squeeze (skw?z)v. squeezed, squeez·ing, squeez·es v.tr.1. a. To press hard on or together; compress: squeezed the balloon until it popped.b. To press gently, as in affection: squeezed her hand.c. To exert pressure on, as by way of extracting liquid: squeeze an orange.2. a. To extract by applying pressure: squeeze juice from a lemon.b. To extract or gain by intimidation or other pressure: squeezed information out of the suspect.c. To pressure or intimidate (someone) to comply with a demand, as to make an extortion payment.3. a. To obtain room for by pressure; cram: squeezed her clothes into the suitcase.b. To manage to find time or space for: I asked if she might squeeze me into her busy schedule. Can we squeeze another chair in at your table?4. Games To force (an opponent) to use a potentially winning card in a trick he or she cannot take in bridge.5. Baseball a. To cause (a run or base runner) to score on a squeeze play.b. To call as balls pitches thrown by (a pitcher) near the edges of the strike zone. Used of an umpire.v.intr.1. To give way under pressure: The rubber duck squeaks when it squeezes.2. To exert pressure: squeezed until my hand hurt.3. To force one’s way: squeeze through a crowd; squeeze into a tight space.n.1. a. The act or an instance of squeezing.b. A handclasp or brief embrace.2. An amount squeezed out: a squeeze of lemon.3. A group crowded together; a crush.4. Financial pressure caused by shortages or narrowing economic margins.5. Pressure or intimidation to comply with a demand, as to make an extortion payment: thugs who put the squeeze on shopkeepers.6. Games A forced discard of a potentially winning card in bridge.7. Baseball A squeeze play.8. Slang One’s primary romantic partner or sweetheart.Phrasal Verbs: squeeze off To fire (a round of bullets) by squeezing the trigger. squeeze through (or by) To manage narrowly to pass, win, or survive.[Probably alteration of obsolete quease, to press, from Middle English queisen, from Old English cw?san.]squeez?a·ble adj.squeez?er n.American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.squeeze (skwi?z) vb (mainly tr) 1. to grip or press firmly, esp so as to crush or distort; compress2. to crush or press (something) so as to extract (a liquid): to squeeze the juice from an orange; to squeeze an orange. 3. to apply gentle pressure to, as in affection or reassurance: he squeezed her hand. 4. to push or force in a confined space: to squeeze six lettuces into one box; to squeeze through a crowd. 5. to hug closely6. to oppress with exacting demands, such as excessive taxes7. to exert pressure on (someone) in order to extort (something): to squeeze money out of a victim by blackmail8. (intr) to yield under pressure9. to make an impression of (a coin, etc) in a soft substance10. (Bridge) bridge whist to lead a card that forces (opponents) to discard potentially winning cards11. (Card Games) bridge whist to lead a card that forces (opponents) to discard potentially winning cardsn12. the act or an instance of squeezing or of being squeezed13. a hug or handclasp14. a crush of people in a confined space15. (Economics) chiefly Brit a condition of restricted credit imposed by a government to counteract price inflation16. an impression, esp of a coin, etc, made in a soft substance17. an amount extracted by squeezing: add a squeeze of lemon juice. 18. (Commerce) commerce any action taken by a trader or traders on a market that forces buyers to make purchases and prices to rise19. informal pressure brought to bear in order to extort something (esp in the phrase put the squeeze on)20. (Bridge) bridge whist Also called: squeeze play a manoeuvre that forces opponents to discard potentially winning cards21. (Card Games) bridge whist Also called: squeeze play a manoeuvre that forces opponents to discard potentially winning cards22. informal a person with whom one is having a romantic relationship[C16: from Middle English queysen to press, from Old English cw?san] ?squeezable adj ?squeeza?bility n ?squeezer nCollins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014squeeze (skwiz) v. squeezed, squeez?ing, n. v.t. 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. 4. to force or thrust by pressure. 5. to fit into a small or crowded space or time span. 6. to press (another’s hand or arm) within one’s hand as a friendly or sympathetic gesture. 