extracted by squeezing: add a squeeze of lemon juice
17.	commerce any action taken by a trader or traders on a market that forces buyers to make purchases and prices to rise
18.	informal pressure brought to bear in order to extort something (esp in the phrase put the squeeze on)
19.	bridge, whist Also called: squeeze play a manoeuvre that forces opponents to discard potentially winning cards
20.	informal a person with whom one is having a romantic relationship

[C16: from Middle English queysen to press, from Old English cwӯsan]

'squeezable

—*adj*

'squeezer

—n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

squeeze

c.1600, probably an alteration of quease (c.1550), from O.E. cwysan "to squeeze," of unknown origin, perhaps imitative (cf. Ger. quetschen "to squeeze"). Slang expression to put the squeeze on (someone or something) "exert influence" is from 1711. Baseball squeeze play first recorded 1905. Main squeeze

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"most important person" is attested from 1896; meaning "one's sweetheart, lover" is attested by 1980.

COLLAPSE

Slang Dictionary

squeeze definition

n.
liquor. (Streets. See also grape(s).) : Let's stop on the way and get some squeeze.
tv.
to put pressure on someone. : The mob began to squeeze Bart for money.
n.
a tight situation; a situation where pressure is felt. : When the squeeze is over, we'll be able to get squared away.
n.
one's lover. (See also main squeeze.) : I'll see if my squeeze wants to go.

Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
Cite This Source

American Heritage

Idioms & Phrases

squeeze

In addition to the idioms beginning with squeeze, also see main squeeze; put the arm (squeeze) on; tight squeeze.