squeeze

I. verb (squeezed; squeezing) Etymology: alteration of obsolete English quease, from Middle English queysen, from Old English cwȳsan; akin to Icelandic kveisa stomach cramps Date: circa 1601 transitive verb 1. a. to exert pressure especially on opposite sides of ; compress b. to extract or emit under pressure c. to force or thrust by compression 2. a. (1) to get by extortion (2) to deprive by extortion b. to cause economic hardship to c. to reduce the amount of <

squeezes profits

> 3. to crowd into a limited area 4. to gain or win by a narrow margin 5. to force (another player) to discard in bridge so as to unguard a suit 6. to score by means of a squeeze play intransitive verb 1. to give way before pressure 2. to exert pressure; also to practice extortion or oppression 3. to force one's way <

squeeze through a door

> 4. to pass, win, or get by narrowly • squeezability noun • squeezable adjective • squeezer noun II. noun Date: 1611 1. a. an act or instance of squeezing ; compression b. handclasp; also embrace 2. a. a quantity squeezed out from something <

a squeeze of lemon

> b. a group crowded together ; crowd 3. a profit taken by a middleman on goods or transactions 4. a financial pressure caused by narrowing margins or by shortages 5. a forced discard in bridge 6. squeeze play 7. slang a romantic partner <

she's my main squeeze

>