“Can you squeeze one more in there?”

English Lesson: Can you squeeze one more in there?

You're going on a vacation with two of your friends. You're riding in your friend's car. He's putting suitcases in the trunk of his car, but there doesn't seem to be enough space. You're not sure if your suitcase will fit in there with all the others, so you ask this.

Can you squeeze one more in there?

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squeeze (something) in (a place)

The word "squeeze" can be used in a few different ways:

  • If you "squeeze" something, it just means that you push on it on both sides to make it a little smaller (at least for a short period of time). For example:

    When you shake hands with someone, you're supposed to squeeze firmly, but not too tightly.
  • Another way to use "squeeze" is "squeeze in (somewhere)". This means to fit yourself into a place that's really small and tight. For example, if you have 3 people already in the back seat of a taxi, you can say:

    Can I squeeze in between you guys?

  • In the example at top, the speaker says "squeeze ___ in ___". This is used when you're putting something into a tight place:

    I think I'll be able to squeeze everything all in one bag.

  • You can also talk about "squeezing" something into someone's schedule:

    Hi Patricia, could you squeeze me in this afternoon?