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squeeze tighter

[/skwɛz ˈtaɪtər/]
verb phrase
apertar mais
1. to apply increased pressure or force by compressing something between the fingers, hands, or other surfaces
She asked him to squeeze tighter so the juice would come out of the lemon.
Ela pediu para ele apertar mais para sair o suco do limão.
2. to embrace or hold someone with increased force or intensity
He squeezed tighter when she tried to pull away from the hug.
Ele apertou mais quando ela tentou se afastar do abraço.
3. to increase pressure or intensity in a difficult situation
The company had to squeeze tighter on expenses due to the recession.
A empresa teve que apertar mais as despesas devido à recessão.
Synonyms
press hardercompress moretighten griphold firmly
Antonyms
loosenreleaserelaxlet go

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
apertar mais
most common usage
Rio de Janeiro
apertar mais / aperta mais
colloquial variant
São Paulo
apertar mais
standard usage
Portugal
apertar mais / espremer mais
both forms used, espremer more common for liquids

Related Idioms & Phrases

squeeze someone's hand
put the squeeze on someone
squeeze into a tight space
squeeze the life out of something
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