Also 7 squeez, squeaze, squease, squese, 7–8 squeese. [perh. a strengthened form of QUEASE v.1 Cf. also SQUIZE v.]
1. trans. To press or compress hard, esp. so as to flatten, crush or force together.
a. 1601. Pasquil & Kath. (1878), I. 117. I long not to be squeas’d with mine owne waight.
1634. Brereton, Trav. (Chetham Soc.), 26. The devil … squeezed and bruised his body so as his death was thereby occasioned.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 208. He therefore first among the Swains was found, To … squeese the Combs with Golden Liquor crown’d.
1727. Philip Quarll (1816), 81. He opened his windpipe by squeezing it the contrary way.
c. 1750. F. Coventry, Hist. Pompey, xv. A servant … heard him raving at the landlord because the bur was gone, and there was no lemon ready to squeeze over it.
1823. J. Badcock, Dom. Amusem., 30. By your seizing a handful briskly, and squeezing it half a minute, it preserves the form of the cavity of the hand.
1892. Photogr. Ann., II. 397. Upon squeezing the ball the charge is blown very exactly through the flame.
fig. 1648. J. Beaumont, Psyche, XI. cxxviii. A Stone more ponderous he found Squeazing his Soul with full Damnation’s Weight.
1681. Flavel, Meth. Grace, v. 102. An unprincipled professor must be squeezed by some weight of affliction, ere he will yield one tear.
1823. W. Cobbett, Rural Rides (1885), I. 320. The six hundred millions of Debt … are now squeezing the borough-mongers.
1845. Disraeli, Sybil (1863), 312. You know something about somebody; I couldn’t squeeze you then, but … I will have it out of you now.
† b. To squeeze wax, to impress wax with a seal; to set one’s seal to a document. Obs.
1658–9. in Burton’s Diary (1828), III. 133. The people are not like a young heir that hath squeezed wax, by which being once bound, it is too late after for him to repent.
1677. Wycherley, Pl. Dealer, IV. i. Wid. When thou’rt of Age, thou wilt sign, seal and deliver too, wilt thou? Jer. Yes marry will I…. Wid. O do not squeeze Wax, Son.
c. With complement: To reduce to, or bring into, a specified condition by pressure. To squeeze out (or † forth), to drain or exhaust in this way.
1660. H. More, Myst. Godl., III. xiii. 85. The more Zealous of the people lye in the way to be squeezed to death by the wheels.
1683. Salmon, Doron Med., I. 140. The fresh leaves of Asarabacca: bruise them,… squeez them forth strongly, and take it with care.
1697. Dampier, Vay., I. 79. We caught several great Sharks;… and eat them all, boyling and squeezing them dry.
1825. Hazlitt, Spirit of Age, 142. He has ransacked old chronicles,… he has squeezed out musty records.
1848. Bailey, Festus (ed. 3), 180. They have squeezed me black and blue.
1859. Dickens, T. Two Cities, I. v. Even with handkerchiefs … which were squeezed dry into infants’ mouths.
1871. G. W. Curtis, Potiphar P., i. To be squeezed flat against a wall.
fig. 1871. M. Collins, Mrq. & Merch., II. x. 293. When the [morning] paper was squeezed dry, the old lady usually settled down to take a nap.
1886. World, 17 Nov., 14. The writer … says that Archer, by a fine bit of riding, squeezed Childeric home by a neck.
d. With advs., as down, together, up.
1716. Lady M. W. Montagu, Lett. to C’tess Mar, 14 Sept. In order to that ceremony, I was squeezed up in a gown.
1833. Lardner, Manuf. Metal, II. 241. Placing them … between polished pasteboards, and then squeezing them down very closely.
1852. Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., i. 5. She squeezed up her child in her arms.
1884. Bower & Scott, De Bary’s Phaner., 573. They press against the bast-plate, and squeeze it together, displacing and destroying its elements.
e. To press (the hand) in token of friendship or affection.
1687. Miége, Gt. Fr. Dict., II. s.v., I squeezed her hand.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 191, ¶ 6. Him that had once squeezed her hand.
1823. Scott, Quentin D., xiv. The poor youth whose hand he squeezed affectionately.
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, xliv. Becky seized Pitt’s hand… ‘Thank you,’ she said, squeezing it.
2. To force by pressure. With advs. and preps., as in, into, out (of), through, etc.
1683. K. Digby, Chym. Secr., 67. Mix these two Mercuries together and squeeze them through a leather.
1716. Lady M. W. Montagu, Lett. to Lady X—, 1 Oct. A man, a little more slender than ordinary, might squeeze in his whole person.
1779. Mirror, No. 12. Their bosoms … were squeezed up to their throats.
1829. Chapters Phys. Sci., 4. Squeezing the air into a small space in the upper part of the goblet.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. ix. 62. The half-formed ice is squeezed through a precipitous gorge.
1892. Zangwill, Bow Myst., 110. Crowl was squeezed into a corner behind a pillar.
refl. 1847. Tennyson, Princ., Prol. 112. He had climb’d across the spikes, And he had squeezed himself betwixt the bars.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. xix. 134. We had to squeeze ourselves through narrow fissures.
