1897. Austr. Steam Nav. Co. 'Guide Book,' 29. The term squatter, as applied to the class it now designates—without which where would Australia now be?—was not in vogue till 1842.
Verb. (old).—To move briskly or noisily through mud and water.
1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes, s.v. Squaecarare. To squatter; to lash it out behind after a purgation. Ibid., Squaechera, a soft squattering turd.
d. 1796. Burns, Address to the Deil. Amang the springs, Awa' ye squatter'd, like a drake, On whistling wings.
1852. Bronte, Villette, xxv. A little callow gosling squattering out of bounds.
Squattez-vous, intj. phr, (common).—'Sit
down!'
1900. Kipling, Stalky and Co., 179. 'Be quick, you ass!. . . Squattez-vous on the floor, then!
Squattle, verb. (American).—To
decamp: see Absquatulate.
Squawk, subs. (colloquial).—1. A
harsh noise or voice: also as
verb.
1856. Widow Bedott Papers, 208. The way she squawked it out was a caution to old gates on a windy day!
1861. C. Reade, Cloister and Hearth, xxvi. Gerard gave a little squawk, and put his fingers in his ears.
2. (American).—A bad failure.
Squeak, subs. (colloquial).—A
narrow escape; a close shave
(q.v.).—Grose.
1889. O'Reilly, Fifty Years on the Trail. It was a narrow squeak for me, as the bullet cut off a lock of my hair.
1898. Gould, Landed at Last, vii. We've had some narrow squeaks of missing him . . . [a] narrow shave was at York.
Verb. (old).—1. To talk; and (2) to betray confidence; to squeal, to peach (q.v.). Hence squeaker = (1) a blab (q.v.), and (2) an informer; to squeak beef = to cry 'Stop thief': see Beef (B. E. and Grose).
1690. Dryden, Don Sebastian, iv. 3. If he be obstinate, put a civil question to him on the rack, and he squeaks, I warrant him.
c. 1725. Retoure my dear Dell [Canting Dict.]. I never will whiddle, I never will squeak.
1815. Scott, Guy Mannering, xxxiv. That's another breaker ahead, Captain! Will she not squeak, think ye!
1834. Ainsworth, Rookwood, III. v. Never blow the gab or squeak.
3. (old).—To shirk: an obligation, debt, &c.
Squeaker, subs. (old).—1. A
child: spec. (B. E. and Grose) a
bye-blow (q.v.); also squealer.
To stifle the squeaker = (1)
to procure abortion; and (2) to
get rid of a bastard.
2. (old).—In pl. = organ pipes (Grose).
3. (old).-A pig.
4. (old).—A young bird; a chirper; a peeper; a squealer (q.v.).
1876. Greener, The Gun (1884), 535. Mr. Campbell succeeded in bagging 220 grouse by evening; every squeaker was, however, counted.
Squeal, verb. (thieves').—1. To
inform; to peach; to squeak
(q.v.). Hence squealer = an
informer: see Nark (Grose).
1870. New York Tribune, 27 Oct. G. R is caught, and may squeal on us.
1882. Century Mag., xxxv. 649. The first step . . . is to spread abroad the rumour that this, that, or the other confederate is about to squeal; . . . it will be but a few days before one of the rogues will . . . anticipate the traitors by turning State's evidence.
1896. Lillard, Poker Stories, 52. The planter was clean 'cornered,' but he was working George on a dead sure thing and couldn't squeal.
1900. Flynt, Tramps, 128. If they squeal, as the tramp says, they are sure to be rewarded.
