squeeze play

• squeeze-play

squeeze play (plural squeeze plays)

1. (baseball) The tactic of bunting the ball to help a runner at third base score. [1905]

   The squeeze play is on! Jones bunts, and Smith scores from third.

2. (figurative) An instance of 'squeezing' someone: a use of pressure or force to achieve one's goal. [1916]
   • 1990 August 31, John Zeh, “Bush Aide Fired For Anti-Gay Stance”, in Gay Community News, volume 18, number 7, page 6:

     This "squeeze play" is only one of many battles between Wead and liberals on Bush's staff.

3. (bridge) The tactic of running a suit to compel another player to waste potentially winning cards. [1926]

   Squeeze play is an important part of the endgame.

4. (poker) The tactic of reraising a raiser and a caller to compel one or both to fold, often as a bluff.

• (all): squeeze

• (baseball): safety squeeze, suicide squeeze

• “squeeze play, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, 1984.