pressure

American  

[presh-er] / ˈprɛʃ ər /

noun

1. the exertion of force upon a surface by an object, fluid, etc., in contact with it.

   the pressure of earth against a wall.

2. Physics. force per unit area. P

3. Meteorology. atmospheric pressure.

4. Electricity. electromotive force.

5. the state of being pressed or compressed.

6. harassment; oppression.

   the pressures of daily life.

7. a constraining or compelling force or influence.

   the social pressures of city life;

   financial pressure.

8. urgency, as of affairs or business.

   He works well under pressure.

9. Obsolete. that which is impressed.

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verb (used with object)

pressured, pressuring

1. to force (someone) toward a particular end; influence.

   They pressured him into accepting the contract.

2. pressurize.

pressure British  

/ ˈprɛʃə /

noun

1. the state of pressing or being pressed

2. the exertion of force by one body on the surface of another

3. a moral force that compels

   to bring pressure to bear

4. an urgent claim or demand or series of urgent claims or demands

   to work under pressure

5. a burdensome condition that is hard to bear

   the pressure of grief

6.  p.   P.  the normal force applied to a unit area of a surface, usually measured in pascals (newtons per square metre), millibars, torr, or atmospheres

7. short for atmospheric pressure blood pressure

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verb

1. (tr) to constrain or compel, as by the application of moral force

2. another word for pressurize

pressure Scientific  

/ prĕsh′ər /

1. The force per unit area that one region of a gas, liquid, or solid exerts on another. Pressure is usually measured in Pascal units, atmospheres, or pounds per square inch.

2. ◆ A substance is said to have negative pressure if some other substance exerts more force per unit area on it than vice versa. Its value is simply the negative of the pressure exerted by the other substance.

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pressure Cultural  

1. The force exerted on a given area. (See atmospheric pressure.)

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Discover More

The most familiar measure of pressure is psi (pounds per square inch), used to rate pressure in automobile and bicycle tires.

Other Word Forms

• interpressure adjective
• nonpressure noun
• pressureless adjective
• superpressure noun
• underpressure noun
• unpressured adjective

Etymology

Origin of pressure

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English (noun), from Latin pressūra; press ¹, -ure

Example Sentences

Nasa is under pressure to launch the Artemis II mission.

From BBC

The flow of new investments into the funds is also slowing, adding pressure to stocks as analysts cut forecasts for future fee earnings.

From The Wall Street Journal

But it would also put more pressure on the regime.

From The Wall Street Journal

Will he bow to US pressure to nix a project to link China and Chile across the Pacific via an undersea fiber optic cable?

From Barron's

But the move to release some 400 million barrels of oil to alleviate supply pressures has largely failed to reduce anxiety.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• adversity
• burden
• constraint
• force
• hardship
• heat
• influence
• power
• strain
• stress
• tension
• trouble
• weight