Squeeze
[skwiːz] or [skwiz]
Definition
(noun.) the act of forcing yourself (or being forced) into or through a restricted space; 'getting through that small opening was a tight squeeze'.
(noun.) the act of gripping and pressing firmly; 'he gave her cheek a playful squeeze'.
(noun.) a twisting squeeze; 'gave the wet cloth a wring'.
(noun.) (slang) a person's girlfriend or boyfriend; 'she was his main squeeze'.
(noun.) a situation in which increased costs cannot be passed on to the customer; 'increased expenses put a squeeze on profits'.
(verb.) press firmly; 'He squeezed my hand'.
Edited by Lancelot--From WordNet
Definition
(v. t.) To press between two bodies; to press together closely; to compress; often, to compress so as to expel juice, moisture, etc.; as, to squeeze an orange with the fingers; to squeeze the hand in friendship.
(v. t.) Fig.: To oppress with hardships, burdens, or taxes; to harass; to crush.
(v. t.) To force, or cause to pass, by compression; often with out, through, etc.; as, to squeeze water through felt.
(v. i.) To press; to urge one's way, or to pass, by pressing; to crowd; -- often with through, into, etc.; as, to squeeze hard to get through a crowd.
(n.) The act of one who squeezes; compression between bodies; pressure.
(n.) A facsimile impression taken in some soft substance, as pulp, from an inscription on stone.
Checker: Zelig
Synonyms and Synonymous
v. a. [1]. Compress, gripe, pinch, nip, press closely.[2]. Force (between close bodies), drive.
v. n. Press, crowd, force a way, urge one's way.
Checked by Freda
Definition
v.t. to crush or press between two bodies: to embrace closely: to force through a small hole: to cause to pass: to extort oppress harass.—v.i. to push between close bodies: to press: to crowd.—n. act of squeezing: pressing between bodies: an impression of an inscription &c. made by taking a rubbing.—n. Squeezabil′ity.—adj. Squeez′able.—ns. Squeez′er one who or that which squeezes: (pl.) playing-cards having the number of spots marked in the right-hand corner of each; Squeez′ing the act of exerting pressure.—adj. Squeez′y suggesting squeezing small contracted.
Inputed by Clinton
Examples
- Don't be afraid of me: you needn't squeeze yourself back into your corner like that. Edith Wharton. The Age of Innocence.
- Mr. Bruff took her hand, and gave it a little squeeze. Wilkie Collins. The Moonstone.
- You don't squeeze them. Charles Dickens. Little Dorrit.
- I squeeze among the crowd, and I look about me. Charles Dickens. Our Mutual Friend.
- They give one a lemon to squeeze into it, or iced milk, if he prefers it. Mark Twain. The Innocents Abroad.
- Yes, sir, and Jo nearly crushed the small flowerpot with the sudden squeeze she gave it. Louisa May Alcott. Little Women.
- Well (resuming her former tone), don't squeeze your fingers quite into my hand. Charlotte Bronte. Shirley.
- Georgiana, as if the supplication were being squeezed out of her by powerful compression. Charles Dickens. Our Mutual Friend.
- Mrs. Sowerberry emerged from a little room behind the shop, and presented the form of a short, then, squeezed-up woman, with a vixenish countenance. Charles Dickens. Oliver Twist.
- I descended to the bottom of the hollow, squeezed my way through a hedge, and got out into a lane. Wilkie Collins. The Woman in White.
- I squeezed the tighter. Charles Dickens. The Pickwick Papers.
- Under these new conditions, the workers in many industries found themselves intolerably squeezed. H. G. Wells. The Outline of History_Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind.
- An upper floor was dedicated to Newland, and the two women squeezed themselves into narrower quarters below. Edith Wharton. The Age of Innocence.
- They do see that humanity is badly squeezed in the existing mould. Walter Lippmann. A Preface to Politics.
- Thank you, she said, squeezing it and looking into the Baronet's eyes, who blushed a good deal; how happy this will make Rawdon! William Makepeace Thackeray. Vanity Fair.
- In Fig. 257 is seen the great 14,000-ton hydraulic press-forge squeezing into shape a port armor plate for the battleship Alabama. Edward W. Byrn. The Progress of Invention in the Nineteenth Century.
- But when it comes to squeezing a profit out of you into the bargain, it's something like! Charles Dickens. Our Mutual Friend.
- Rawdon muttered some excuses about an engagement, squeezing hard the timid little hand which his sister-in-law reached out to him. William Makepeace Thackeray. Vanity Fair.
- By squeezing the bulb, air is forced out of the nozzle. Bertha M. Clark. General Science.
- Water was projected by squeezing the bags. Various. The Wonder Book of Knowledge.
- I am obliged to you, returns Mr. Bucket, squeezing his hand. Charles Dickens. Bleak House.
- The fat is then packed in cloths set in moulds and a slowly increasing pressure squeezes out the pure amber colored oil, leaving the stearine behind. Edward W. Byrn. The Progress of Invention in the Nineteenth Century.
- Yet I was so weak and bruised in the sides with the squeezes given me by this odious animal, that I was forced to keep my bed a fortnight. Jonathan Swift. Gulliver's Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World.
- What squeezes him into Parliament? Charles Dickens. Our Mutual Friend.
Edited by Charlene