Press

Press Press, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Pressed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Pressing}.] [F. presser, fr. L. pressare to press, fr. premere, pressum, to press. Cf. {Print}, v.] 1. To urge, or act upon, with force, as weight; to act upon by pushing or thrusting, in distinction from pulling; to crowd or compel by a gradual and continued exertion; to bear upon; to squeeze; to compress; as, we press the ground with the feet when we walk; we press the couch on which we repose; we press substances with the hands, fingers, or arms; we are pressed in a crowd. [1913 Webster]

Good measure, pressed down, and shaken together. --Luke vi. 38. [1913 Webster]

2. To squeeze, in order to extract the juice or contents of; to squeeze out, or express, from something. [1913 Webster]

From sweet kernels pressed, She tempers dulcet creams. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

And I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand. --Gen. xl. 11. [1913 Webster]

3. To squeeze in or with suitable instruments or apparatus, in order to compact, make dense, or smooth; as, to press cotton bales, paper, etc.; to smooth by ironing; as, to press clothes. [1913 Webster]

4. To embrace closely; to hug. [1913 Webster]

Leucothoe shook at these alarms, And pressed Palemon closer in her arms. --Pope. [1913 Webster]

5. To oppress; to bear hard upon. [1913 Webster]

Press not a falling man too far. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

6. To straiten; to distress; as, to be pressed with want or hunger. [1913 Webster]

7. To exercise very powerful or irresistible influence upon or over; to constrain; to force; to compel. [1913 Webster]

Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. --Acts xviii. 5. [1913 Webster]

8. To try to force (something upon some one); to urge or inculcate with earnestness or importunity; to enforce; as, to press divine truth on an audience. [1913 Webster]

He pressed a letter upon me within this hour. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

Be sure to press upon him every motive. --Addison. [1913 Webster]

9. To drive with violence; to hurry; to urge on; to ply hard; as, to press a horse in a race. [1913 Webster]

The posts . . . went cut, being hastened and pressed on, by the king's commandment. --Esther viii. 14. [1913 Webster]

Note: Press differs from drive and strike in usually denoting a slow or continued application of force; whereas drive and strike denote a sudden impulse of force. [1913 Webster]

{Pressed brick}. See under {Brick}. [1913 Webster]