1883. A. M. Mayer, in Century Mag., Aug., 491/2. The frightened birds … crouch … so as to squeeze themselves into the smallest compass.
b. In more or less fig. use.
1658–9. in Burton’s Diary (1828), IV. 225. Amidst that debate of Scotland was squeezed out a question about their withdrawing.
1694. in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden), 230. We shall be able to squeeze it into one [volume].
1777. F. Burney, Early Diary (1889), II. 210. She immediately complied, and I squeezed in my laughter with great decency.
1818. Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), II. 239. This is not so strong as the case of tacking a third incumbrance to a first, in order to squeeze out a second.
1861. Gen. P. Thompson, Audi Alt. Part., III. clxxvi. 211. It will very likely happen, that those who afterwards join, will squeeze him out of partnership.
1892. Photogr. Ann., II. 453. In last year’s Annual I was just able to squeeze in a notice of this cheap and convenient erection.
c. To force or push (one’s way).
1864. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., XVI. xiii. (1872), VI. 298. His poor Wife had twice squeezed her way into the Royal Levee at Kensington.
1912. D. Crawford, Thinking Black, ii. 18. Often overgrown with thick grass, the trail is lost below it, and the terror o’ mornings is to squeeze your way through this wet, matted tangle.
3. a. To press upon (a person, etc.) so as to exact or extort money; to fleece. Also const. of.
Cf. the fig. use illustrated s.v. SPONGE sb.1 9 c.
1639. Fuller, Holy War, III. vi. (1840), 124. He made a new seal, wherewith he squeezed his subjects, and left a deep impression in their purses.
1674. Milton, Hist. Moscovia, i. Wks. 1851, VIII. 478. Being well enricht, he is sent at his own Charge to the Wars, and there squeez’d of his ill got wealth.
1700. J. Tyrrell, Hist. Eng., II. 904. The Church had been so often squeezed by him.
1741. Middleton, Cicero (1742), II. vii. 184. This King Ariobarzanes … had been miserably squeezed and drained by the Roman Generals and Governers.
1879. Froude, Cæsar, ix. 99. Squeezing the people … of all the wealth that could be drained out of them.
1894. Baring-Gould, Deserts S. France, II. 193. The old corsair so squeezed these towns as to completely exhaust them.
† b. To subject to severe treatment. Obs.–1
1691. Sir R. Cox, in Sydney Papers (1746), I. 168. I squeezd them hard, having killd and hangd not less than 3000 of them.
c. slang. To bring into trouble. ? Obs.
1804. Revol. Plutarch, III. 232. The snuff-box for which I am now pinched, interrupted my career to the consulate for life, in the same manner as a gold bracelet squeezed me in 1796, and prevented me from being a Director for five years.
d. To subject to strong constraint or pressure.
1888. Christian Leader, 28 June, 403/2. The sense of being squeezed makes even a pliant man stiffen his back and become obstinate.
1898. Times, 15 Nov., 9/4. The notion that England can be ‘squeezed’ indefinitely and will submit to any humiliation and loss rather than fight.
4. With out: To press or force out; to cause to ooze or flow out by the application of pressure.
1599. B. Jonson, Ev. Man out of Hum., Prol. To seize on vice, and … Squeeze out the humour of such spongie soules As lick up every idle vanity.
1602. Marston, Ant. & Mel., IV. Wks. 1856, I. 49. Even this brinish marsh Shall squeaze out teares.
1696. Bp. Patrick, Comm. Exod. xxvii. (1697), 526. Pure Oyl-olive,… not squeezed out by a Press or by a Mill,… but … bruised with a Pestel.
1746. Francis, trans. Hor., Sat., II. v. 171. Squeeze out some teares.
1789. J. Williams, Min. Kingd., I. 64. These troubles sometimes squeeze out one third, and at other times one half or more of the thickness of the coal.
1829. N. Arnott, Physics (ed. 4), II. 12. It becomes instantly sensible on the condensation of any material mass, as if then squeezed out from the mass.
1854. Thackeray, Newcomes, xxviii. Lady Kew could … squeeze out a tear over a good novel too.
1892. Garrett’s Encycl. Cookery, II. 40. Squeeze out all the juice from the selected quantity of Seville Oranges.
b. In fig. use.
1641. Sir T. Roe, in Eng. Hist. Rev. (1910), April, 273. My last remonstrance hath squeezed out an answere both from the emperor and the Spanish ambassador.
1704. Swift, Tale Tub, Author’s Apol. From whence some have endeavoured to Squeeze out a dangerous meaning.
1821. V. Knox, Spirit of Despotism (ed. 2), 36/1, note. Speeches in favour of the emperor, which the dread of impending evil squeezed out of many against their will and better judgment.
1835. Gentl. Mag., Nov. IV. 492. No old maids with their mouths, like purses, Squeezing out compliments like curses.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., I. I. ii. Poverty invades even the Royal Exchequer, and Tax-farming can squeeze out no more.
