English Explanatory Dictionary

press

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. An instance of applying pressure; an instance of pressing.
  2. A device used to apply pressure to an item.
  3. A crowd.
  4. A printing machine.
  5. The print-based media (both the people and the newspapers).
  6. A publisher.
  7. An enclosed storage space (e.g. closet, cupboard).
  8. An exercise in which weight is forced away from the body by extension of the arms or legs.
  9. An additional bet in a golf match that duplicates an existing (usually losing) wager in value, but begins even at the time of the bet.
  10. Pure, unfermented grape juice.
  11. A commission to force men into public service, particularly into the navy.
  12. In personology, any environmental factor that arouses a need in the individual.
verb
  1. To exert weight or force against, to act upon with force or weight; to exert pressure upon.
  2. To activate a button or key by exerting a downward or forward force on it, and then releasing it.
  3. To compress, squeeze.
  4. To clasp, hold in an embrace.
  5. To reduce to a particular shape or form by pressure, especially flatten or smooth.
  6. To flatten a selected area of fabric using an iron with an up-and-down, not sliding, motion, so as to avoid disturbing adjacent areas.
  7. To drive or thrust by pressure, to force in a certain direction.
  8. To weigh upon, oppress, trouble.
  9. To force to a certain end or result; to urge strongly.
  10. To try to force (something upon someone).
  11. To hasten, urge onward.
  12. To urge, beseech, entreat.
name
  1. A surname.

Pronunciation

/pɹɛs/ en-uk-press.ogg en-us-press.ogg

Word forms

press presses pressing pressed prest no-table-tags glossary pressest pressedst presseth

Etymology

From Middle English presse (“throng, crowd, clothespress”), partially from Old English press (“clothespress”) (from Medieval Latin pressa) and from Old French presse (Modern French presse) from Old French presser (“to press”), from Latin pressāre, from pressus, past participle of premere (“to press”). Displaced native Middle English thring (“press, crowd, throng”) (from Old English þring (“a press, crowd, anything that presses or confines”)).

Synonyms

printing press closet cupboard pantry press-gang strike hit depress thring thrutch astringe compact telescope compactify condense densitize pack press mash scrunch smush squoosh squash squish squeeze hug impel urge inculcate emphasize assemble begather collect congregate congress crowd fall in with flock forgather gather gather up group herd league mass meet meet up muster team team up throng

Derived words

all-court press alternative press amateur press association antipress any press is good press arming press bad press bench press bench-press body press bookpress brake press Bramah press chest press cider press close for press clothes-press clothes press cold press cookie press copying press digital press drill press drop press duck press fly press freedom of the press free press French press fruit press full-court press full court press gang press garlic press good press gorilla press go to press gutter press handpress hand press hot from the press hot off the press hot press hotpress hydraulic press hydropress keypress key press leg press letterpress long-press mating press military press monkey press mosquito press nonpress overhead press Pallof press perfecting press permanent press
This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.
Back to search All on P Russian dictionary Dahl dictionary