n.

1. the act of gripping and pressing firmly;
   squeezing
   
   • he gave her cheek a playful squeeze
2. a state in which there is a short supply of cash to lend to businesses and consumers and interest rates are high;
   credit crunch, liquidity crisis
3. a situation in which increased costs cannot be passed on to the customer
   
   • increased expenses put a squeeze on profits
4. (slang) a person's girlfriend or boyfriend
   
   • she was his main squeeze
5. a twisting squeeze;
   wring
   
   • gave the wet cloth a wring
6. an aggressive attempt to compel acquiescence by the concentration or manipulation of power;
   power play, squeeze play
   
   • she laughed at this sexual power play and walked away
7. a tight or amorous embrace;
   hug, clinch
   
   • come here and give me a big hug
8. the act of forcing yourself (or being forced) into or through a restricted space
   
   • getting through that small opening was a tight squeeze

v.

1. to compress with violence, out of natural shape or condition;
   squash, crush, squelch, mash
   
   • crush an aluminum can
   • squeeze a lemon
2. press firmly
   
   • He squeezed my hand
3. squeeze like a wedge into a tight space;
   wedge, force
   
   • I squeezed myself into the corner
4. to cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means :"She forced him to take a job in the city";
   coerce, hale, pressure, force
   
   • He squeezed her for information
5. obtain by coercion or intimidation;
   extort, rack, gouge, wring
   
   • They extorted money from the executive by threatening to reveal his past to the company boss
   • They squeezed money from the owner of the business by threatening him
6. press or force;
   thrust, stuff, shove
   
   • Stuff money into an envelope
   • She thrust the letter into his hand
7. squeeze tightly between the fingers;
   pinch, twinge, tweet, nip, twitch
   
   • He pinched her behind
   • She squeezed the bottle
8. squeeze (someone) tightly in your arms, usually with fondness;
   embrace, hug, bosom
   
   • Hug me, please
   • They embraced
   • He hugged her close to him
9. squeeze or press together;
   compress, constrict, compact, contract, press
   
   • she compressed her lips
   • the spasm contracted the muscle