5. a. To extort or exact, to obtain by force or pressure, from or out of a person, etc. Also rarely without const.
(a) 1602. Marston, Antonio’s Rev., II. v. Wks. 1856, I. 103. Ile wring what may be squeas’d from out his use.
1693. Humours Town, 24. The Jilt squeezes out of him a new Petticoat.
1700. Dr. Wallis, Collect. (O.H.S.), I. 325. The rest serves … for a pretense to squeeze the more money from the gentleman.
1771. Nicholls, in Corr. w. Gray (1843), 121. In four months I have only been able to squeeze two [letters] from you.
1802–12. Bentham, Ration. Judic. Evid. (1827), IV. 65, note. The above … was the sum squeezed by the judge out of the clerk.
1848. Mill, Pol. Econ., I. v. § 9 (1876), 51. Food and necessaries, which they either go without, or squeeze by their competition from the shares of other labourers.
1865. Dickens, Mut. Fr., III. i. When it comes to squeezing a profit out of you.
(b) 1800. Wellington, in Gurw., Desp. (1834), I. 273. The Nizam’s horse are going about the country squeezing what they can get.
1898. Daily News, 15 July, 7/7. In cases where holders are pressed concessions can be squeezed.
b. To extract (juice, etc.) by pressure. (Cf. 4.)
1611. Cotgr., Escrager, to crush, or squeeze out of.
1700. Dryden, Flower & Leaf, 419. They squeez’d the juice, and cooling ointment made.
1710. Addison, Tatler, No. 131, ¶ 1. They can squeeze Bourdeaux out of the Sloe.
1758. Reid, trans. Macquer’s Chym., I. 136. To squeeze out of them all such parts of their substance as they will … part with.
1845. Budd, Dis. Liver, 359. From some of them a little pus, as well as bile, could be squeezed.
1891. Codrington, Melanesians, xvi. 316. The cream squeezed out from grated cocoa-nut.
c. To put or drop in (a fluid extracted by pressure).
1725. Fam. Dict., s.v. Potage, Squeezing in some Lemon Juice when served up.
1794. G. Adams, Nat. & Exp. Philos., III. xxxii. 301. A viscous or slimy liquor that is squeesed in, as if from a sponge, between every joint.
d. To succeed in purchasing out of a sum.
1768. Sterne, Sent. Journ., Le Dimanche. He had squeez’d out of the money, moreover, a new bag and a solitaire.
6. absol. a. To press hard; to exert pressure, esp. with the hand.
1692. R. L’Estrange, Æsop, lv. 55. He [the fox] squeez’d hard to get out again; but the Hole was too Little for him.
1768. Gray, Comic, 3. For thee does Powell squeeze, and Marriot sputter.
1775. [Fitzpatrick], Dorinda (ed. 2), 6. And oh! what bliss, when each alike is pleas’d, The hand that squeezes, and the hand that’s squeez’d!
1819. Scott, Leg. Montrose, xiii. If he offer to struggle or cry out, fail not … to squeeze doughtily.
b. To take a squeeze or facsimile impression.
1890. Athenæum, 4 Oct., 455/1. The overhang of the rock makes it extremely difficult to ‘squeeze’ satisfactorily.
7. intr. To yield to pressure; to admit of being squeezed. Also fig.
1683. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., Printing, xi. ¶ 1. Every Joynt between these are subject to squeeze by the force of a Pull. Ibid., xxiv. ¶ 5. Solid Blocks of Wood … will scarce Squeeze by the strength of a Pull.
1771. Luckombe, Hist. Printing, 327. Bran squeezes much more—But plaister of Paris not at all.
1844. Dickens, Mart. Chuz., xliii. ‘He’s the sort of man,’ added Mr. Tapley, musing, ‘as would squeeze soft, I know.’
1892. Labour Commission, Gloss. No. 3. s.v. Creep, The tendency of the roof, floor, and sides … in a mine to ‘creep, crush, or squeeze’ together.
8. To force a way; to press or push; to succeed in passing by means of compression. With advs. and preps. as in, into, out (of), through, up (to), etc.
1704. Newton, Optics, II. iii. prop. 8 (1721), 242. A concave Sphere of Gold filled with Water … has, upon pressing the Sphere with great force, let the Water squeeze through it.
1710. Brit. Apollo, No. 83. 3/1. We squeez’d up the Stair-Case.
1738. Gentl. Mag., VIII. 34/1. There is always a confused Crowd about him…. Now and then a Poet squeezes in.
1771. Smollett, Humph. Cl. (1815), 117. The old duke … squeezing into the circle with a busy face of importance.
1810. Lady S. Lyttelton, Corr. (1912), iv. 95. I saw Hartington as we were squeezing out of the theatre.
1831. Macaulay, in Trevelyan, iv. (1913), I. 235. I contrived to squeeze up to Lord Lansdowne.
1848. L. Hunt, Jar of Honey, iv. 48. Don’t stir an inch; and so We’ll all squeeze in together.
1897. Mary Kingsley, W. Africa, 255. We squeeze through between the stakes so as not to let the trap off.
