Apretaba (en. Pressed)

a-pre-ta-ba

Meaning & Definition

EnglishSpanish
verb
To apply force or pressure on something.
She squeezed the bottle so that the liquid wouldn't spill.
Ella apretaba la botella para que no se derramara el líquido.
To hold firmly.
He squeezed his friend's hand when saying goodbye.
Él apretaba la mano de su amigo al despedirse.
To limit space or movement.
People in the train were crowding together because of the crowd.
Las personas en el tren se apretaban debido a la multitud.

Etymology

From the verb 'apretar', derived from the Latin 'appretare'.

Common Phrases and Expressions

to tighten one's belts
To prepare to face a difficult situation.
apretarse los cinturones
to quicken the pace
To accelerate the rhythm or speed.
apretar el paso

Related Words

to squeeze
To exert pressure or force.
apretar
squeeze
The act of squeezing or pressure.
apretón

Slang Meanings

To do something with urgency or intensity.
At the party, everyone squeezed together to make more noise.
En la fiesta, todos apretaban para hacer más ruido.
To hold something securely.
In the game, everyone squeezed to keep the ball from falling.
En el juego, todos apretaban para no dejar caer la pelota.