Calling Someone a Squirt Is Nearly Two Centuries Old
To squirt is to force liquid out in a thin jet. The teasing use for a small or insignificant person dates from the 1800s.
To squirt is to force liquid out in a thin fast stream. The insult is old enough to be almost affectionate: calling a small child or a self-important young man a *squirt* is recorded from the early 1800s, on the same logic that makes *shrimp* and *pipsqueak* work — something small that makes a disproportionate noise.
- To eject liquid. *Squirt some oil on the hinge.*
- A thin jet. *A squirt of lemon.*
- A small or cheeky person (informal). *Move over, squirt.*
- Squirt gun — a water pistol, American. *A plastic squirt gun.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | squirt | Squirt it on. |
| Past | squirted | It squirted everywhere. |
| Noun | squirt | A squirt of cream. |
| Plural | squirts | Two squirts. |
| Related | spurt | A spurt of water. |
- Squirt a little into the pan.Cooking.
- The grapefruit squirted straight into his eye.Everyday mishap.
- Listen here, squirt.Informal, teasing.
Squirt, spurt, spray
- Squirt — a directed jet, usually forced by pressure
- Spurt — a sudden burst, often uncontrolled
- Spray — broken into droplets
- Jet — narrow and continuous
- Dribble — slow and weak
Late Middle English, probably imitative, and related to Low German *swirtjen*. The sense of a small insignificant person appears in the early 1800s.
Is calling someone a squirt offensive?
It is mild and usually teasing, often addressed to children. It can sound condescending to an adult.
What is the difference between squirt and spurt?
A squirt is usually deliberate and directed; a spurt is a sudden uncontrolled burst.