press

¹press

noun \ˈpres\

Definition of PRESS

1

a : a crowd or crowded condition : throng

b : a thronging or crowding forward or together

2

a : an apparatus or machine by which a substance is cut or shaped, an impression of a body is taken, a material is compressed, pressure is applied to a body, liquid is expressed, or a cutting tool is fed into the work by pressure

b : a building containing presses or a business using presses

3

: closet, cupboard

4

a : an action of pressing or pushing : pressure

b : an aggressive pressuring defense employed in basketball often over the entire court area

5

: the properly smoothed and creased condition of a freshly pressed garment <out of press>

6

a : printing press

b : the act or the process of printing

c : a printing or publishing establishment

7

a : the gathering and publishing or broadcasting of news : journalism

b : newspapers, periodicals, and often radio and television news broadcasting

c : news reporters, publishers, and broadcasters

d : comment or notice in newspapers and periodicals <is getting a good press>

8

: any of various pressure devices (as one for keeping sporting gear from warping when not in use)

9

: a lift in weight lifting in which the weight is raised to shoulder height and then smoothly extended overhead without assist from the legs — compare clean and jerk, snatch

Origin of PRESS

Middle English presse, from Anglo-French, from presser to press

First Known Use: 13th century

Rhymes with PRESS

bless, cess, chess, cress, dress, ess, fess, guess, jess, less, loess, mess, ness, s, stress, tress, yes

²press

verb

Definition of PRESS

transitive verb

1

: to act upon through steady pushing or thrusting force exerted in contact : squeeze

2

a : assail, harass

b : afflict, oppress

3

a : to squeeze out the juice or contents of

b : to squeeze with apparatus or instruments to a desired density, smoothness, or shape

4

a : to exert influence on : constrain

b : to try hard to persuade : beseech, entreat

5

: to move by means of pressure

6

a : to lay stress or emphasis on

b : to insist on or request urgently

7

: to follow through (a course of action)

8

: to clasp in affection or courtesy

9

: to make (a phonograph record) from a matrix

intransitive verb

1

: to crowd closely : mass

2

: to force or push one's way

3

: to seek urgently : contend

4

: to require haste or speed in action

5

: to exert pressure

6

: to take or hold a press

7

: to employ a press in basketball

— press the flesh

: to greet and shake hands with people especially while campaigning for political office

Origin of PRESS

Middle English, from Anglo-French presser, from Latin pressare, frequentative of premere to press; probably akin to Russian naperet' to press

First Known Use: 14th century

³press

verb

Definition of PRESS

transitive verb

1

: to force into service especially in an army or navy : impress

2

a : to take by authority especially for public use : commandeer

b : to take and force into any usually emergency service

intransitive verb

: to impress men as soldiers or sailors

Origin of PRESS

alteration of obsolete prest to enlist by giving pay in advance

First Known Use: 1578

⁴press

noun

Definition of PRESS

1

: impressment into service especially in a navy

2

obsolete : a warrant for impressing recruits

First Known Use of PRESS

1599