press

Question

English - Pronunciation

(UK, US) IPA^(key): /pɹɛs/
Rhymes: -ɛs

English - Etymology 1

Middle English presse (“throng, crowd, clothespress”), partially from Old English press (“clothespress”), from Medieval Latin pressa, and partially from Old French presse (Modern French presse) from Old French presser (“to press”), from Latin pressāre from pressus, past participle of premere "to press". Displaced native Middle English thring (“press, crowd, throng”) (from Old English þring (“a press, crowd, anything that presses or confines”)).

Noun

press (countable and uncountable, plural presses)

(countable) A device used to apply pressure to an item.

a flower press
1. (countable) A printing machine.
  
  Stop the presses!
(uncountable) A collective term for the print-based media (both the people and the newspapers).

according to a member of the press; This article appeared in the press.
(countable) A publisher.
(countable, chiefly in Ireland and Scotland) An enclosed storage space (e.g. closet, cupboard).

Put the cups in the press. Put the ironing in the linen press.
- 1879, Richard Jefferies, The Amateur Poacher, chapter1:
  
  But then I had the [massive] flintlock by me for protection. ¶ […] The linen-press and a chest on the top of it formed, however, a very good gun-carriage; and, thus mounted, aim could be taken out of the window at the old mare feeding in the meadow below by the brook, and a 'bead' could be drawn upon Molly, the dairymaid, kissing the fogger behind the hedge,

English - Etymology 2

Middle English _pressen_ (“to crowd, thring, press”), from Old French _presser_ (“to press”) (Modern French _presser_) from Latin _pressāre_ from _pressus_, past participle of _premere_ "to press". Displaced native Middle English _thringen_ (“to press, crowd, throng”) (from Old English _þringan_ (“to press, crowd”)), Middle English _thrasten_ (“to press, force, urge”) (from Old English _þrǣstan_ (“to press, force”)), Old English _þryscan_ (“to press”), Old English _þȳwan_ (“to press, impress”). VERB PRESS (_third-person singular simple present_ PRESSES, _present participle_ PRESSING, _simple past and past participle_ PRESSED _or_ PREST) * (transitive, intransitive) to exert weight or force against, to act upon with with force or weight * (transitive) to compress, squeeze _to press fruit for the purpose of extracting the juice_ * (transitive) to clasp, hold in an embrace; to hug _She took her son, and press'd_ _The illustrious infant to her fragrant breast_ (_Dryden_, Illiad, VI. 178.) * (transitive) to reduce to a particular shape or form by pressure, especially flatten or smooth _to press cloth with an iron_ _to press a hat_ * (transitive, sewing) 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. * (transitive) to drive or thrust by pressure, to force in a certain direction _to press a crowd back_ * (transitive, obsolete) to weigh upon, oppress, trouble _He turns from us;_ _Alas, he weeps too! Something presses him_ _He would reveal, but dare not.-Sir, be comforted._ (_Fletcher_, Pilgrim, I. 2.) * (transitive) to force to a certain end or result; to urge strongly, impel * 1726, Jonathan Swift, _Gulliver's Travels_, Part III, Chapter VIII The two gentlemen who conducted me to the island were PRESSED by their private affairs to return in three days. * To try to force (something upon someone); to urge or inculcate. _to PRESS the Bible on an audience_ * Dryden He PRESSED a letter upon me within this hour. * Addison Be sure to PRESS upon him every motive. * (transitive) to hasten, urge onward _to PRESS a horse in a race_ * (transitive) to urge, beseech, entreat _God heard their prayers, wherein they earnestly pressed him for the honor of his great name._ (_Winthrop_, Hist. New England, II. 35) * (transitive) to lay stress upon, emphasize _If we read but a very little, we naturally want to press it all; if we read a great deal, we are willing not to press the whole of what we read, and we learn what ought to be pressed and what not._ (_M. Arnold_, Literature and Dogma, Pref.) * (transitive, intransitive) to throng, crowd * (transitive, obsolete) to print * To force into service, particularly into naval service. * Dryden To peaceful peasant to the wars is PRESSED. QUOTATIONS * For usage examples of this term, see the citations page. SYNONYMS * thring * thrutch DERIVED TERMS * press charges * press on TRANSLATIONS

Middle English pressen (“to crowd, thring, press”), from Old French presser (“to press”) (Modern French presser) from Latin pressāre from pressus, past participle of premere "to press". Displaced native Middle English thringen (“to press, crowd, throng”) (from Old English þringan (“to press, crowd”)), Middle English thrasten (“to press, force, urge”) (from Old English þrǣstan (“to press, force”)), Old English þryscan (“to press”), Old English þȳwan (“to press, impress”).