Pronunciations (2)
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/skwiːz/
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skwiːz
Verb
To apply pressure (to something) from two or more sides at once.
Usage- Transitive or intransitive
- Examples
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I squeezed the ball between my hands.
Please don't squeeze the toothpaste tube in the middle.
More examples (2)
"Over there—by the rock," Steele muttered, with his brush between his teeth, squeezing out raw sienna, and keeping his eyes fixed on Betty Flanders's back.
Start squeezing gently, without moving the bag at first (to form a wide base for the stem), then raise the bag as you squeeze. Continue to raise the bag after you’ve stopped squeezing, to form a tall point.
To embrace closely; to give a tight hug to.
Usage- Transitive
To fit into a tight place.
Usage- Transitive or intransitive
- Examples
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I managed to squeeze the car into that parking space.
Can you squeeze through that gap?
More examples (3)
I squeezed myself through the crowd.
It was an omen of things to come as in the 56th minute the visitors took the lead after a mix-up between Skrtel and Sotirios Kyrgiakos allowed Ebanks-Blake's through-ball to squeeze between them.
Could he not squeeze under the seat of a carriage? He had seen this method adopted by schoolboys, when the journey- money provided by thoughtful parents had been diverted to other and better ends.
To remove something with difficulty, or apparent difficulty.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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He squeezed some money out of his wallet.
To barely manage to.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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I managed to squeeze through the exam with a D.
To put in a difficult position by presenting two or more choices.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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I'm being squeezed between my job and my volunteer work.
More examples (1)
At a time when Mr. Cameron is being squeezed from both sides — from the right by members of his own party and by the anti-immigrant, anti-Europe U.K. Independence Party, and from the left by his Liberal Democrat coalition partners — the move seemed uncharacteristically clunky.
To oppress with hardships, burdens, or taxes; to harass.
Usage- Figurative
- Transitive
- Examples
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a Civil War where People must expect to be crush'd and squeez'd in the Consequence
More examples (1)
However he lost out, as other business interests whom he had alienated by his efforts to squeeze every penny of profit from the canal, supported the construction of the railway.
To attempt to score a runner from third by bunting.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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Jones squeezed in Smith with a perfect bunt.
Noun
An instance of squeezing.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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to give something a squeeze
More examples (1)
Dip your sponge into the water, tehn turn it over and dip it again. That gets both sides wet. Now give it a squeeze to get most of the water out—but not all of it! You'll get the feel of how much water you need in your sponge as you practice with the clay.
A close or tight fit.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A difficult position.
Usage- Countable
- Figurative
- Uncountable
- Examples
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I'm in a tight squeeze right now when it comes to my free time.
More examples (1)
There is a growing recognition that, as the population ages and the squeeze on NHS resources continues, better ways of supporting older people outside hospital need to be developed.
A hug or other affectionate grasp.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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a gentle squeeze on the arm
A romantic partner.
Usage- Countable
- Slang
- Uncountable
- Examples
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I want to be your main squeeze.
“No, Mona. Her new squeeze is one of Wage's boys.”
More examples (3)
He spent nights cruising queer bars near the pad, saw Wiltsie at the dives, but always in the company of his squeeze, a guy he called 'Duane.'
His young squeeze had just backed out and had not seen the assault on her “sugar daddy” when it happened!
But even considering that, he might have been a bit more restrained if he hadn't run into his former sexy squeeze, Penny Atieno.
An illicit alcoholic drink made by squeezing Sterno through cheesecloth, etc., and mixing the result with fruit juice.
Usage- Countable
- Slang
- Uncountable
The act of bunting in an attempt to score a runner from third.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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The game ended in exciting fashion with a failed squeeze.
A play that forces an opponent to discard a card that gives up one or more tricks.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A traversal of a narrow passage.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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It was a tight squeeze, but I got through to the next section of the cave.
The most notorious squeezes have names: the Gun Barrel, Jam Crack, the Electric Armpit Crawl, Devil's Pinch.
More examples (1)
Prior to going back out to Mystery Cave again we spent a lot of time preparing. We made a squeeze box, which is a wooden box the opening of which can be adjusted in size. We could then crawl through the opening and measure to see how tight of a squeeze we could fit through.
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.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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More examples (1)
Nollekens, finding his wife always benefited by these visits, never refused White a squeeze of a patera, or any thing that would answer his purpose; […] White […] had turned his wine-cellars into manufactories for the produce of cast coins, and moderns squeezes from Roman lamps.
The gradual closing of workings by the weight of the overlying strata.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
The situation experienced by a middleman when pressured from both sides, especially financially.
Usage- Countable
- Dated
- Uncountable
- Examples
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More examples (1)
Thus was established a powerful Chinese combination, which maintained itself by submitting to a heavy "squeeze" at the hands of the Viceroy and Governor of Canton on the one hand and of the Hoppo on the other.
A bribe, fee, or extortionary price paid to a middleman, especially in China; the practice of requiring such a bribe or fee.
Usage- Countable
- Dated
- Uncountable
- Examples
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More examples (1)
If the licence […] was costly, it secured to them uninterrupted and extraordinary pecuniary advantages; but on the other hand it subjected them to 'calls' or 'squeezes' for contributions to public works, […] for the relief of districts suffering from scarcity […] as well as for the often imaginary […] damage caused by the overflowing of the 'Yangtse Keang' or the 'Yellow River.'
The mattress shop had been bought with the proceeds of squeeze obtained by him from a former American employer.
They were no colonists; their administration was merely a squeeze, and nothing more, I suspect.
A person's neck.
Usage- UK usage
- Countable
- Obsolete
- Slang
- Uncountable
- Examples
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More examples (1)
"Got his description putty close: Short black 'air, black whiskers, with a crips^([sic]) curl at the hedges; a white choker, tight round his squeeze; dressed in black, and orful hugly," remarked the policeman.
Noun
the act of gripping and pressing firmly
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
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he gave her cheek a playful squeeze
a state in which there is a short supply of cash to lend to businesses and consumers and interest rates are high
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
a situation in which increased costs cannot be passed on to the customer
- Examples
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increased expenses put a squeeze on profits
(slang) a person's girlfriend or boyfriend
- Broader terms
- Examples
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she was his main squeeze
a twisting squeeze
- Synonyms
- Examples
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gave the wet cloth a wring
an aggressive attempt to compel acquiescence by the concentration or manipulation of power
- Synonyms
- Examples
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she laughed at this sexual power play and walked away
a tight or amorous embrace
- Broader terms
- Examples
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come here and give me a big hug
the act of forcing yourself (or being forced) into or through a restricted space
- Broader terms
- Examples
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getting through that small opening was a tight squeeze
Verb
to compress with violence, out of natural shape or condition
- Broader terms
- Examples
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crush an aluminum can
squeeze a lemon
press firmly
- Broader terms
- Examples
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He squeezed my hand
squeeze like a wedge into a tight space
- Examples
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I squeezed myself into the corner
to cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means
- Examples
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She forced him to take a job in the city
He squeezed her for information
obtain by coercion or intimidation
- Examples
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They extorted money from the executive by threatening to reveal his past to the company boss
They squeezed money from the owner of the business by threatening him
press or force
- Examples
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Stuff money into an envelope
She thrust the letter into his hand
squeeze tightly between the fingers
- Broader terms
- Examples
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He pinched her behind
She squeezed the bottle
hold (someone) tightly in your arms, usually with fondness
- Broader terms
- Examples
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Hug me, please
They embraced
More examples (1)
He hugged her close to him
squeeze or press together
- Broader terms
- Examples
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she compressed her lips
the spasm contracted the muscle