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squeeze through

 - 5 dictionary results

squeeze

  [skweez] ,verb, squeezed, squeez⋅ing, noun
Use squeeze through in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to press forcibly together; compress.
2. to apply pressure to in order to extract juice, sap, or the like: to squeeze an orange.
3. to force out, extract, or procure by pressure: to squeeze juice from an orange.
4. to thrust forcibly; force by pressure; cram: to squeeze three suits into a small suitcase.
5. to fit into a small or crowded space or timespan: The doctor will try to squeeze you in between appointments.
6. 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.
7. to give (someone) a hug.
8. to threaten, intimidate, harass, or oppress (a person) in order to obtain a favor, money, or an advantageous attitude or action.
9. 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.
a. to enable (a runner on third base) to score on a squeeze play (often fol. by in): He squeezed him in with a perfect bunt.
b. to score (a run) in this way (often fol. 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.
–verb (used without object)
14. to exert a compressing force.
15. to force a way through some narrow or crowded place (usually fol. by through, in, out, etc.).
16. to merge or come together.
–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, esp. caused by a shortage or restriction, as of credit or funds.
21. a small quantity or amount of anything obtained by squeezing.
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.
Origin:
1590–1600; perh. var. of obs. squize (OE cwȳsan) to squeeze, with initial s by false division of words in sandhi

Related forms:
squeezer, noun
squeez⋅ing⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
4. crowd, pack, jam, stuff.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To squeeze through
squeeze   (skwēz)   
v.   squeezed, squeez·ing, squeez·es

v.   tr.

  1. To press hard on or together; compress.

  2. To press gently, as in affection: squeezed her hand.

  3. To exert pressure on, as by way of extracting liquid: squeeze an orange.

  4. To extract by or as if by applying pressure: squeeze juice from a lemon; squeezed a confession out of a suspect.

  5. To extract by dishonest means; extort.

  6. To pressure or intimidate (someone) to comply with a demand, as to make an extortion payment.

  7. To obtain room for by pressure; cram: squeezed her books into the briefcase.

  8. To manage to find time or space for.

  9. Games To force (an opponent) to use a potentially winning card in a trick he or she cannot take in bridge.

  10. Baseball To cause (a run or base runner) to score on a squeeze play.

v.   intr.

  1. To give way under pressure.

  2. To exert pressure.

  3. To force one's way: squeeze through a crowd; squeeze into a tight space.

n.  

  1. The act or an instance of squeezing.

  2. An amount squeezed out: a squeeze of lemon.

  3. A handclasp or brief embrace.

  4. A group crowded together; a crush.

  5. Informal A squeeze play.

  6. Financial pressure caused by shortages or narrowing economic margins.

  7. Pressure or intimidation to comply with a demand, as to make an extortion payment.

  8. Games A forced discard of a potentially winning card in bridge.

  9. Slang One's primary romantic partner or sweetheart.

Phrasal Verb(s):
squeeze offTo fire (a round of bullets) by squeezing the trigger.
squeeze through/byTo manage narrowly to pass, win, or survive.

[Probably alteration of obsolete quease, to press, from Middle English queisen, from Old English cwȳsan.]
squeez'a·ble adj., squeez'er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Slang Dictionary
squeeze

  1. n.
    liquor. (Streets. See also grape(s).) : Let's stop on the way and get some squeeze.
  2. tv.
    to put pressure on someone. : The mob began to squeeze Bart for money.
  3. n.
    a tight situation; a situation where pressure is felt. : When the squeeze is over, we'll be able to get squared away.
  4. 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.
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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 "most important person" is attested from 1896; meaning "one's sweetheart, lover" is attested by 1980.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Idioms & Phrases

squeeze through

Also, squeeze by. Manage to pass, win, or survive by a narrow margin, as in We squeezed through the second round of playoffs, or There was just enough food stored in the cabin for us to squeeze by until the hurricane ended. This idiom uses squeeze in the sense of "succeed by means of compression." [c. 1700] Also see squeak by.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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