Press Definition

prĕs

pressed, presses, pressing

verb

pressed, presses, pressing

To act on with steady force or weight; push steadily against; squeeze.

Webster's New World

To move by applying pressure.

Press a piano key; press one's face into a pillow.

American Heritage

To take arbitrarily or by force, especially for public use.

American Heritage

To react to being pressed, or ironed.

This fabric presses well.

Webster's New World

To depress or touch (a button, key, etc.) as in using an elevator, keyboard, etc.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

noun

presses

A printing press.

American Heritage

An instrument or machine by which something is crushed, squeezed, stamped, smoothed, etc. by pressure.

Webster's New World

A place or establishment where matter is printed.

Sent the book's files to the press.

American Heritage

A viselike device in which a tennis racket, etc. can be stored to keep it from warping.

Webster's New World

The communications media considered as a whole, especially the agencies that collect, publish, transmit, or broadcast news and other information to the public.

Freedom of the press; got a job writing for the press.

American Heritage

Synonyms:

Synonyms:
columnists
newspapers
papers
periodical press
print media
periodicals
political writers
correspondents
editors
journalistic writers
journalists
newspapermen
newsmen
publishers
the fourth estate

Antonyms:

Antonyms:
harmony
peace
calm

idiom

go to press

To be submitted for printing.

American Heritage

in press

Submitted for printing; in the process of being printed.

American Heritage

press charges

To bring a formal accusation of criminal wrongdoing against someone.

American Heritage

pressed for time

In a hurry; under time pressure.

American Heritage

press the flesh

To shake hands and mingle with many people, especially while campaigning for public office.

American Heritage

Other Word Forms of Press

Noun

Singular:

press

Plural:

presses

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Press

go to press
in press
press charges
pressed for time
press the flesh
go to press

Origin of Press

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 þrÇ£stan (“to press, force")), Old English þryscan (“to press"), Old English þȳwan (“to press, impress").

From Wiktionary
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")).

From Wiktionary
Alteration of obsolete prest to hire for military service by advance payment from Middle English enlistment money, loan from Old French from prester to lend from Medieval Latin praestāre from Latin to furnish from praestō present, at hand ghes- in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Middle English pressen from Old French presser from Latin pressāre frequentative of premere to press per-⁴ in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition