skwi:z v. & n. --v. 1 tr. a
exert pressure on
from opposite or
all sides,
esp. in
order to
extract moisture or
reduce size. b
compress with one's
hand or
between two bodies. c reduce
the size of or
alter the
shape of by squeezing. 2 tr. (often foll. by out) extract (moisture) by squeezing. 3 a tr. force (a
person or thing)
into or
through a
small or
narrow space. b intr.
make one's
way by squeezing. c tr. make (one's way) by squeezing. 4 tr. a
harass by exactions;
extort money etc. from. b
constrain;
bring pressure to bear
on. c (usu. foll. by
out of)
obtain (money etc.) by
extortion,
entreaty, etc. d Bridge
subject (a player) to a squeeze. 5 tr. press (a person's hand) with one's
own as a
sign of
sympathy,
affection, etc. 6 tr. (often foll. by out)
produce with
effort (squeezed out a tear). --n. 1 an
instance of squeezing; the
state of
being squeezed. 2
Brit. a close
embrace. 3 a
crowd or crowded state; a
crush. 4 a small
quantity produced by squeezing (a squeeze of lemon). 5 a
sum of money extorted or exacted, esp. an
illicit commission. 6 Econ. a
restriction on borrowing,
investment,
etc., in a
financial crisis. 7 an
impression of a
coin etc. taken by
pressing damp paper, wax, etc.,
against it. 8 (in full squeeze play) a Bridge leading
winning cards
until an
opponent is forced to
discard an
important card. b
Baseball hitting a ball
short to the
infield to
enable a
runner on
third base to
start for home as
soon as the ball is pitched. øput the squeeze on colloq.
coerce or pressure (a person). squeeze
bottle a
flexible container whose contents are extracted by squeezing it. squeeze-box sl. an
accordion or
concertina. øøsqueezable adj. squeezer n. [earlier squise,
intensive of obs. queise, of unkn. orig.]
