verb
squeeze
skweez
verb
1
To press something firmly from two or more sides.
"She squeezed the lemon over her fish."
"He squeezed her hand to comfort her."
2
To force something into a tight space, or manage to fit it in.
"We squeezed one more chair around the table."
"I'll try to squeeze in a call before lunch."
3
To put pressure on someone, financially or otherwise.
"Rising costs are squeezing small businesses hard."
noun
1
An act of pressing or hugging something.
"She gave his arm a gentle squeeze."
2
A difficult situation caused by limited time, money, or space.
"Households are feeling the squeeze from higher energy bills."
How to Use Squeeze
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo press tightly, force something into a small space, or the financial/practical pressure of a tight situation.
Common pairings
squeeze in
squeeze out
feel the squeeze
a tight squeeze
Word Forms
squeezed past tense, squoze past tense, squozen past tense, squeezes plural, squeezes singular
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Etymology
First recorded around 1600, likely from an old English word meaning "to crush," possibly influenced by an imitative sound.