Etymology
1. c.1600, probably an alteration of
quease (c.1550), from O.E.
cwysan "to squeeze," of unknown origin, perhaps imitative (cf. Ger.
quetschen "to squeeze"). Slang expression
to put the squeeze on (someone or something) "exert influence" is from 1711. Baseball
squeeze play first recorded 1905.
Main squeeze "most important person" is attested from 1896; meaning "one's sweetheart, lover" is attested by 1980.
2. From earlier squize, squise (whence also dialectal English squizzen and squeege), first attested around 1600, further origin uncertain; probably an alteration of quease (which is attested since 1550), from Middle English queisen (“to squeeze”), from Old English cwȳsan (“to crush, squeeze”), itself also of unknown origin, perhaps imitative (compare Swedish qväsa, kväsa (“to squeeze, bruise, crush; quell”), Dutch kwetsen (“to injure, hurt”), German quetschen (“to squeeze”)). Or, a blend of obsolete squiss (“to squeeze”) (whence also squash and squish) with quease. Compare also French esquicher from Old Occitan esquichar (“to press, squeeze”).
3. The slang expression "to put the squeeze on (someone or something)", meaning "to exert influence", is from 1711. The baseball term "squeeze play" is first recorded 1905. "Main squeeze" ("most important person") is attested from 1896, the specific meaning "one's sweetheart, lover" is attested in 1970s.
4. The nonstandard strong forms squoze and squozen, attested dialectally since at least the mid-19th century, are by analogy with freeze. See: Swedish '
qväsa', Dutch '
kwetsen', German, old spelling '
quetschen', French '
esquicher', Old Occitan '
esquichar'.
Verbs referencing "squeeze"
Norwegian
skvise.