v. Obs. Forms: 6 squyse, 6–7 squise, 7 squize. [Of obscure origin: cf. SQUEEZE v., SQUISS v.] trans. To squeeze, in various senses.
Common from c. 1560 to c. 1620.
α. 1548. Elyot, Presso,… to presse or thruste together, to squise.
1574. Hellowes, Gueuara’s Fam. Ep. (1577), 146. I began againe to squise out the matter.
1582. Stanyhurst, Æneis, II. (Arb.), 50. Hee with his hands labored theyre knots too squise.
1614. Gorges, Lucan, IV. 159. He … with his teeth the throate doth squise, Not where the lurking poyson lies.
1647. Hexham, I. To Squise out, wt-wrijven. Ibid. (1648), II. Douwen, to Presse, to Squise.
β. 1601. Holland, Pliny, XVIII. xxxi. I. 606. Now when they purposed to squize out the grapes, they laid certain lids or planks thereupon. Ibid. (1609), Amm. Marcell., 178. Some with stones that came tumbling downe upon them, were bruised and sore squized together.
1615. Brathwait, Strappado (1878), 216. To squize the poore that thou may better spend On wanton consorts.
1648. Hexham, II. Tsamen douwen, to Presse, to Straine, Squize, or Wring together.
Hence † Squized ppl. a. † Squizing vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
1565. Cooper, Thesaurus, Collisus, a squisinge, knockyng or thrustyng together. Ibid., Expressio, a streignyng: a squising out.
1582. Stanyhurst, Æneis, III. (Arb.). 89. Men say that Enceladus … here harbrouth, Dingd with this squising and massiue burthen of Ætna.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., III. ii. III. Every lover admires his mistress, though … she looks like a squised cat.
1648. Hexham, II. Een douwinge, a Pressing, a Squising.
