The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary

Chapter 1618

Chapter 16182,523 wordsPublic domain

Squeeze (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Squeezed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Squeezing .] [OE. queisen , AS. cw&emac;san , cw&ymac;san , cw\'c6san , of uncertain origin. The s- was probably prefixed through the influence of squash , v.t.] 1. To press between two bodies; to press together closely; to compress; often, to compress so as to expel juice, moisture, etc.; as, to squeeze an orange with the fingers; to squeeze the hand in friendship.

2. Fig.: To oppress with hardships, burdens, or taxes; to harass; to crush.

In a civil war, people must expect to be crushed and squeezed toward the burden. L'Estrange.

3. To force, or cause to pass, by compression; often with out , through , etc.; as, to squeeze water through felt .

Syn. -- To compress; hug; pinch; gripe; crowd.

Squeeze <Xpage=1397>

Squeeze , v. i. To press; to urge one's way, or to pass, by pressing; to crowd; -- often with through , into , etc.; as, to squeeze hard to get through a crowd .

Squeeze <Xpage=1397>

Squeeze , n. 1. The act of one who squeezes; compression between bodies; pressure.

2. A facsimile impression taken in some soft substance, as pulp, from an inscription on stone.

Squeezer <Xpage=1397>

Squeez"er (?) , n. 1. One who, or that which, squeezes; as, a lemon squeezer .

2. (Forging) (a) A machine like a large pair of pliers, for shingling, or squeezing, the balls of metal when puddled; -- used only in the plural. (b) A machine of several forms for the same purpose; -- used in the singular.

Squeezing <Xpage=1397>

Squeez"ing , n. 1. The act of pressing; compression; oppression.

2. pl. That which is forced out by pressure; dregs.

3. Same as Squeeze , n. , 2.

Squelch <Xpage=1397>

Squelch (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Squelched (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Squelching .] [Cf. prov. E. quelch a blow, and quel to crush, to kill.] To quell; to crush; to silence or put down. [Colloq.]

Oh 't was your luck and mine to be squelched . Beau. & Fl.

If you deceive us you will be squelched . Carlyle.

Squelch <Xpage=1397>

Squelch , n. A heavy fall, as of something flat; hence, also, a crushing reply. [Colloq.]

Hudibras.

Squeteague <Xpage=1397>

Sque*teague" (skw&esl;*t&emac;g") , n. [from the North American Indian name.] (Zo\'94l.) An American sci\'91noid fish ( Cynoscion regalis ), abundant on the Atlantic coast of the United States, and much valued as a food fish. It is of a bright silvery color, with iridescent reflections. Called also weakfish , squitee , chickwit , and sea trout . The spotted squeteague ( C. nebulosus ) of the Southern United States is a similar fish, but the back and upper fins are spotted with black. It is called also spotted weakfish , and, locally, sea trout , and sea salmon . <-- also called squit. See under squitee. -->

Squib <Xpage=1397>

Squib (?) , n. [OE. squippen , swippen , to move swiftky, Icel. svipa to swoop, flash, dart, whip; akin to AS. swipian to whip, and E. swift , a. See Swift , a. ] 1. A little pipe, or hollow cylinder of paper, filled with powder or combustible matter, to be thrown into the air while burning, so as to burst there with a crack.

Lampoons, like squibs , may make a present blaze. Waller.

The making and selling of fireworks, and squibs . . . is punishable. Blackstone.

2. (Mining) A kind of slow match or safety fuse.

3. A sarcastic speech or publication; a petty lampoon; a brief, witty essay.

Who copied his squibs , and re\'89choed his jokes. Goldsmith.

4. A writer of lampoons. [Obs.]

The squibs are those who in the common phrase of the world are called libelers, lampooners, and pamphleteers. Tatler.

5. A paltry fellow. [Obs.]

Spenser.

Squib <Xpage=1397>

Squib , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Squibbed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Squibbing .] To throw squibs; to utter sarcatic or severe reflections; to contend in petty dispute; as, to squib a little debate . [Colloq.]

Squid <Xpage=1397>

Squid (?) , n. [Cf. Squirt .] 1. (Zo\'94l.) Any one of numerous species of ten-armed cephalopods having a long, tapered body, and a caudal fin on each side; especially, any species of Loligo , Ommastrephes , and related genera. See Calamary , Decacerata , Dibranchiata .