7. to hug. 8. to obtain by financial or emotional pressure, force, etc.; extort. 9. to threaten, intimidate, or harass in order to obtain money, advantages, etc. 10. to cause financial hardship to: manufacturers squeezed by high tariffs. 11. a. to enable (a runner on third base) to score on a squeeze play. b. to score (a run) in this way. 12. to force (an opponent) to discard a potentially winning card in a hand of bridge. v.i. 13. to exert pressure or a compressing force. 14. to force a way, as into some narrow or crowded place (usu. fol. by through, in, etc.). 15. to merge or come together. n. 16. an act or instance of squeezing. 17. the fact or state of being squeezed or crowded. 18. a handclasp. 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 of something obtained by squeezing. 22. pressure or intimidation brought to bear to extort money or advantages, force compliance, etc.: racketeers putting the squeeze on small businesses. 23. money or a favor obtained in such a way. 24. squeeze play. 25. a play or circumstance in bridge in which a player is forced to discard a potentially winning card. 26. Slang. a sweetheart: my main squeeze. [1590?1600; perhaps variant of obsolete squize (Old English cw?san) to squeeze, with initial s by false division of words in sandhi] squeez?a?ble, adj. squeez`a?bil?i?ty, n. squeez?a?bly, adv. squeez?er, n. Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.squeezeanguish, anxious, anxiety – Anguish, anxious, and anxiety come from Latin angere, “to choke, squeeze, strangle.”kvetch – To complain chronically or habitually, from Yiddish kvetshn, “pinch, squeeze; complain.”squash – As a verb, it is an alteration of quash, and means, generally, to “crush, squeeze, or suppress.”tapioca – Comes from Tupi-Guarani tipi, “residue,” and ok/og, “squeeze out.”Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.Squeeze a crowded assembly or social gathering, 1779.Examples: squeeze of books; of the fashionable mob, 1802.Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.squeezePast participle: squeezedGerund: squeezingImperativePresentPreteritePresent ContinuousPresent PerfectPast ContinuousPast PerfectFutureFuture PerfectFuture ContinuousPresent Perfect ContinuousFuture Perfect ContinuousPast Perfect ContinuousConditionalPast ConditionalImperativesqueezesqueezePresentI squeezeyou squeezehe/she/it squeezeswe squeezeyou squeezethey squeezePreteriteI squeezedyou squeezedhe/she/it squeezedwe squeezedyou squeezedthey squeezedPresent ContinuousI am squeezingyou are squeezinghe/she/it is squeezingwe are squeezingyou are squeezingthey are squeezingPresent PerfectI have squeezedyou have squeezedhe/she/it has squeezedwe have squeezedyou have squeezedthey have squeezedPast ContinuousI was squeezingyou were squeezinghe/she/it was squeezingwe were squeezingyou were squeezingthey were squeezingPast PerfectI had squeezedyou had squeezedhe/she/it had squeezedwe had squeezedyou had squeezedthey had squeezedFutureI will squeezeyou will squeezehe/she/it will squeezewe will squeezeyou will squeezethey will squeezeFuture PerfectI will have squeezedyou will have squeezedhe/she/it will have squeezedwe will have squeezedyou will have squeezedthey will have squeezedFuture ContinuousI will be squeezingyou will be squeezinghe/she/it will be squeezingwe will be squeezingyou will be squeezingthey will be squeezingPresent Perfect ContinuousI have been squeezingyou have been squeezinghe/she/it has been squeezingwe have been squeezingyou have been squeezingthey have been squeezingFuture Perfect ContinuousI will have been squeezingyou will have been squeezinghe/she/it will have been squeezingwe will have been squeezingyou will have been squeezingthey will have been squeezingPast Perfect ContinuousI had been squeezingyou had been squeezinghe/she/it had been squeezingwe had been squeezingyou had been squeezingthey had been squeezingConditionalI would squeezeyou would squeezehe/she/it would squeezewe would squeezeyou would squeezethey would squeezePast ConditionalI would have squeezedyou would have squeezedhe/she/it would have squeezedwe would have squeezedyou would have squeezedthey would have squeezedCollins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011