frequently_asked_questions_files/Oxford Thesaurus.pdf

(someone's) arm, US put the arm on: You'll have to squeeze
Fletcher if you want to get paid. 4 ram, jam, pack, stuff,
cram, crowd, force, press, wedge: We were squeezed into the
train so tightly that I could hardly breathe. 5 clasp, clench,
embrace, hug, hold, enfold, fold, clutch, Archaic clip: She
squeezed him close as they bade goodbye. 6 squeeze through or
by. get through or by, pass, (barely) succeed, Colloq squeak
through or by, (barely) make it: He managed to squeeze through
the exam with a pass mark, but it was touch-and-go.
--n. 7 clasp, embrace, hug, clutch, Colloq clinch: She gave me
a little squeeze to signal her affection. 8 pressure: I was
beginning to feel the squeeze between inflation and high
interest rates. 9 crush, jam, crowd, squash, press: There was
such a squeeze of people at the sale that I couldn't get in. 10
girlfriend, mistress, sweetheart, Colloq sweetie, Slang moll,
broad, Archaic doxy: Willie showed up with his current squeeze.
11 put the squeeze on. press, bring pressure to bear on, urge,
influence, Brit pressurize, US pressure: The bank was beginning
to put the squeeze on me to repay my overdraft.
squelch v. 1 suppress, subdue, put down, quell, quash, defeat,
overcome, outdo, humiliate, Colloq shoot or slap down, take down
a peg (or two), take the wind out of (someone's) sails, settle
(someone's) hash: The slightest sign of disapproval from No‰l
was enough to squelch the most arrogant toady.
--n. 2 riposte, retort, comeback, quip, sally, gibe or jibe,
barb, Colloq wisecrack, put-down: One of the best squelches was
when Oscar Wilde said, referring to a bon mot, 'I wish I'd said
that', to which Whistler said, 'You will, Oscar. You will.'
squire v. 1 escort, accompany, conduct, go with, take; convoy: Who
will squire my sisters to the prince's ball?
--n. 2 esquire, gentleman, landowner, landholder, landed
proprietor: The old squire held his head high among the county
aristocracy.
squirm v. wriggle, writhe, twist, flounder, shift, fidget, be (very)
uncomfortable, agonize, Colloq sweat: The boy squirmed under
the stern gaze of the headmaster.