Verb (5-dan, る, transitive)
1. to wring (towel, rag); to squeeze
esp. 絞る
2. to squeeze (fruit to extract juice); to press; to extract; to milk; to express milk
esp. 搾る
3. to rack (one's brains); to strain (one's voice)
4. to extort; to exploit
5. to chew out; to reprimand severely; to rake over the coals; to give a sound scolding; to tell someone off; to scold; to rebuke
often passive voice
6. to drill into; to train
7. to narrow down (one's focus); to whittle down
8. to gather up (curtain, etc.); to tighten (drawstring)
9. to stop down (lens)
10. to turn down (e.g. radio)
11. to bend (bow); to draw
12. to hold down; to constrict; to immobilize