A squeegee or squilgee is a tool with a flat, smooth rubber blade, used to remove or control the flow of liquid on a flat surface. It is used for cleaning and printing.
The earliest written references to squeegees date from the mid-19th century and concern deck-cleaning tools, some with leather rather than rubber blades. The name “squeegee” may come from the word “squeege”, meaning press or squeeze, which was first recorded in 1783. The closely related “squeedging” was reportedly first used in 1782, in the Covent Garden Theatre, during the performing of the comedy “Which is the man?” by Hannah Cowley.
