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

At highway speeds, the sedan’s sharp reflexes and deep reserves of squirt create significant moral temptation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 25, 2026

Children use toy pistols and dispensers to squirt coloured water at their friends.

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026

Put simply, our first suggestion is don't expect to counter the firehose of falsehood with the squirt gun of truth.

From Salon • May 27, 2025

A team led by the University of Oxford has solved a mystery that has intrigued scientists for centuries: how does the squirting cucumber squirt?

From Science Daily • Nov. 25, 2024

Bob washed his bowl with his squirt bottle and rag.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

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