apretarlo

v. tighten; screw; constrict; press; grasp, grip; quicken; snuggle; subtend

= squeeze, nip, tighten, screw, tighten + Posesivo + grip on, press.
Ex: Squeezed between the upper and nether milestones of increasing demand and dwindling resources, individual librarians develop ways in which to make their jobs easier.
Ex: Rotary presses are like wringers the printing paper being nipped between two cylinders.
Ex: Self-effacing nervousness causes the epiglottis to tighten, strangling the words in the throat and stiffening the diaphragm so that it is like pulled-out elastic unable to propel anything.
Ex: This was done by laying the right number of letters on their sides in the stick, pushing the sliding bar up to them and screwing it up tight.
Ex: This paper reports on measures being taken by the government to tighten its grip on what universities do with their money.
Ex: To read a borrower label place the scanner on the left side of the label and move it from left to right across the bar codes, pressing lightly to keep it in direct contact with the label.
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* apretarse el cinturón = tighten + Posesivo + belt.
* cuando el sol aprieta = during the heat of the day.
* el que mucho abarca poco aprieta = jack of all trades, master of none.
* quien mucho abarca poco aprieta = bite off more than + Pronombre + can chew.
* sin apretar = loosely hanging, baggy [baggier -comp., baggiest -sup.].