The responsibility for the crisis rests squarely on the government

The responsibility for the crisis rests squarely on the government. &—K3 see

FAIRLY

the .Square 'Mile noun [sing.] (BrE, informal) a name used for the City of London, where there are many banks and financial businesses AUftitfe ( jf #i

)

.square 'root noun (mathematics ffc) a number which when multiplied by itself produces a particular number 7 Aft: The square root of 64 (464) is 8 (8 x 8 = 64). * 64 Eft7AIIIJi: 8₀ — compare cube root squarish /'skwearij; NAmE 'skwer-/ adj. almost square in shape l&JU&FJ&M

squash /skwnj'; NAmE skwaij; skwoiJV verb, noun

■ verb 1 ~ sth (against sth) to press sth so that it becomes soft, damaged or flat, or changes shape

JE£) ; ffi-JEE ( ) %M: [VN] The

tomatoes at the bottom of the bag had been squashed.

Eft M £1W in BE $=. 7 ₀ o He squashed his nose against the window. jE#7f&#f/i7o o [VN-ADJ]

Squash your cans flat before recycling.

A M itft o — picture o squeeze 2 [+adv/prep.] to push sb/sth or yourself into a space that is too small ( {$[ ) iffi; HA: [V] We all squashed into the back of the car. ISdMffJ oPc 6 [VN] How many people

are they going to try and squash into this bus? ifaiWiiM ffi £ A A H M & A & H A ? o She was squashed between the door and the table. M ® A H ftl A 7' 7 |h7 o 3 [VN] to stop sth from continuing; to destroy sth because it is a problem for you fT$r; flllt; AB&;

H771 quash: to squash a plan/an idea/a revolt if $J 0 If parents don’t answer children’s questions, their natural curiosity will be squashed.

0 The statement was an attempt to squash the rumours. J§|i§₀ msiiWi .squash 'up

(against sb/sth) | .squash sb/sth~ up (against sb/sth) to move so close to sb/sth else that it is uncomfortable ( We squashed up to make room for Sue.

ISCI$f7$f, 0 I was squashed up

against the wall.

■ noun 1 (also formal squash rackets) [U] a game for two

players, played in a court surrounded by four walls, using rackets and a small rubber ball ( ^ M

H$c_; a squash court 0 to play squash fj

IgJt 2 [U, C] (BrE) a drink made with fruit juice, sugar and water A 'it tj; 14: a glass of orangeAemon squash —/ jr^vt o Two orange squashes, please, if AM IFjgffo 3 [C, U] {pi. squash, BrE also squashes) a type of vegetable that grows on the ground. Winter squash have hard skin and orange flesh. Summer squash have soft yellow or green skin and white flesh. ( A

winter squash M M P summer squash¹) — picture □> page R19 4 [sing.] (informal) if sth is a squash, there is hardly enough room for everything or everyone to fit into a small space $]$ErEft37*it ( jjff ) : It’s a real squash with six of us in the car. |§C]y\

nX&ftMo

squashy /‘skwDji; NAmE ’skwaiji; 'skwoiji/ adj. soft and easy to crush or squeeze IfcMMJOT ( ) W

squat /skwnt; NAmE skwait/ verb, noun, adj. m verb (-tt-) 1 [V] - (down) to sit on your heels with your knees bent up close to your body jgg — picture c>

kneel 2 to live in a building or on land which is not yours, without the owner’s permission fir ft, jf g £ f] ( ) : [V] They ended up squatting in the

empty houses on Oxford Road. (Ml A 7 W Ifs fit ft

[also VN]

■ noun 1 (especially BrE} a building that people are living in without permission and without paying rent fijjiEft ^7: to live in a squat W. S && 5fe A$# #jJi7S 2 a squatting position of the body ; M 3 = squat

THRUST

madj. short and wide or fat, in a way that is not attractive ££ M H ift; 2SI7&7 a squat tower 0 a squat muscular man with a shaven head $!l7fcAEft)iil

tt*A

squatter /■ skwnt0(r); NAmE 'skwait-/ noun a person who is living in a building or on land without permis-

1953 squeegee

sion and without paying rent it i AfiHtfcAJ^7 ( s£± m ) EftA

'squat thrust (also squat) noun an exercise in which you start with your hands on the floor and your knees bent, and then quickly move both legs backwards and forwards together ffiW

squaw /skwo:/ noun (old use) a word for a Native American woman that is now often considered offensive a (mM)

squawk /skwoik/ verb 1 [V] (of birds S,) to make a loud sharp sound A; LtJ $!] ^ Eft A P: The parrot squawked and flew away. jt!§ A/¹* N 7 bH 7 ₀ 2 to speak or make a noise in a loud, sharp voice because you are angry, surprised, etc.

: [V speech] ‘You did what?!’ she squawked. “^7 7ft* A? !' ” nHilc [also V] ► squawk noun: The bird gave a startled squawk. 4 % ft ^ o oa

squawk of protest squeak /skwirk/ verb, noun

m verb 1 [V] to make a short high sound that is not very loud MjJSfflAiTjifeBi]; My new shoes

squeak. o The mouse ran

away, squeaking with fear. K,[ff if 7o 0

One wheel makes a horrible squeaking noise. ft if 2 to speak in a very high voice, espe

cially when you are nervous or excited ( Ai zftN" ) : [V speech] ‘Let go of me!’ he squeaked

nervously. [also V] 3 [V

+adv./prep.] to only just manage to win sth, pass a test, etc. #2 ^$57 &J&: We squeaked into the

final with a goal in the last minute. ffcClfMIlij-'^^^1

A*m$iA^»o

■ noun a short, high cry or sound, that is not usually very

loud ^01]^ — see also

BUBBLE AND SQUEAK

squeak er /'skwi:ka(r)/ noun (informal, especially NAmE) a competition or election won by only a small amount or likely to be won by only a small amount ( il nj M )

squeaky /'skwiiki/ adj. making a short, high sound; squeaking £ MU A NFltt;

squeaky floorboards ^1M ® 6 a high squeaky

voice Xi^XAW^l17

.squeaky 'dean adj. (informal) 1 completely clean, and therefore attractive 7#7#^3: squeaky clean hair ft 2 morally correct in every way; that cannot be criticized W

squeal /skwiil/ verb, noun

■ verb 1 [V] to make a long, high sound ; XftA:

M A (ft r #: The pigs were squealing. A N # o 0 The

car squealed to a halt. 6

Children were running around squealing with excitement.

2 to speak in a very high voice, especially when you are excited or nervous ( [V speech]

‘Don’t!’she squealed. “fi]i ” MA^BLlii₀ [also V] 3 [V] ~ (on sb) {informal, disapproving) to give information, especially to the police, about sth illegal that sb has

done A$7

mnoun a long high cry or sound P #: a squeal of pain ^ A 0 a squeal of delight 't&AEftABij 0 He stopped with a squeal of brakes.

-^WI'JA7o.

squeam ish /'skwiimiX/ adj. 1 easily upset, or made to feel sick by unpleasant sights or situations, especially when the sight of blood is involved M'bfflMULtft;

7'fit); (ft 2 not wanting to do sth that might

be considered dishonest or immoral ; JEM

Eft 3 the squeamish noun [pi.] people who are squeamish J^fr^llfiLEftA; # 15 It ^ Eft A: This movie is not for the squeamish.

Eft₀ ► squeam-istvness noun [U] squee-gee /'skwiid3i:/ noun 1 a tool with a rubber edge and a handle, used for removing water from