press
Listen:Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
press1
- 1 move or cause to move into a position of contact with something by exerting continuous physical force.
■ exert continuous physical force on, especially in order to operate a device.
■ squeeze (someone's arm or hand) as a sign of affection.
■ move in a specified direction by pushing.
■ (press on/ahead) continue in one's action.
- 2 apply pressure to (something) to flatten, shape, or smooth it, especially by ironing.
■ extract (juice or oil) by crushing or squeezing fruit, vegetables, etc.
■ manufacture by moulding under pressure.
- 3 forcefully put forward (an opinion, claim, etc.).
■ make strong efforts to persuade or force to do something.
■ (press something on/upon) insist that (someone) accepts an offer or gift.
■ (of time) be short.
■ (be pressed) have barely enough of something, especially time.
■ (be pressed to do something) have difficulty doing something.
- 4 Weightlifting raise (a weight) by lifting it to shoulder height and then gradually pushing it upwards.
- 5 Golf try too hard to achieve distance.
- 1 a device for applying pressure in order to flatten or shape something or to extract juice or oil.
- 2 a printing press.
■ a printing or publishing business.
- 3 (the press) [treated as sing. or pl.] newspapers or journalists viewed collectively.
■ coverage in newspapers and magazines.
- 4 an act of pressing something.
■ a closely packed mass of people or things.
■ dated pressure of business.
■ Basketball a form of close guarding by the defending team.
- 5 a large cupboard for storing linen or clothes.
go to press go to be printed.
press (the) flesh informal, chiefly N. Amer. greet people by shaking hands.
presser noun.
Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
press2
- 1 (press something into) put something to a specified use, especially as a temporary or makeshift measure.
- 2 historical force to enlist in the army or navy.
