squirt

American  

[skwurt] / skwɜrt /

verb (used without object)

1. to eject liquid in a jet from a narrow orifice.

   The hose squirted all over us.

2. to eject a spurt of liquid.

   The lemon squirted in my eye.

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verb (used with object)

1. to cause (liquid or a viscous substance) to spurt or issue in a jet, as from a narrow orifice.

   Squirt the water over that way!

2. to wet or bespatter with a liquid or viscous substance so ejected.

   to squirt someone with a hose.

noun

1. the act of squirting.

2. a spurt or jetlike stream, as of water.

   Synonyms:

   livestream, spray, jet

3. a small quantity of liquid or viscous substance squirted.

   Put a squirt of chocolate sauce on my ice cream.

4. Informal.

   1. a youngster, especially a meddlesome or impudent one.

   2. a short person.

   3. an insignificant, self-assertive person, especially one who is small or young.

5. an instrument for squirting, as a syringe.

6. Dialect. Usually squirts. diarrhea.

squirt British  

/ skwɜːt /

verb

1. to force (a liquid) or (of a liquid) to be forced out of a narrow opening

2. (tr) to cover or spatter with liquid so ejected

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noun

1. a jet or amount of liquid so ejected

2. the act or an instance of squirting

3. an instrument used for squirting

4. informal

   1. a person regarded as insignificant or contemptible

   2. a short person

Other Word Forms

• squirter
  noun
• squirtingly
  adverb
• unsquirted
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of squirt

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English verb squirten, apparently variant of swirten; cognate with Low German swirtjen in the same sense; perhaps akin to swirl; noun derivative of the verb

Explanation

To squirt is to abruptly squeeze a liquid out of something. When you spend the day at the beach, you might squirt sunblock on your arms or squirt ketchup on the fries you bought at the snack bar. Octopuses and squid use their ability to squirt black ink to confuse their predators. Most kids enjoy using squirt guns to squirt each other with water. In both cases, the discharge itself can be called a squirt. If someone calls you a squirt, however, they mean that you're an insignificant and possibly annoying person: "Get lost, squirt! You're bothering me!"

Example Sentences

I absolutely loved my cocktail: a Hemingway daiquiri augmented with the should-be-better-known citrusy pop Squirt, which cleverly came served in an open-topped Squirt can with a big frizzle of fresh mint for garnish.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 24, 2023

It seemed unlikely Squirt could survive in the wild.

From Washington Post • Apr. 8, 2023

Squirt some butter on them and knock them into a campfire, sprinkling on some wild onion or thyme?

From Salon • Mar. 1, 2023

Her business - called Button and Squirt after her children's nicknames - is a one-woman operation.

From BBC • Jan. 29, 2022

Next was Nigel the Squirt, the youngest, busy solving a Rubik’s Cube at high speed.

From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell

Related Words

• pour
• spatter
• spit
• splash
• spray
• sprinkle