&hand; Some of these squids are very abundant on the Atlantic coast of North America, and are used in large quantities for bait, especially in the cod fishery. The most abundant of the American squids are the northern squid ( Ommastrephes illecebrosus ), ranging from Southern New England to Newfoundland, and the southern squid ( Loligo Pealii ), ranging from Virginia to Massachusetts.

2. A fishhook with a piece of bright lead, bone, or other substance, fastened on its shank to imitate a squid.

Flying squid , Giant squid . (Zo\'94l.) See under Flying , and Giant . -- Squid hound (Zo\'94l.) , the striped bass.

Squier <Xpage=1397>

Squier (?) , n. A square. See 1st Squire . [Obs.]

Not the worst of the three but jumps twelve foot and a half by the squier . Shak.

Squierie, Squiery <Xpage=1397>

Squi"er*ie , Squi"er*y , (<?/) , n. [OF. escuiere . See Esquire .] A company of squires; the whole body of squires.

&hand; This word is found in Tyrwhitt's Chaucer, but is not in the modern editions.

Squiggle <Xpage=1397>

Squig"gle (?) , v. i. [Cf. Prov. E. swiggle to drink greedily, to shake liquor in a close vessel, and E. sqig .] To shake and wash a fluid about in the mouth with the lips closed. [Prov. Eng.]

Forby.

Squiggle <Xpage=1397>

Squig"gle , v. i. [Cf. Squirm , Wiggle .] To move about like an eel; to squirm. [Low, U.S.]

Bartlett.

<page="1398"> Page 1398

Squilgee <Xpage=1398>

Squil"gee (?) , n. Formerly, a small swab for drying a vessel's deck; now, a kind of scraper having a blade or edge of rubber or of leather, -- used for removing superfluous, water or other liquids, as from a vessel's deck after washing, from window panes, photographer's plates, etc. [Written also squillgee , squillagee , squeegee. ]

Squill <Xpage=1398>

Squill (?) , n. [F. squille (also scille a squill, in sense 1), L. squilla , scilla , Gr. <?/.] 1. (Bot.) (a) A European bulbous liliaceous plant ( Urginea, formerly Scilla, maritima ), of acrid, expectorant, diuretic, and emetic properties used in medicine. Called also sea onion . (b) Any bulbous plant of the genus Scilla ; as, the bluebell squill ( S. mutans ).

2. (Zo\'94l.) (a) A squilla. (b) A mantis.

Squilla <Xpage=1398>

Squil"la (?) , n. ; pl. E. Squillas (#) , L. Squill\'91 (#) . [L., a sea onion, also, a prawn or shrimp. See Squill .] (Zo\'94l.) Any one of numerous stomapod crustaceans of the genus Squilla and allied genera. They make burrows in mud or beneath stones on the seashore. Called also mantis shrimp . See Illust . under Stomapoda .

Squillitic <Xpage=1398>

Squill*it"ic (?) , a. Of or pertaining to squills. [R.] " Squillitic vinegar."

Holland.

Squinance, Squinancy <Xpage=1398>

Squin"ance (?) , Squin"an*cy (?) , n. [F. esquinancie , OF. squinance , esquinance . See Quinsy .] 1. (Med.) The quinsy. See Quinsy . [Obs.]

2. (Bot.) A European perennial herb ( Asperula cynanchica ) with narrowly linear whorled leaves; -- formerly thought to cure the quinsy. Also called quincewort .

Squinancy berries , black currants; -- so called because used to cure the quinsy. Dr. Prior.

Squinch <Xpage=1398>

Squinch (?) , n. [Corrupted fr. sconce .] (Arch.) A small arch thrown across the corner of a square room to support a superimposed mass, as where an octagonal spire or drum rests upon a square tower; -- called also sconce , and sconcheon .

Squinsy <Xpage=1398>

Squin"sy (?) , n. (Med.) See Quinsy . [Obs.]

Squint <Xpage=1398>

Squint (?) , a. [Cf. D. schuinte a slope, schuin , schuinisch , sloping, oblique, schuins slopingly. Cf. Askant , Askance , Asquint .] 1. Looking obliquely. Specifically (Med.) , not having the optic axes coincident; -- said of the eyes. See Squint , n. , 2.

2. Fig.: Looking askance. " Squint suspicion."

Milton.

Squint <Xpage=1398>

Squint , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Squinted ; p. pr. & vb. n. Squinting .] 1. To see or look obliquely, asquint, or awry, or with a furtive glance.

Some can squint when they will. Bacon.

