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Pips squeak

Posted by Bookworm on September 22, 2004

In Reply to: Pips squeak posted by Henry on September 22, 2004

: : CRANK ON THE CIDER PRESS - Kentucky teachers and school employees are protesting higher costs and eroded benefits of the new health insurance plans negotiated by the governor. The governor has called a special session of the legislature to address the issue. State Representative Charlie Hoffman commented on actions of the group: "You all have twisted the crank on the cider press a couple of times and maybe some juice will come out." From "Scott school employees go to lawmakers' homes" by Greg Kocher, Lexington Herald-Leader, September 22, 2004.

: Puts me in mind of another quotation;
: We will get everything out of her that you can squeeze out of a lemon and a bit more.... I will squeeze her until you can hear the pips squeak. My only doubt is not whether we can squeeze hard enough, but whether there is enough juice.
: Said of German war reparations following World War I by Sir Eric Geddes (1875-1937), British Conservative politician, in December 1918 at the Guildhall, Cambridge, England.

: It was re-used by Denis Healey, Chancellor of the Exchequer, on presenting budget to Parliament in May 1978;
: [It will] squeeze the rich until the pips squeak.

How did a "pip squeak" come to mean a small person? Perhaps the squeak sounded like it came from a small animal?

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