a. Obs. Forms: 6 squeasye, 6–7 -ie (7 squeaysie), 8 squeasy; 7 squeazy, -ie. [Alteration of QUEASY a.]
1. Of times: Troublous; disturbed.
1583. Melbancke, Philotimus, D ij b. But now we are come to the last age, which as Ouid deuids it, is ye 4, and the woorst, squeasye & dogged, & wrought of hard iron.
a. 1662. Heylin, Laud (1668), 256. None of them in those squeasie and unsettled times being questioned for it.
2. Of the stomach: Readily nauseated, easily upset; = SQUEAMISH a. 1 b.
1596. Lodge, Wits Miserie, N iiij. He driues him to be dainty of his meats, telling him his stomack is squeasie.
1640. Howell, Dodona’s Gr., 21. I use to have a squeazie stomacke on salt Water.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., VI. 299. My weak and squeazie stomack will hardly digest the wing of a small rabbet or chicken.
fig. 1620. Mason, Newfoundland, 5. Peraduenture some squeasie stomake will say, Fishing is a beastly trade and unseeming a Gentleman.
1656. Earl Monm., trans. Boccalini’s Advts. fr. Parnass., I. ix. (1674), 11. It proves hard of digestion to the squeasie stomacks of modern weak-wits.
Comb. 1655. Culpepper, etc., trans. Riverius, XIV. i. 372. These Patients are commonly squeazy stomached.
b. Readily unsettled or disturbed.
1611. Coryat’s Crudities, Panegyr. Verses. The squeazie humour of his braine Before he parted from this maine Neare perished his skull.
3. Sparing of something.
1628. Earle, Microcosm. (Arb.), 56. Hee is as squeazy of his commendations as his courtesie.
Hence † Squeasiness, squeamishness. Obs.
c. 1660. Hammond, Sermons, viii. Wks. 1684, IV. 614. A squeasiness and rising up of the heart against any mean … condition of men.
1687. T. W., Lett. to Dissenter, 6. After the squeaziness of starting at a Surplice, you must be forced to swallow Transubstantiation.
