squeeze: Meaning and Definition of

squeeze

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: to squeeze juice from an orange.
4. to thrust forcibly; force by pressure; cram: to squeeze three suits into a small suitcase.
5. to fit into a small or crowded space or timespan: The doctor will try to squeeze you in between appointments.
6. to enclose (another person's hand, arm, etc.) in one's hand and apply pressure as a token of affection, friendship, sympathy, or the like: His father squeezed his hand and wished him luck.
7. to give (someone) a hug.
8. to threaten, intimidate, harass, or oppress (a person) in order to obtain a favor, money, or an advantageous attitude or action.
9. to cause financial hardship to: manufacturers squeezed by high tariffs.
10. to obtain a facsimile impression of.
11. to cause to merge, as two or more lines of traffic into fewer lanes.
12. He squeezed him in with a perfect bunt.
1. to enable (a runner on third base) to score on a squeeze play (often fol. by in):He squeezed him in with a perfect bunt.
2. to score (a run) in this way (often fol. by in):The Dodgers squeezed in a run in the eighth inning.
13. to force (an opponent) to play a potentially winning card on a trick he or she cannot win.

1. to exert a compressing force.
2. to force a way through some narrow or crowded place (usually fol. by through, in, out, etc.).
3. to merge or come together.

1. the act or fact of squeezing or the fact of being squeezed.
2. a clasping of one's hand around another's hand, arm, etc., as a token of affection, friendship, sympathy, or the like.
3. a hug or close embrace.
4. a troubled financial condition, esp. caused by a shortage or restriction, as of credit or funds.
5. a small quantity or amount of anything obtained by squeezing.
6. squeak (def. 3).
7. a sweetheart: his main squeeze.
8. a facsimile impression of an inscription or the like, obtained by pressing some plastic substance over or around it.
9. See
10. a play or circumstance whereby an opponent is forced to waste or discard a potentially winning card.
11. an act of threatening, intimidating, harassing, or oppressing a person or persons to obtain a favor, money, or an advantageous attitude or action: gangsters putting the squeeze on small businesses.
12. money or a favor obtained in such a way.