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to squeeze

to squeeze

72 1.0
To hold someone tightly in your arms to show affection
  • verb
  • /skwiːz/
translation icon : abrazar
  • And then my grandmother opened her eyes and she squeezed my hand.
  • squeeze someone's hand

And then my grandmother opened her eyes and she squeezed my hand.

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Examples

  • Kurt, I cannot wait to see you, kiss you, squeeze you and hold your hands.

  • I told my kids how much I love them and they smiled at me and they squeezed me really tight.

  • I want to just squeeze you all for being so amazing.

  • I just want to squeeze you.

  • l just want to hug you and squeeze you... and hold you close to me.

  • Amy smiled and reached out to squeeze the arm of the younger girl.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • It's perfect." Amy threw her arms around her husband's neck and squeezed him.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • He's a little little boy, a little beautiful bundle of joy and I can't wait to squeeze him and hold him and love him.

  • "I love you very much, that's what I think," and I squeezed his hand, and he squeezed mine.

    Academic text (2003)
  • I just want to squeeze you tight and show you how much I care.

Synonyms

to hug
vsto squeeze
336 1.0

To hold someone tightly in your arms to show care

is the same action and meaning as the other term
to embrace
vsto squeeze
142 2.8

To hold someone tightly to show affection

is the same action and meaning as the other term
to clutch
vsto squeeze
118 3.4

To hold something tightly with the hands or because of strong feeling

is done with the arms to show affection rather than a hand grasp
to cuddle
vsto squeeze
72 1.0

Holding someone close in your arms to show love or comfort

is tighter and more about affection than for warmth or comfort
to wrap arms around
vsto squeeze
38 2.8

To put your arms around someone or something to show love and protect them

focuses on holding more tightly to show affection
to clasp
vsto squeeze
33 2.6

To hold a person or thing tightly with your hands

is usually affectionate and meant to show warmth rather than a neutral grip
to clinch
vsto squeeze
6 4.8

To hold someone tightly, for example in a fight or a hug

is usually for affectionate arm holds rather than sporting contact
to cuddle with
vsto squeeze
5 2.3

To hold someone or a soft thing close to show love

is firmer and usually tighter rather than gentle closeness
to hold close
vsto squeeze
1 1.4

Keep a person or thing tightly against your body

is primarily affectionate and not only about firm control
to bosom
vsto squeeze
  • Literature
7.7

Hold someone tightly in your arms to give them comfort

usually focuses only on showing affection rather than protection

Antonyms

1.4

To stop holding something or someone so they are free

43 3.2

To stop other people from getting close to you emotionally

Idioms

1 7.2

In a difficult situation with little time or money

Phrasal Verbs

To make someone leave a place or job by pressure

To press something to get liquid out

4 7.5

To pressure someone to give money or information when they do not want to

To get something with great effort

1 9.9

To pass solid waste from your body

to squeeze by
  • Informal
1 5.8

Live with only enough money for basic needs

to squeeze out
  • Specialized
4.0

To push material through an opening to make a shape

Compounds

1 9.1

A baseball play where the runner on third base runs home as the batter lightly hits the ball

squeeze play
  • Jargon
1 7.5

A baseball play where a runner on third base tries to score as the batter bunts

1 7.4

A way of putting pressure on someone to make them agree

1 6.3

A box-shaped instrument with bellows that you press to make music, like an accordion

8.4

A play where a runner on third waits for a successful bunt before running home

8.4

A baseball play where a runner on third base waits for a bunt then runs home to avoid being out

A risky baseball play where the runner on third base runs home while the batter bunts

How Tight

bear hug
9 3.0
to squeeze
72 1.0
to hug
336 1.0
to cuddle
72 1.0
to hold
1.0

Surface Forms

squeeze infinitive
squeezed past
squeezed past participle
squeezing present participle
squeezes third person singular

Etymology

Squeeze comes from an old German word meaning 'press', so a helpful image is of pressing someone into your arms; that is why to squeeze someone can mean to hold them tightly like a hug.