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press
1[ pres ]
verb (used with object)
- to act upon with steadily applied weight or force.
- to move by weight or force in a certain direction or into a certain position:
The crowd pressed him into a corner.
- to compress or squeeze, as to alter in shape or size:
He pressed the clay into a ball.
- to weigh heavily upon; subject to pressure.
- to hold closely, as in an embrace; clasp:
He pressed her in his arms.
- to flatten or make smooth, especially by ironing:
to press clothes;
to press flowers in the leaves of a book.
- to extract juice, sugar, etc., from by pressure:
to press grapes.
- to squeeze out or express, as juice:
to press the juice from grapes.
- to beset or harass; afflict:
He was pressed by problems on all sides.
- to trouble or oppress; put into a difficult position, as by depriving:
Poverty pressed them hard.
- to urge or entreat strongly or insistently:
He pressed his parents to take him along.
The interviewer pressed her for an explanation.
- to emphasize or propound forcefully; insist upon:
He pressed his own ideas on us.
- to plead or pursue with insistence:
The union’s shop steward pressed a complaint on the employee’s behalf.
- to urge onward; hasten:
He pressed his horse to go faster.
- to push forward.
verb (used without object)
- to manufacture (phonograph records, videodiscs, or the like), especially by stamping from a mold or matrix.
- to exert weight, force, or pressure.
- Weightlifting. to raise or lift, especially a specified amount of weight, in a press.
- to iron clothing, curtains, etc.
- to bear heavily, as upon the mind.
- (of athletes and competitors) to perform tensely or overanxiously, as when one feels pressured or is determined to break out of a slump; strain because of frustration:
For days he hasn't seemed able to buy a hit, and he's been pressing.
- to compel haste:
Time presses.
- to demand immediate attention.
- to use urgent entreaty:
to press for an answer.
- to push forward or advance with force, eagerness, or haste:
The army pressed to reach the river by dawn.
- to crowd or throng.
- Basketball. to employ a press.
noun
- an act of pressing; pressure.
- the state of being pressed.
- printed publications collectively, especially newspapers and periodicals.
- all the media and agencies that print, broadcast, or gather and transmit news, including newspapers, newsmagazines, radio and television news bureaus, and wire services.
- the editorial employees, taken collectively, of these media and agencies.
- (often used with a plural verb) a group of news reporters, or of news reporters and news photographers:
The press are in the outer office, waiting for a statement.
- the consensus of the general critical commentary or the amount of coverage accorded a person, thing, or event, especially in newspapers and periodicals (often preceded by good or bad ):
The play received a good press.
The minister's visit got a bad press.
- an establishment for printing books, magazines, etc.
- the process or art of printing.
- any of various devices or machines for exerting pressure, stamping, or crushing.
- a wooden or metal viselike device for preventing a tennis or other racket from warping when not in use.
- a pressing or pushing forward.
- a crowding, thronging, or pressing together; collective force:
The press of the crowd drove them on.
- a crowd, throng, or multitude.
- the desired smooth or creased effect caused by ironing or pressing:
His suit was out of press.
- pressure or urgency, as of affairs or business.
- an upright case or other piece of furniture for holding clothes, books, pamphlets, etc.
- Basketball. an aggressive form of defense in which players guard opponents very closely.
- Weightlifting. a lift in which the barbell, after having been lifted from the ground up to chest level, is pushed to a position overhead with the arms extended straight up, without moving the legs or feet.
press
2[ pres ]
verb (used with object)
- to force into service, especially naval or military service; impress.
- to make use of in a manner different from that intended or desired:
French taxis were pressed into service as troop transports.
noun
- impressment into service, especially naval or military service.
Press
3[ pres ]
noun
- a male given name.
press
1/ prɛs /
verb
- to apply or exert weight, force, or steady pressure on
he pressed the button on the camera
- tr to squeeze or compress so as to alter in shape or form
- to apply heat or pressure to (clothing) so as to smooth out or mark with creases; iron
- to make (objects) from soft material by pressing with a mould, form, etc, esp to make gramophone records from plastic
- tr to hold tightly or clasp, as in an embrace
- tr to extract or force out (juice) by pressure (from)
- tr weightlifting to lift (a weight) successfully with a press
he managed to press 280 pounds
- tr to force, constrain, or compel
- to importune or entreat (a person) insistently; urge
they pressed for an answer
- to harass or cause harassment
- tr to plead or put forward strongly or importunately
to press a claim
- intr to be urgent
- tr; usually passive to have little of
we're hard pressed for time
- whenintr, often foll by on or forward to hasten or advance or cause to hasten or advance in a forceful manner
- intr to crowd; throng; push
- tr (formerly) to put to death or subject to torture by placing heavy weights upon
- archaic.tr to trouble or oppress
- press chargesto bring charges against a person
noun
- any machine that exerts pressure to form, shape, or cut materials or to extract liquids, compress solids, or hold components together while an adhesive joint is formed
- See printing press
- the art or process of printing
- at the press or in the pressbeing printed
- to press or to the pressto be printed
when is this book going to press?
- the press
- news media and agencies collectively, esp newspapers
- ( as modifier )
a press matter
press relations
- the pressthose who work in the news media, esp newspaper reporters and photographers
- the opinions and reviews in the newspapers, etc
the play received a poor press
- the act of pressing or state of being pressed
- the act of crowding, thronging, or pushing together
- a closely packed throng of people; crowd; multitude
- urgency or hurry in business affairs
- a cupboard, esp a large one used for storing clothes or linen
- a wood or metal clamp or vice to prevent tennis rackets, etc, from warping when not in use
- weightlifting a lift in which the weight is raised to shoulder level and then above the head
press
2/ prɛs /
verb
- to recruit (men) by forcible measures for military service
- to use for a purpose other than intended, (esp in the phrase press into service )
noun
- recruitment into military service by forcible measures, as by a press gang
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Other Words From
- press·a·ble adjective
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Word History and Origins
Origin of press1
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Word History and Origins
Origin of press1
Origin of press2
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Idioms and Phrases
- go to press, to begin being printed:
The last edition has gone to press.
- press the flesh, Informal. flesh ( def 24 ).
- press charges. press charges ( def ).
More idioms and phrases containing press
- hard pressed
- hot off the press
- push (press) one's luck
- push (press) someone's buttons
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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