2. (Med.) To have the axes of the eyes not coincident; -- to be cross-eyed.

3. To deviate from a true line; to run obliquely.

Squint <Xpage=1398>

Squint , v. t. 1. To turn to an oblique position; to direct obliquely; as, to squint an eye .

2. To cause to look with noncoincident optic axes.

He . . . squints the eye, and makes the harelid. Shak.

Squint <Xpage=1398>

Squint , n. 1. The act or habit of squinting.

2. (Med.) A want of coincidence of the axes of the eyes; strabismus.

3. (Arch.) Same as Hagioscope .

Squinter <Xpage=1398>

Squint"er (?) , n. One who squints.

Squint-eye <Xpage=1398>

Squint"-eye` (?) , n. An eye that squints.

Spenser.

Squint-eyed <Xpage=1398>

Squint"-eyed` (?) , a. 1. Having eyes that quint; having eyes with axes not coincident; cross-eyed.

2. Looking obliquely, or asquint; malignant; as, squint-eyed praise; squint-eyed jealousy .

Squintifego <Xpage=1398>

Squint`i*fe"go (?) , a. Squinting. [Obs. & R.]

Squinting <Xpage=1398>

Squint"ing (?) , a. & n. from Squint , v. -- Squint"ing*ly , adv.

Squiny <Xpage=1398>

Squin"y (?) , v. i. To squint. [Obs.]

Shak.

Squinzey <Xpage=1398>

Squin"zey (?) , n. (Med.) See Quinsy . [Obs.]

Souir <Xpage=1398>

Souir (?) , v. t. To throw with a jerk; to throw edge foremost. [Obs.] [Written also squirr .]

Addison.

Squiralty <Xpage=1398>

Squir"al*ty (?) , n. Same as Squirarchy .

That such weight and influence be put thereby into the hands of the squiralty of my kingdom. Sterne.

Squirarch <Xpage=1398>

Squir"arch (?) , n. [ Squire + -arch .] One who belongs to the squirarchy. -- Squir"arch*al (#) , a.

Squirarchy <Xpage=1398>

Squir"arch*y (?) , n. [ Squire + -archy .] The gentlemen, or gentry, of a country, collectively. [Written also squirearchy .]

Squire <Xpage=1398>

Squire (?) , n. [OF. esquierre , F. \'82querre . See Square , n. ] A square; a measure; a rule. [Obs.] "With golden squire ."

Spenser.

Squire <Xpage=1398>

Squire , n. [Aphetic form of esquire .] 1. A shield-bearer or armor-bearer who attended a knight.

2. A title of dignity next in degree below knight , and above gentleman . See Esquire . [Eng.] "His privy knights and squires ."

Chaucer.

3. A male attendant on a great personage; also ( Colloq. ), a devoted attendant or follower of a lady; a beau.

4. A title of office and courtesy. See under Esquire .

Squire <Xpage=1398>

Squire , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. squired (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. squiring .] 1. To attend as a squire.

Chaucer.

2. To attend as a beau, or gallant, for aid and protection; as, to squire a lady . [Colloq.]

Goldsmith.

Squireen <Xpage=1398>

Squir*een" (?) , n. One who is half squire and half farmer; -- used humorously. [Eng.]

C. Kingsley.

Squirehood <Xpage=1398>

Squire"hood (?) , n. The rank or state of a squire; squireship.

Swift.

squireling <Xpage=1398>

squire"ling (?) , n. A petty squire.

Tennyson.

Squirely <Xpage=1398>

Squire"ly , a. & adv. Becoming a squire; like a squire.

squireship <Xpage=1398>

squire"ship , n. Squirehood.

Squirm <Xpage=1398>

Squirm (?) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Squirmed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Squirming .] [Cf. Swarm to climb a tree.] To twist about briskly with contor<?/ions like an eel or a worm; to wriggle; to writhe.

Squirr <Xpage=1398>

Squirr (?) , v. t. See Squir .

Squirrel <Xpage=1398>

Squir"rel (? &or; ?; 277) , n. [OE. squirel , OF. esquirel , escurel , F. \'82cureuil , LL. squirelus , squirolus , scuriolus , dim. of L. sciurus , Gr. si`oyros ; skia` shade + o'yra` tail. Cf. Shine , v. i. ] 1. (Zo\'94l.) Any one of numerous species of small rodents belonging to the genus Sciurus and several allied genera of the famly Sciurid\'91 . Squirrels generally have a bushy tail, large erect ears, and strong hind legs. They are commonly arboreal in their habits, but many species live in burrows.

