squeeze

v. & n.
—v.
1 tr. a exert pressure on from opposite or all sides, esp. in order to extract moisture or reduce size. b compress with one's hand or between two bodies. c reduce the size of or alter the shape of by squeezing.
2 tr. (often foll. by out) extract (moisture) by squeezing.
3 a tr. force (a person or thing) into or through a small or narrow space. b intr. make one's way by squeezing. c tr. make (one's way) by squeezing.
4 tr. a harass by exactions; extort money etc. from. b constrain; bring pressure to bear on. c (usu. foll. by out of) obtain (money etc.) by extortion, entreaty, etc. d Bridge subject (a player) to a squeeze.
5 tr. press (a person's hand) with one's own as a sign of sympathy, affection, etc.
6 tr. (often foll. by out) produce with effort (squeezed out a tear).
—n.
1 an instance of squeezing; the state of being squeezed.
2 Brit. a close embrace.
3 a crowd or crowded state; a crush.
4 a small quantity produced by squeezing (a squeeze of lemon).
5 a sum of money extorted or exacted, esp. an illicit commission.
6 Econ. a restriction on borrowing, investment, etc., in a financial crisis.
7 an impression of a coin etc. taken by pressing damp paper, wax, etc., against it.
8 (in full squeeze play) a Bridge leading winning cards until an opponent is forced to discard an important card. b Baseball hitting a ball short to the infield to enable a runner on third base to start for home as soon as the ball is pitched.
Phrases and idioms:
put the squeeze on colloq. coerce or pressure (a person). squeeze bottle a flexible container whose contents are extracted by squeezing it. squeeze-box sl. an accordion or concertina.
Derivatives:
squeezable adj. squeezer n.
Etymology: earlier squise, intensive of obs. queise, of unkn. orig.