Compress vs. Squeeze — What's the Difference?

Compress is a Unix shell compression program based on the LZW compression algorithm. Compared to more modern compression utilities such as gzip and bzip2, compress performs faster and with less memory usage, at the cost of a significantly lower compression ratio.

To press hard on or together; compress

To press together

To press gently, as in affection

To make more compact by or as if by pressing.

To exert pressure on, as by way of extracting liquid

(Computers) To encode (data) to minimize the space required for storage or transmittal

To extract by applying pressure

(Medicine) A soft pad of gauze or other material applied with pressure to a part of the body to control hemorrhage or to supply heat, cold, moisture, or medication to alleviate pain or reduce infection.

To extract or gain by intimidation or other pressure

A machine for compressing material.

To pressure or intimidate (someone) to comply with a demand, as to make an extortion payment.

(transitive) To make smaller; to press or squeeze together, or to make something occupy a smaller space or volume.

To obtain room for by pressure; cram

(intransitive) To be pressed together or folded by compression into a more economic, easier format.

To manage to find time or space for

(transitive) To condense into a more economic, easier format.

(Games) To force (an opponent) to use a potentially winning card in a trick that that opponent cannot take in bridge.

(transitive) To abridge.

To cause (a run or base runner) to score on a squeeze play.

To make digital information smaller by encoding it using fewer bits.

To call as balls pitches thrown by (a pitcher) near the edges of the strike zone. Used of an umpire.

(obsolete) To embrace sexually.

To give way under pressure

A multiply folded piece of cloth, a pouch of ice etc., used to apply to a patient's skin, cover the dressing of wounds, and placed with the aid of a bandage to apply pressure on an injury.

To exert pressure

A machine for compressing.

To force one's way

To press or squeeze together; to force into a narrower compass; to reduce the volume of by pressure; to compact; to condense; as, to compress air or water.

The act or an instance of squeezing.

To embrace sexually.

A handclasp or brief embrace.

To reduce the space required for storage (of binary data) by an algorithm which converts the data to a smaller number of bits while preserving the information content. The compressed data is usually decompressed to recover the initial data format before subsequent use.

An amount squeezed out

A folded piece of cloth, pledget of lint, etc., used to cover the dressing of wounds, and so placed as, by the aid of a bandage, to make due pressure on any part.

A group crowded together; a crush.

A cloth pad or dressing (with or without medication) applied firmly to some part of the body (to relieve discomfort or reduce fever)

Financial pressure caused by shortages or narrowing economic margins.

Make more compact by or as if by pressing;

Pressure or intimidation to comply with a demand, as to make an extortion payment

Squeeze or press together;

(Games) A forced discard of a potentially winning card in bridge.

(Baseball) A squeeze play.

(Slang) One's primary romantic partner or sweetheart.

(transitive) To apply pressure to from two or more sides at once.

(transitive) To embrace closely; to give a tight hug to.

(ambitransitive) To fit into a tight place.

(transitive) To remove something with difficulty, or apparent difficulty.

(transitive) To put in a difficult position by presenting two or more choices.

To oppress with hardships, burdens, or taxes; to harass.

To attempt to score a runner from third by bunting.

An instance of squeezing.

A close or tight fit.

(figuratively) A difficult position.

A hug or other affectionate grasp.

(slang) A romantic partner.

(slang) An illicit alcoholic drink made by squeezing Sterno through cheesecloth, etc., and mixing the result with fruit juice.

(baseball) The act of bunting in an attempt to score a runner from third.

(card games) A play that forces an opponent to discard a card that gives up one or more tricks.

(caving) A traversal of a narrow passage.

A moulding, cast or other impression of an object, chiefly a design, inscription etc., especially by pressing wet paper onto the surface and peeling off when dry.

(mining) The gradual closing of workings by the weight of the overlying strata.

(dated) The situation experienced by a middleman when pressured from both sides, especially financially.

(dated) A bribe, fee, or extortionary price paid to a middleman, especially in China; the practice of requiring such a bribe or fee.

To press between two bodies; to press together closely; to compress; often, to compress so as to expel juice, moisture, etc.; as, to squeeze an orange with the fingers; to squeeze the hand in friendship.

Fig.: To oppress with hardships, burdens, or taxes; to harass; to crush.

To force, or cause to pass, by compression; often with out, through, etc.; as, to squeeze water through felt.

To press; to urge one's way, or to pass, by pressing; to crowd; - often with through, into, etc.; as, to squeeze hard to get through a crowd.

The act of one who squeezes; compression between bodies; pressure.

A facsimile impression taken in some soft substance, as pulp, from an inscription on stone.

The gradual closing of workings by the weight of the overlying strata.

Pressure or constraint used to force the making of a gift, concession, or the like; exaction; extortion; as, to put the squeeze on someone.

The act of gripping and pressing firmly;

A state in which there is a short supply of cash to lend to businesses and consumers and interest rates are high

A situation in which increased costs cannot be passed on to the customer;

(slang) a person's girlfriend or boyfriend;

A twisting squeeze;

An aggressive attempt to compel acquiescence by the concentration or manipulation of power

A tight or amorous embrace;

The act of forcing yourself (or being forced) into or through a restricted space;

To compress with violence, out of natural shape or condition;

Press firmly;

Squeeze like a wedge into a tight space;

To cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means :

Obtain by coercion or intimidation;

Press or force;

Squeeze tightly between the fingers;

Hug, usually with fondness;

Squeeze or press together;