&hand; Among the common North American squirrels are the gray squirrel ( Scirius Carolinensis ) and its black variety; the fox, or cat, sqirrel ( S. cinereus , or S. niger ) which is a large species, and variable in color, the southern variety being frequently black, while the northern and western varieties are usually gray or rusty brown; the red squirrel (see Chickaree ); the striped, or chipping, squirrel (see Chipmunk ); and the California gray squirrel ( S. fossor ). Several other species inhabit Mexico and Central America. The common European species ( Sciurus vulgaris ) has a long tuft of hair on each ear. the so-called Australian squirrels are marsupials. See Petaurist , and Phalanger .

2. One of the small rollers of a carding machine which work with the large cylinder.

Barking squirrel (Zo\'94l.) , the prairie dog. -- Federation squirrel (Zo\'94l.) , the striped gopher. See Gopher , 2. -- Flying squirrel (Zo\'94l.) . See Flying squirrel , in the Vocabulary. -- Java squirrel (Zo\'94l.) . See Jelerang . -- Squirrel corn (Bot.) , a North American herb ( Dicantra Canadensis ) bearing little yellow tubers. -- Squirrel cup (Bot.) , the blossom of the Hepatica triloba , a low perennial herb with cup-shaped flowers varying from purplish blue to pink or even white. It is one of the earliest flowers of spring. -- Squirrel fish (Zo\'94l.) (a) A sea bass ( Serranus fascicularis ) of the Southern United States . (b) The sailor's choice ( Diplodus rhomboides ) . (c) The redmouth, or grunt . (d) A market fish of Bermuda ( Holocentrum Ascensione ). -- Squirrel grass (Bot.) , a pestiferous grass ( Hordeum murinum ) related to barley. In California the stiffly awned spiklets work into the wool of sheep, and into the throat, flesh, and eyes of animals, sometimes even producing death. -- Squirrel hake (Zo\'94l.) , a common American hake ( Phycis tenuis ); -- called also white hake . -- Squirrel hawk (Zo\'94l.) , any rough-legged hawk; especially, the California species Archibuteo ferrugineus . -- Squirrel monkey . (Zo\'94l.) (a) Any one of several species of small, soft-haired South American monkeys of the genus Calithrix . They are noted for their graceful form and agility. See Teetee . (b) A marmoset. -- Squirrel petaurus (Zo\'94l.) , a flying phalanger of Australia. See Phalanger , Petaurist , and Flying phalanger under Flying . -- Squirrel shrew (Zo\'94l.) , any one of several species of East Indian and Asiatic insectivores of the genus Tupaia . They are allied to the shrews, but have a bushy tail, like that of a squirrel. -- Squirrel-tail grass (Bot.) , a grass ( Hordeum jubatum ) found in salt marshes and along the Great Lakes, having a dense spike beset with long awns.

Squirt <Xpage=1398>

Squirt (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Squirted ; p. pr. & vb. n. Squirting .] [Cf. LG. swirtjen to squirt, OSw. sqv\'84tta , E. squander .] To drive or eject in a stream out of a narrow pipe or orifice; as, to squirt water .

The hard-featured miscreant coolly rolled his tobacco in his cheek, and squirted the juice into the fire grate. Sir W. Scott.

Squirting cucumber . (Bot.) See Ecballium .

Squirt <Xpage=1398>

Squirt , v. i. 1. To be thrown out, or ejected, in a rapid stream, from a narrow orifice; -- said of liquids.

2. Hence, to throw out or utter words rapidly; to prate. [Low]

L'Estrange.

Squirt <Xpage=1398>

Squirt , n. 1. An instrument out of which a liquid is ejected in a small stream with force.

Young.

2. A small, quick stream; a jet.

Bacon.

Squirter <Xpage=1398>

Squirt"er (?) , n. One who, or that which, squirts.

Squiry <Xpage=1398>

Squir"y (?) , n. [See Squiery .] The body of squires, collectively considered; squirarchy. [Obs.]

The flower of chivalry and squiry . Ld. Berbers.

Squitch grass <Xpage=1398>

Squitch" grass` (?) . (Bot.) Quitch grass.

Squitee <Xpage=1398>

Squi*tee" (?) , n. [From the N. American Indian name.] (Zo\'94l.) The squeteague; -- called also squit .

Stab <Xpage=1398>