- squeeze
- [[t]skwi͟ːz[/t]]
♦♦♦squeezes, squeezing, squeezed1) VERB If you squeeze something, you press it firmly, usually with your hands.
[V n] He squeezed her arm reassuringly...
[V n adj] Dip the bread briefly in water, then squeeze it dry.
N-COUNT: usu singSqueeze is also a noun.I liked her way of reassuring you with a squeeze of the hand.
2) VERB If you squeeze a liquid or a soft substance out of an object, you get the liquid or substance out by pressing the object.[V n] Joe put the plug in the sink and squeezed some detergent over the dishes.
[V-ed] ...freshly squeezed lemon juice.
3) V-ERG If you squeeze your eyes shut or if your eyes squeeze shut, you close them tightly, usually because you are frightened or to protect your eyes from something such as strong sunlight.[V n adj] With a giant whoosh! the raft dropped over the edge. Nancy squeezed her eyes shut and prayed...
[V adj] If you keep your eyes squeezed shut, you'll miss the show...
[V-ed] The priest's eyes were squeezed shut against the light.
4) V-ERG If you squeeze a person or thing somewhere or if they squeeze there, they manage to get through or into a small space.[V n prep/adv] They lowered him gradually into the cockpit. Somehow they squeezed him in the tight space, and strapped him in...
[V prep/adv] Many break-ins are carried out by youngsters who can squeeze through tiny windows.
5) N-SING: a N If you say that getting a number of people into a small space is a squeeze, you mean that it is only just possible for them all to get into it. [INFORMAL]It was a squeeze in the car with five of them...
The lift holds six people at a squeeze.
Syn:6) VERB If you squeeze something out of someone, you persuade them to give it to you, although they may be unwilling to do this.[V n from/out of] The investigators complained about the difficulties of squeezing information out of residents...
[V n from/out of] The company intends to squeeze further savings from its suppliers.
7) VERB If a government squeezes the economy, they put strict controls on people's ability to borrow money or on their own departments' freedom to spend money, in order to control the country's rate of inflation.[V n] If a voluntary agreement is not reached the government will squeeze the economy into a severe recession to force inflation down...
[V n] Defense experts say joint projects are increasingly squeezed by budget pressures.
N-SINGSqueeze is also a noun.The CBI also says the squeeze is slowing down inflation.
8) N-COUNT Someone's squeeze is their boyfriend or girlfriend. [INFORMAL, JOURNALISM]...his new squeeze, Penelope Cruz.
Phrasal Verbs:
English dictionary. 2008.
