Also 5–6 squyrt, 6 squyrte, squirte, 9 north. dial. swirt. [Of obscure origin. Cf. LG. swirtjen, swürtjen (also EFriesl. kwirtjen) in senses 1 and 2.
For earlier evidence see SQUIRTING vbl. sb. In the 14th-cent. Nominale (Skeat), 408, the F. esclauotee is rendered by ‘be-squireid,’ prob. an error for ‘be-squirtid.’]
I. intr. 1. To eject or spirt out water in a jet or slight stream.
c. 1460. J. Russell, Bk. Nurture, 293, in Babees Bk. With youre mouthe ye vse nowþer to squyrt, nor spowt.
1530. Palsgr., 731/2. I holde the a grote that I squyrt over yonder wall with my squyrt.
1580. Hollyband, Treas. Fr. Tong, Caner, to squirte.
1711. New Map Trav. of High Church Apostle, 7. Mr. Clyster-pipe, with Two Cirenges hanging at his Saddle instead of Pistols, to squirt in the Eyes of the Low-flyers if any durst presume to look enviously at ’em.
1740. Cibber, Apol. (1756), I. 35. It generally flew back into their faces as it happens to children when they squirt at their playfellows against the wind.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., I. V. vi. The Firemen are here, squirting with their fire-pumps on the Invalides cannon, to wet the touchholes; they unfortunately cannot squirt so high.
1862. Miss Yonge, C’tess Kate, iv. I squirted right through the window.
b. To void thin excrement; to have diarrhœa.
1530. Palsgr., 731/2. I squyrt, I have a lax, jay le va va.
1598. Florio, Squaccarare, to squatter, to squirt or lash it out behind after a purgation.
1611. Cotgr., Foirer, to squirt, to shite thinne as in a laske.
1653. Urquhart, Rabelais, I. xxv. 115. For those that are costive … it will make them … squirt the length of a Hunters Staffe.
2. To move swiftly or quickly; to dart or frisk. Chiefly with advs., as about, in, up and down, or preps., as among.
1570. Foxe, A. & M., 1243/1. I thought … to haue made easie iourneys,… and now come you squirtyng in post, and trouble all.
1607. Middleton, Fam. Love, IV. i. Comes master doctor Glister, as his manner is, squirting in suddenly.
a. 1652. Brome, Covent Garden weeded, II. i. Let me see you squirting about without a weapon,… and I’le weapon you.
1692. L’Estrange, Fables (1694), 251. You are so … given to squirting up and down, and chattering, that the world would be apt to say I had chosen a Jackpudding for a Prime Minister.
1859–76. in dial. glossaries, etc. (Westm., Lancs., Yks.).
† b. ? To move jerkily up and down. Obs.
1611. Cotgr., s.v. Chevaucher, Chevaucher à la genette, to sit squirting on horseback with legs drawn vp almost into the saddle.
3. To issue or be ejected in a jet-like stream; to spirt or spurt.
1858. Hawthorne, Fr. & It. Note-bks. (1872), I. 57. The water squirts out of some fantastic piece of sculpture.
1863. Reade, Hard Cash, I. i. 22. The oars seemed to lash the water savagely,… and the spray squirted at each vicious stroke.
1893. W. R. Mackintosh, Around Orkney Peat-Fires (1905), iii. 266. The blood was squirting from his finger-tips.
II. trans. 4. To cause (liquid) to issue or stream (out) in a jet from a squirt or syringe.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. (1882), 36. A squirt, or a squibbe, which little children vsed to squirt out water withall.
1590. Lucar, Lucar Solace, IV. x. 157. This kinde of squirt may be … made to squirt out his water with great violence upon the fire.
1601. Holland, Pliny, VIII. xxvii. I. 210. This bird having a crooked and hooked bill, useth it in steed of a syringe or pipe, to squirt water into that part.
1664. H. More, Myst. Iniq., I. xvii. 64. This … will sooner quench all the fiery darts of the wicked, then whole pots of Holy-water squirted against him.
1688. Wood, Life (O.H.S.), III. 270. Mr. Philip Lewis appeared in the pulpit in the chappell and preached grining and laughing, and [they] had water squirted on them.
1712. Arbuthnot, John Bull (1755), 32. She used to hire fellows to squirt kennel water upon him, as he passed along the streets.
1825. Jamieson, Suppl., To Skoot,… to squirt any liquid.
b. To eject or propel in a stream from a small orifice, etc. Chiefly with advs. or preps.
1601. Holland, Pliny, I. 441. The remedie to keepe Wespes from them, is to spurt or squirt oile out of a mans mouth vpon them.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 207. They … would through their trunks squirt or cast a litle of their drink vpon their attendants.
1742. Young, Nt. Th., IX. 919. What childish toys, Thy watry columns squirted to the clouds!
1765. Museum Rust., IV. 332. Putting a bit of salt and butter up the cod instead of squirting up a little salt water.
1837. P. Keith, Bot. Lex., 376. It takes in a portion of water, which it has the power of squirting out again with considerable force.
1849. Cupples, Green Hand, i. (1856), 3. The emphatic way in which … they squirted their tobacco-juice on the deck.
c. In fig. uses.
1606. J. Day, Ile of Gulls, III. i. I had paraphrasticall admonitions of all sortes,—some against couetous Landlords, and that I would squirt amongst beggerlie Tennants.
1678. Otway, Friendship in Fashion, III. i. Comedy! no, I scorn to write comedy. I know several that can squirt comedy.
1702. Boyer, Dict. Royal, I. Il chie de peur,… he squirts [his] wits, his heart is sunk into his breech.
1768–74. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1834), II. 157. Versifiers squirting out careless rhapsodies of harmonious billingsgate.
1781. H. Walpole, Lett. to H. S. Conway, 6 May. He lifted up his leg, and just squirted contempt on them.
1872. Blackie, Lays Highl., 123. And you, poor shell-fish, squirt your spiteful ban [etc.].
5. To inject (a liquid) by means of a squirt or in a similar manner.
c. 1550. H. Lloyd, Treas. Health, C j. The joyce … put or squyrted into the eye doth put awaye the blemysshes of the same.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., III. (1586), 122. Some woulde haue the licour of the lime Bitumen squirted in.
1610. [see SQUIRTFUL].
1721. Bailey, To Syringe, to squirt Liquors into the Ears, Sores, &c.
1841. Hood, Tale of Trumpet, 144. The almond oil she had tried,… Dabb’d, and dribbled, and squirted in.
1884. Marshall’s Tennis Cuts, 126. The bystanders took so lively an interest in his matches as to squirt tobacco-juice in his eyes.
6. To moisten or cover (a surface) with liquid by means of spirting or squirting; to bring into a certain state in this way.
1601. B. Jonson, Poetaster, To Rdr. They know, I dare To spurne, or baffull ’hem, or squirt their eyes With inke, or vrine: or I could doe worse.
1610. Markham, Masterp., II. xxii. 256. Either wash or squirt the soare place with it.
1909. Daily Chron., 1 April 4/4. Your first desire on beholding the outside of the building is to order up a few fire hoses and squirt it clean.
7. To cause to squirt or give out liquid.
1622. Drayton, Poly-olb., xxiii. 262. Quoth warlike Warwickshire, ‘I’ll bind the sturdy Bear.’ Quoth Worstershire again, ‘And I will squirt the Pear.’
8. techn. To force or press (a viscous or ductile material) through a small orifice; to form or fashion in this manner.
1881. Raymond, Mining Gloss., Squirting, forcing lead by hydraulic pressure into the form of rods or pipes.
