press
1. press \'pres\ n [ME presse, fr. OF, fr. presser to press] 1a: a crowd or
crowded condition : THRONG 1b: a thronging or crowding forward or together
2a: an apparatus or machine by which a substance is cut or shaped, an
impre ssion of a body is taken, a material is compressed, pressure is
applied to a body, liquid is expressed, or a cutting tool is fed into the
work by pressure 2b: a building containing presses or a business using
presses 3: CLOSET, CUPBOARD 4: an act of pressing or pushing : PRESSURE
5: the properly smoothed and creased condition of a freshly pressed garment
6a: PRINTING PRESS 6b: the act or the process of printing 6c: a printing
or publishing establishment 7a: the gathering and publishing or
broadcasting of news : JOURNALISM)M 7b: newspapers, periodicals, and often
radio and television news broadcasti ng 7c: news reporters, publishers, and
broadcasters 7d: comment or notice in newspapers and periodicals 8: any
of various pressure devices (as one for keeping sporting gear from w arping
when not in use)
2. press vb [ME pressen, fr. MF presser, fr. L pressare, fr. pressusX pp.
of premere to press; akin to L prelum press and perh. to Russ peret' to
press 1: to act upon through steady pushing or thrusting force exerted in
contac t : SQUEEZE 2a: ASSAIL, HARASS 2b: AFFLICT, OPPRESS 3a: to squeeze
out the juice or contents of 3b: to squeeze with apparatus or instruments
to a desired density, smoothn ess, or shape 4a: to exert influence on :
CONSTRAIN 4b: to try hard to persuade : BESEECH, ENTREAT 5: to move by
means of pressure 6a: to lay stress or emphasis on 6b: to insist on or
request urgently 7: to follow through (a course of action) 8: to clasp in
affection or courtesy 9: to make (a phonograph record) from a matrix 1:
to crowd closely : MASS 2: to force or push one's way 3: to seek urgently
: CONTEND 4: to require haste or speed in action 5: to exert pressure 6:
to take or hold a press - press.er n
3. press vb [alter. of obs. prest (to enlist by giving pay in advance), fr.
2Xprest 1: to force into service esp. in the army or navy : IMPRESS 2a: to
take by authority esp. for public use : COMMANDEER 2b: to take and force
into any usu. emergency service : to impress men as soldiers or sailors
4. press n 1: impressment into service esp. in a navy obs 2: a warrant
for impressing recruits