squeteague (skweteg)

[Also squetee, squitee, squit; of Amer. Ind. origin.] A salt-water sciænoid fish, Cynoscion regal is alis (formerly Oto lith us regal is ), also called weakfish, sea- salmon, and sea - trout in common with some other members of the same genus. It is silvery, darker above, with many irregular, small, dark blotches tending to form oblique undulating bars. It is common from Cape Cod southward, and is a valued food-fish. A more distinctly marked fish of this kind is C. maculatus, the spotted squeteague, weakfish, or sea-trout, of more southerly distribution. See Cynoscion, and cut under weakfish. squib (skwib), v.; pret. and pp. squibbed, ppr. squibbing. [A var. of * squip, A battered unmarried beau, who squibs about from place to place. Goldsmith, Citizen of the World, lxxxviii. 2. [ squib , n., 3.] To make a slight, sharp report, like that of an exploding squib.-3. [ II. trans. 1. To throw (in or out) suddenly; explode. Thou wouldst neuer squib out any new Salt-petre Iestes against honest Tucca. Dekker, Humorous Poet (Works, ed. Pearson, I. 235). He [Mr. Brian Twyne] squibs in this parenthesis. Fuller, Hist. Cambridge University, i. § 52. 2. [ squib , n., 4.] To attack in squibs; lam IMG:content-1911.png:[graphic] IMG:content-1912.png:[blocks in formation] Like a Squib it falls, Or fire-wingd shaft, or sulph'ry Powder Balls. Sylvester, tr. of Du Bartas's Weeks, i. 2. Nor nimble squib is seen to make afeard The gentlewomen. B. Jonson, Every Man in his Humour, Prol. So squibs and crackers fly into the air, Then, only breaking with a noise, they vanish In stench and smoke. Ford, Broken Heart, ii. 2. 2. A reed, rush, quill, or roll of paper filled with a priming of gunpowder; a tube of some kind used to set off a charge of gunpowder, as at the bottom of a drill-hole. Also called mote, train , and match .-3. A fire-cracker, especially one broken in the middle so that when it is fired the charge explodes without a loud report.-4. A petty lampoon; a short satirical writing or sketch holding up a person or thing to ridicule. IMG:content-1913.png:[blocks in formation] 5t. One who writes lampoons or squibs; a petty satirist; a paltry, trifling fellow. The squibs are those who, in the common phrase of the word, are called libellers, lampooners, and pamphleteers. Steele, Tatler, No. 88. narrow, or crowded place; pa by pre ing or pushing. Many a public minister comes empty in; but, when he has crammed his guts, he is fain to squeeze hard before he can get off. Sir R. L'Estrange. 2. To pa (through a body) under the application of pre ure. A concave sphere of gold filled with water, and sodered up, has, upon pre ing the sphere with great force, let the water squeeze through it and stand all over its outside in multitudes of small drops like dew, without bursting or cracking the body of the gold. Newton , Opticks, ii. 3, prop. 8. squeeze (skwēz), n. [ squeeze of the hand. Had a very affectionate squeeze by the hand, and a fine compliment in a corner. Gray, Letters, I. 239. The Squire shook him heartily by the hand, and congratulated him on his safe arrival at Headlong Hall. The doctor returned the squeeze, and a ured him that the congratulation was by no means misapplied. IMG:content-1914.png:[blocks in formation] bottom of which plastic clay is forced in a continuous ribbon of any desired section, to form lugs, handles, etc. squeezył, a. See squeasy . squelch (skwelch), n. [Formerly also squelsh ; prob. a var., with intensive prefix s- , of E. dial. quelch, a blow, bang.] A crushing blow; a heavy fall. [Colloq.] But Ralpho, who had now begun T' adventure resurrection From heavy squelch , and had got up. S. Butler, Hudibras, I. ii. 933. And there we had a shop, too, for lollipops and squibs. Hood, Lines by a Schoolboy.