[captainmuon]

I always thought it is related to "quetschen" (squeezing). A kvetsh is somebody who is being squeezed and winces or squeaks (and incidentally, to squeak=quietschen).

[katspaugh]

Oh, you’re absolutely right. Oxford dictionary says:

> 1960s: from Yiddish kvetsh (noun), kvetshn (verb), from Middle High German quetschen, literally ‘crush’.