squirt

B2 Topic:Verbs of Movement

US /skwɝt/ UK /skwɜːt/ See IPA manual

Freq #11508

Meanings

1

verb
to force liquid out in a thin, fast stream

Squeeze the bottle gently so it does not squirt sauce across the table.
2

verb
to hit or wet someone or something with a thin stream of liquid

The children squirted one another with water in the garden.
3

noun
a small, sudden stream or amount of liquid

Add a squirt of lemon juice just before serving.
4

noun
informal and disparaging: a small or insignificant person

The older boys dismissed him as a little squirt.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to force liquid out in a... spray jet spurt

2 verb · to hit or wet someone or... spray splash

3 noun · a small, sudden stream or... jet spurt splash

4 noun · informal and disparaging: a... pipsqueaksmall fry

Word family

Forms squirtedsquirting

Derived forms squirtersquirtingsquirty

Related forms spray squeeze spout

Common collocations

squirt gun Noun + noun

Etymology

From Middle English squirten, of uncertain and probably imitative origin. Its sharp consonants suggest the brief sound and motion of liquid being forced through a narrow opening. The disparaging noun applies the idea of a small squirt to a person regarded as small or unimportant.

Topics

Verbs of Movement

External links

# squirt

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /skwɝt/
**IPA (UK):** /skwɜːt/
**Frequency rank:** 11508

## Meanings
1. to force liquid out in a thin, fast stream
2. to hit or wet someone or something with a thin stream of liquid
3. a small, sudden stream or amount of liquid
4. informal and disparaging: a small or insignificant person

## Examples
- Squeeze the bottle gently so it does not squirt sauce across the table.
- The children squirted one another with water in the garden.
- Add a squirt of lemon juice just before serving.
- The older boys dismissed him as a little squirt.

## Synonyms
- spray
- jet
- spurt
- splash

## Derived Forms
- squirter
- squirting
- squirty

## Related Forms
- spray
- squeeze
- spout

## Etymology
From Middle English squirten, of uncertain and probably imitative origin. Its sharp consonants suggest the brief sound and motion of liquid being forced through a narrow opening. The disparaging noun applies the idea of a small squirt to a person regarded as small or unimportant.

## Topics
- Verbs of Movement

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