1. Press firmly
   "He squeezed my hand"
    
2. Use force to compress, making out of normal shape or condition
   "squeeze a lemon";
   - squash, crush, squelch, mash, squidge [informal], squish [informal]
    
3. Press tightly between the fingers
   "She squeezed the bottle";
   - pinch, nip, twitch
    
4. Bring together or compress
   "she squeezed her lips";
   - compress, constrict, compact, contract, press
    
5. Force to fit into (or through) a tight space
   "I squeezed myself into the corner";
   - wedge, force, squash, sardine [informal]
    
6. Press or force
   "He squeezed the toothpaste tube";
   - thrust, stuff, shove
    
7. Hold (someone) tightly in your arms, usually with fondness
   "She squeezed her daughter in a loving embrace";
   - embrace, hug, bosom
    
8. Cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means
   "He squeezed her for information";
   - coerce, hale [archaic], pressure, force
    
9. Obtain by coercion or intimidation
   "They squeezed money from the owner of the business by threatening him";
   - extort, rack [archaic], gouge [informal], wring

1. The act of gripping and pressing firmly
   "he gave her cheek a playful squeeze";
   - squeezing
    
2. A tight or amorous embrace
   "come here and give me a big squeeze";
   - hug, clinch
    
3. The act of forcing yourself (or being forced) into or through a restricted space
   "getting through that small opening was a tight squeeze"
    
4. A twisting squeeze
   "gave the wet cloth a squeeze";
   - wring
    
5. A state in which there is a short supply of cash to lend to businesses and consumers and interest rates are high
   "The squeeze made it difficult for small businesses to secure loans";
   - credit crunch, liquidity crisis
    
6. A situation in which increased costs cannot be passed on to the customer
   "increased expenses put a squeeze on profits"
    
7. An aggressive attempt to compel acquiescence by the concentration or manipulation of power
   "The company used a squeeze play to force the smaller competitor to sell";
   - power play, squeeze play
    
8. [slang] A person's girlfriend or boyfriend
   "she was his main squeeze"
    
9. (baseball) the act of bunting in an attempt to score a runner from third
   "The coach called for a squeeze play to bring in the winning run"

Derived forms: squeezed, squeezes, squeezing

See also: squeeze out, wring out

Type of: attempt, clasp, compel, compressing, compression, constriction, displace, effort, embrace, embracement, embracing, endeavor [US], endeavour [Brit, Cdn], financial condition, fleece [informal], force, gouge [informal], grip, loss, lover, motion, move, movement, obligate, oblige, overcharge, pluck [informal], press, push, red, red ink [informal], rip off [informal], rob, skin [informal], soak [informal], surcharge, tighten, try

Encyclopedia: Squeeze, The