Definition of squash up

The phrase "squash up" is a British English idiom that refers to the act of condensing or compressing something, typically food, to make it more manageable or convenient for consumption. The word "squash" in this context is not related to the vegetable squash, but rather comes from the Middle English word "esquEScan," meaning "to press out liquor" or "extract juice or liquor" from grapes or other fruits during the winemaking process. This meaning of the term "squash" evolved into a more general verb meaning "to press out or squeeze" in Middle English and Old English, and later, by the 17th century, became associated with food items. The phrase "squash up" likely emerged as a colloquial expression in the 20th century, combining the verb "squash" with the preposition "up" to convey the idea of pushing or compacting something into a smaller space. Its origins suggest that this phrase has its roots in the culinary tradition of transforming food to make it more readily ingested, a practice that has been carried out for centuries, from the pressing of grapes to produce wine, to the squeezing of oranges to extract their juice. The phrase "squash up" has become a common expression used in everyday British English to refer to various activities involving the compression, consolidation, or homogenization of materials, particularly food items.