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press

Pronunciation: /pɹɛs/

The English word “press” has 20 meanings listed here.

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 force weight away from the body by extending the arms or legs.

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”). Chiefly displaced native Middle English thring (“press, crowd, throng”) (from Old English þring…

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Definitions are from Wiktionary, extracted by Kaikki.org, and are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.