compress
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About Our Definitions: All forms of a word (noun, verb, etc.) are now displayed on one page.1com·press
verb \kəm-ˈpres\Definition of COMPRESS
transitive verb
1
: to press or squeeze together
2
: to reduce in size, quantity, or volume as if by squeezing <compress a computer file>
intransitive verb
: to undergo compression
See Examples of COMPRESS
- compress the air in a closed chamber
- Her lips compressed into a frown.
- a material that compresses easily
- This type of file compresses easily.
Origin of COMPRESS
Middle English, from Late Latin compressare to press hard, frequentative of Latin comprimere to compress, from com- + premere to press — more at press
First Known Use: 14th century
Related to COMPRESS
- Synonyms
- capsule, capsulize, collapse, compact, condense, constrict, constringe, contract, narrow (down), squeeze, telescope
- Antonyms
- decompress, expand, open, outspread, outstretch
See Synonym Discussion at contract
Rhymes with COMPRESS
abscess, access, address, aggress, assess, bench-press, caress, clothespress, coatdress, cold-press, confess, cross-dress, CS, depress, de-stress, digress, distress, drill press, egress, excess, express, finesse, fluoresce, French press, full-dress, handpress, headdress, housedress, idlesse, impress, ingress, Meknes, much less, nightdress, noblesse, no less, obsess, oppress, outguess, possess, precess, prestress, princess, process, profess, progress, recess, redress, regress, re-press, repress, shirtdress, side-dress, SS, success, sundress, suppress, tendresse, top-dress, transgress, undress, unless, web press, winepress, word stress
2com·press
noun \ˈkäm-ˌpres\Definition of COMPRESS
1
: a folded cloth or pad applied so as to press upon a body part
2
: a machine for compressing
Origin of COMPRESS
Middle French compresse, from compresser to compress, from Late Latin compressare
First Known Use: 1599
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