press Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun the state of demanding notice or attention
    pressure; insistency; imperativeness; insistence.
    • the insistence of their hunger
    • the press of business matters
  2. noun the print media responsible for gathering and publishing news in the form of newspapers or magazines
    public press.
  3. noun a machine used for printing
    printing press.
  4. noun a dense crowd of people
    crush; jam.
  5. noun a tall piece of furniture that provides storage space for clothes; has a door and rails or hooks for hanging clothes
    wardrobe; closet.
  6. noun clamp to prevent wooden rackets from warping when not in use
  7. noun any machine that exerts pressure to form or shape or cut materials or extract liquids or compress solids
    mechanical press.
  8. noun a weightlift in which the barbell is lifted to shoulder height and then smoothly lifted overhead
    military press.
  9. noun the act of pressing; the exertion of pressure
    pressure; pressing.
    • he gave the button a press
    • he used pressure to stop the bleeding
    • at the pressing of a button
  10. verb exert pressure or force to or upon
    • He pressed down on the boards
    • press your thumb on this spot
  11. verb force or impel in an indicated direction
    urge; urge on; exhort.
    • I urged him to finish his studies
  12. verb to be oppressive or burdensome
    weigh.
    • weigh heavily on the mind", "Something pressed on his mind
  13. verb place between two surfaces and apply weight or pressure
    • pressed flowers
  14. verb squeeze or press together
    compact; compress; contract; constrict; squeeze.
    • she compressed her lips
    • the spasm contracted the muscle
  15. verb crowd closely
    • The crowds pressed along the street
  16. verb create by pressing
    • Press little holes into the soft clay
  17. verb be urgent
    • This is a pressing problem
  18. verb exert oneself continuously, vigorously, or obtrusively to gain an end or engage in a crusade for a certain cause or person; be an advocate for
    campaign; agitate; fight; push; crusade.
    • The liberal party pushed for reforms
    • She is crusading for women's rights
    • The Dean is pushing for his favorite candidate
  19. verb press from a plastic
    press out.
    • press a record
  20. verb make strenuous pushing movements during birth to expel the baby
    push.
    • `Now push hard,' said the doctor to the woman
  21. verb press and smooth with a heated iron
    iron; iron out.
    • press your shirts
    • she stood there ironing
  22. verb lift weights
    weight-lift; weightlift.
    • This guy can press 300 pounds
  23. verb ask for or request earnestly
    beseech; bid; entreat; adjure; conjure.
    • The prophet bid all people to become good persons

WordNet

Press noun
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) An East Indian insectivore (Tupaia ferruginea). It is arboreal in its habits, and has a bushy tail. The fur is soft, and varies from rusty red to maroon and to brownish black.
Press transitive verb
Etymology
Corrupt. fr. prest ready money advanced, a loan; hence, earnest money given soldiers on entering service. See Prest, n.
Definitions
  1. To force into service, particularly into naval service; to impress.
    To peaceful peasant to the wars is pressed. Dryden.
Press noun
Etymology
For prest, confused with press.
Definitions
  1. A commission to force men into public service, particularly into the navy.
    I have misused the king's press. Shak.
Press transitive verb
Etymology
F. presser, fr. L. pressare to press, fr. premere, pressum, to press. Cf. Print, v.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Pressed ; present participle & verbal noun Pressing
Definitions
  1. To urge, or act upon, with force, as weight; to act upon by pushing or thrusting, in distinction from pulling; to crowd or compel by a gradual and continued exertion; to bear upon; to squeeze; to compress; as, we press the ground with the feet when we walk; we press the couch on which we repose; we press substances with the hands, fingers, or arms; we are pressed in a crowd.
    Good measure, pressed down, and shaken together. Luke vi. 38.
  2. To squeeze, in order to extract the juice or contents of; to squeeze out, or express, from something.
    From sweet kernels pressed, She tempers dulcet creams. Milton.
    And I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand. Gen. xl. 11.
  3. To squeeze in or with suitable instruments or apparatus, in order to compact, make dense, or smooth; as, to press cotton bales, paper, etc.; to smooth by ironing; as, to press clothes.
  4. To embrace closely; to hug.
    Leucothoe shook at these alarms, And pressed Palemon closer in her arms. Pope.
  5. To oppress; to bear hard upon.
    Press not a falling man too far. Shak.
  6. To straiten; to distress; as, to be pressed with want or hunger.
  7. To exercise very powerful or irresistible influence upon or over; to constrain; to force; to compel.
    Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. Acts xviii. 5.
  8. To try to force (something upon some one); to urge or inculcate with earnestness or importunity; to enforce; as, to press divine truth on an audience.
    He pressed a letter upon me within this hour. Dryden.
    Be sure to press upon him every motive. Addison.
  9. To drive with violence; to hurry; to urge on; to ply hard; as, to press a horse in a race.
    The posts . . . went cut, being hastened and pressed on, by the king's commandment. Esther viii. 14.
    ✍ Press differs from drive and strike in usually denoting a slow or continued application of force; whereas drive and strike denote a sudden impulse of force.
Press intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To exert pressure; to bear heavily; to push, crowd, or urge with steady force.
  2. To move on with urging and crowding; to make one's way with violence or effort; to bear onward forcibly; to crowd; to throng; to encroach.
    They pressed upon him for to touch him. Mark iii. 10.
  3. To urge with vehemence or importunity; to exert a strong or compelling influence; as, an argument presses upon the judgment.
Press noun
Etymology
F. presse. See 4th Press.
Definitions
  1. An apparatus or machine by which any substance or body is pressed, squeezed, stamped, or shaped, or by which an impression of a body is taken; sometimes, the place or building containing a press or presses. ✍ Presses are differently constructed for various purposes in the arts, their specific uses being commonly designated; as, a cotton press, a wine press, a cider press, a copying press, etc. See Drill press.
  2. Specifically, a printing press.
  3. The art or business of printing and publishing; hence, printed publications, taken collectively, more especially newspapers or the persons employed in writing for them; as, a free press is a blessing, a licentious press is a curse. "the press" usually refers to newspaper reporters
  4. An upright case or closet for the safe keeping of articles; as, a clothes press. Shak.
  5. The act of pressing or thronging forward.
    In their throng and press to that last hold. Shak.
  6. Urgent demands of business or affairs; urgency; as, a press of engagements.
  7. A multitude of individuals crowded together; crowd of single things; a throng.
    They could not come nigh unto him for the press. Mark ii. 4.

Webster 1913