squeeze by
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb (phrasal verb): - To manage to survive, pass, or succeed, but only with great difficulty and by the narrowest of margins. It implies barely getting by with minimal resources or just barely meeting a requirement.
Usage
This phrasal verb is used to describe a situation where someone or something just barely manages to cope, survive, or pass through a difficult circumstance, often financial or spatial. It emphasizes scarcity and struggle.
Examples
- Financial Struggle: "With the rising cost of rent, we can just squeeze by each month." (We manage to pay our bills, but with no money left over.)
- Physical Movement: "The corridor was so narrow I had to turn sideways to squeeze by." (I barely managed to pass through.)
- Minimal Success: "His grades were poor, but he managed to squeeze by and graduate." (He passed, but just barely met the minimum requirements.)
Advanced Usage
- "squeeze by on [something]": To manage to survive using only a specific, limited resource.
- Example: "She squeezes by on her pension and a small garden." (Her pension and garden provide just enough for her to live.)
- The phrase can be used in both literal (physical passing) and figurative (financial/survival) contexts.
Variants and Related Words
- Squeeze through (phrasal verb): Very similar in meaning, often used more for literal, physical passage through a tight space. ("We squeezed through the gap in the fence.")
- Get by (phrasal verb): A more general synonym meaning to manage to live or deal with a situation, sometimes with less emphasis on extreme difficulty. ("We get by with what we have.")
- Scrape by (phrasal verb): A very close synonym that also emphasizes barely managing with minimal resources. ("They scrape by on very little income.")
Synonyms
- Manage: To cope or deal with a situation.
- Scrape by/through: To just barely succeed or survive.
- Make ends meet: To have just enough money to pay for one's basic needs.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Squeak by/through: To succeed or pass by a very narrow margin, often unexpectedly. ("The team squeaked by with a one-point victory.")
- Pull through: To survive a difficult situation, especially an illness or crisis. ("With support, she pulled through the financial hardship.")
Related Idioms
- By the skin of one's teeth: To barely succeed at something. ("He passed the exam by the skin of his teeth.")
- Live hand to mouth: To spend all the money one earns on basic needs, with nothing left over. ("After losing his job, his family had to live hand to mouth.")
Verb
- manage one's existence barely
- I guess I can squeeze by on this lousy salary