/ English Dictionary

SQUEEZE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of forcing yourself (or being forced) into or through a restricted space

Example:

getting through that small opening was a tight squeeze

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("squeeze" is a kind of...):

constriction (the action or process of compressing)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The act of gripping and pressing firmly

Example:

he gave her cheek a playful squeeze

Synonyms:

squeeze; squeezing

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("squeeze" is a kind of...):

compressing; compression (applying pressure)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "squeeze"):

pinch; tweak (a squeeze with the fingers)

expression (the act of forcing something out by squeezing or pressing)

expulsion; extrusion (squeezing out by applying pressure)

Derivation:

squeeze (press firmly)

squeeze (squeeze tightly between the fingers)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A tight or amorous embrace

Example:

come here and give me a big hug

Synonyms:

clinch; hug; squeeze

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("squeeze" is a kind of...):

embrace; embracement; embracing (the act of clasping another person in the arms (as in greeting or affection))

Sense 4

Meaning:

An aggressive attempt to compel acquiescence by the concentration or manipulation of power

Example:

she laughed at this sexual power play and walked away

Synonyms:

power play; squeeze; squeeze play

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("squeeze" is a kind of...):

attempt; effort; endeavor; endeavour; try (earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something)

Derivation:

squeeze (obtain by coercion or intimidation)

squeeze (to cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A twisting squeeze

Example:

gave the wet cloth a wring

Synonyms:

squeeze; wring

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("squeeze" is a kind of...):

motion; movement (a natural event that involves a change in the position or location of something)

Derivation:

squeeze (squeeze tightly between the fingers)

squeeze (to compress with violence, out of natural shape or condition)

Sense 6

Meaning:

(slang) a person's girlfriend or boyfriend

Example:

she was his main squeeze

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("squeeze" is a kind of...):

lover (a person who loves someone or is loved by someone)

Domain usage:

argot; cant; jargon; lingo; patois; slang; vernacular (a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves))

Sense 7

Meaning:

A situation in which increased costs cannot be passed on to the customer

Example:

increased expenses put a squeeze on profits

Classified under:

Nouns denoting possession and transfer of possession

Hypernyms ("squeeze" is a kind of...):

loss; red; red ink (the amount by which the cost of a business exceeds its revenue)

Sense 8

Meaning:

A state in which there is a short supply of cash to lend to businesses and consumers and interest rates are high

Synonyms:

credit crunch; liquidity crisis; squeeze

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("squeeze" is a kind of...):

financial condition (the condition of (corporate or personal) finances)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Squeeze or press together

Example:

the spasm contracted the muscle

Synonyms:

compact; compress; constrict; contract; press; squeeze

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "squeeze" is one way to...):

tighten (become tight or tighter)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "squeeze"):

choke; scrag (wring the neck of)

choke; fret; gag (be too tight; rub or press)

bear down; overbear (contract the abdominal muscles during childbirth to ease delivery)

convulse (cause to contract)

convulse (contract involuntarily, as in a spasm)

strangulate (constrict a hollow organ or vessel so as to stop the flow of blood or air)

astringe (constrict or bind or draw together)

prim (contract one's lips)

choke; strangle (constrict (someone's) throat and keep from breathing)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Hold (someone) tightly in your arms, usually with fondness

Example:

He hugged her close to him

Synonyms:

bosom; embrace; hug; squeeze

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "squeeze" is one way to...):

clasp (hold firmly and tightly)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "squeeze"):

clinch (embrace amorously)

cuddle (hold (a person or thing) close, as for affection, comfort, or warmth)

interlock; lock (become engaged or intermeshed with one another)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 3

Meaning:

Press firmly

Example:

He squeezed my hand

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "squeeze" is one way to...):

press (exert pressure or force to or upon)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "squeeze"):

clench (squeeze together tightly)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

Sam cannot squeeze Sue

Also:

squeeze out (form or shape by forcing through an opening)

squeeze out (cause to come out in a squirt)

squeeze out (extract (liquid) by squeezing or pressing)

Derivation:

squeeze; squeezing (the act of gripping and pressing firmly)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Squeeze tightly between the fingers

Example:

She squeezed the bottle

Synonyms:

nip; pinch; squeeze; tweet; twinge; twitch

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "squeeze" is one way to...):

grip (hold fast or firmly)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "squeeze"):

tweak (pinch or squeeze sharply)

goose (pinch in the buttocks)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

squeeze (the act of gripping and pressing firmly)

squeeze (a twisting squeeze)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Squeeze like a wedge into a tight space

Example:

I squeezed myself into the corner

Synonyms:

force; squeeze; wedge

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "squeeze" is one way to...):

displace; move (cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "squeeze"):

impact (press or wedge together; pack together)

compact; compress; pack together (make more compact by or as if by pressing)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

Sense 6

Meaning:

To compress with violence, out of natural shape or condition

Example:

squeeze a lemon

Synonyms:

crush; mash; squash; squeeze; squelch

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "squeeze" is one way to...):

press (exert pressure or force to or upon)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "squeeze"):

wring (twist, squeeze, or compress in order to extract liquid)

stamp (crush or grind with a heavy instrument)

steamroller (crush with a steamroller as if to level)

tread (crush as if by treading on)

telescope (crush together or collapse)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

squeeze (a twisting squeeze)

squeezer (a kitchen utensil for squeezing juice from fruit)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Press or force

Example:

She thrust the letter into his hand

Synonyms:

shove; squeeze; stuff; thrust

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "squeeze" is one way to...):

force; push (move with force)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

Sentence example:

They squeeze the books into the box

Sense 8

Meaning:

Obtain by coercion or intimidation

Example:

They squeezed money from the owner of the business by threatening him

Synonyms:

extort; gouge; rack; squeeze; wring

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "squeeze" is one way to...):

fleece; gazump; hook; overcharge; pluck; plume; rob; soak; surcharge (rip off; ask an unreasonable price)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "squeeze"):

bleed (get or extort (money or other possessions) from someone)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something from somebody

Derivation:

squeeze (an aggressive attempt to compel acquiescence by the concentration or manipulation of power)

Sense 9

Meaning:

To cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means

Example:

He squeezed her for information

Synonyms:

coerce; force; hale; pressure; squeeze

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "squeeze" is one way to...):

compel; obligate; oblige (force somebody to do something)

Cause:

act; move (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "squeeze"):

turn up the heat; turn up the pressure (apply great or increased pressure)

drive (to compel or force or urge relentlessly or exert coercive pressure on, or motivate strongly)

bludgeon (overcome or coerce as if by using a heavy club)

steamroll; steamroller (bring to a specified state by overwhelming force or pressure)

squeeze for (squeeze someone for money, information, etc.)

dragoon; railroad; sandbag (compel by coercion, threats, or crude means)

terrorise; terrorize (coerce by violence or with threats)

bring oneself (cause to undertake a certain action, usually used in the negative)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something

Derivation:

squeeze (an aggressive attempt to compel acquiescence by the concentration or manipulation of power)

Credits

 Context examples: 

The material, developed by researchers from the University of Cambridge, is made of tiny particles of gold coated in a polymer shell, and then squeezed into microdroplets of water in oil.

(Colour-changing artificial ‘chameleon skin’ powered by nanomachines, University of Cambridge)

Angina may feel like pressure or a squeezing pain in your chest.

(Angina, NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

The liquid produced by squeezing or crushing a fruit or vegetable.

(Juice, NCI Thesaurus)

Overactive bladder is a condition in which the bladder squeezes urine out at the wrong time.

(Overactive Bladder, NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

"Yes, sir," and Jo nearly crushed the small flowerpot with the sudden squeeze she gave it.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

You should know better, since I have heard that the monks of Beaulieu could squeeze a good cup of wine from their own grapes.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He took an orange from the cupboard, and tearing it to pieces he squeezed out the pips upon the table.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

In a moment the creature, beating and bumping along the wall like a huge moth within a gas-shade, came upon the opening, squeezed its hideous bulk through it, and was gone.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The top-of-the-line Note 7 was crucial to Samsung's growth plans this year, with the company struggling to boost sales, squeezed by Apple in the high-end sector and Chinese rivals in the low-end.

(Samsung Ends Production of Problem-Plagued Galaxy Note 7, Voanews)

Those symptoms include: • Chest discomfort - pressure, squeezing, or pain • Shortness of breath • Discomfort in the upper body - arms, shoulder, neck, back • Nausea, vomiting, dizziness, lightheadedness, sweating

(Heart Attack, NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

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