Skooshed

Part of speech: verb, adjective

Definitions

1. Pressed or crushed down into a flatter or smaller shape by force
2. Squeezed or compressed firmly so that the object loses its normal form
3. Flattened or mashed under pressure, often into a cramped or compact state

Etymology: "Skooshed" is the past tense and past participle of "skoosh," a verb for squashing or squeezing something so that it gives way, or for moving something quickly and forcefully into a tight space. The verb appears to be imitative, shaped to mirror the sound of liquid squirting out or of something soft being squeezed flat. Words built this way often sound like the action they describe, and "skoosh" fits that pattern. The verb is also closely linked to "skosh," a word for a small amount, as in "a skosh more." The source treats "skoosh" as a variant of "skosh," so the two words share a common origin, and the spelling with a double "o" gives the verb a more physical, squelching quality than its near-namesake. Readers meeting "skooshed" for the first time can therefore hear both the squeeze of the action and the faint idea of a small squeeze, which is the one piece of its history that the sources connect.