serrer
Meanings
Verb
1. to tighten (a screw, a knot) (transitive)
2. to shake (hands) (transitive)
3. to squeeze (transitive)
4. to hug, to stay close to (transitive)
5. to squeeze (reflexive)
6. to shake (hands) (pronominal)
7. to seduce; to flirt with (slang, transitive)
8. to pinch (to arrest, apprehend someone) (slang, law enforcement, transitive)
Examples135
Ils se sont serrés pour lui faire une place.
They squeezed together to make room for him.
Les jeunes hommes d'affaires se sont serré la main.
The young businessmen shook each other's hands.
serrer la côte
to hug the shore, to hug the coastline
Il lui serra le bras si fort qu'elle en garda une trace pendant trois jours.
He squeezed her arm so hard that she had a mark on it for three days.
Doucement ! Ça ne sert à rien de trop serrer cette vis.
Gently! It's no use to tighten this screw too much.
Ils se sont fait serrer.
They've been arrested.