Word family noun press pressure pressing adjective pressed pressing pressurized pressured verb press pressure pressurize
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpressurepres‧sure1 /ˈpreʃə $ -ər/ ●●● S1 W1 noun 1 persuade [uncountable]FORCE somebody TO DO something an attempt to persuade someone by using influence, arguments, or threats They are putting pressure on people to vote yes.be/come under pressure to do something The minister was under pressure to resign.be/come under pressure from somebody (to do something) I was under pressure from my parents to become a teacher. The Labour government came under pressure from the trade unions.pressure for Pressure for change has become urgent.pressure on the pressure on all of us to keep slim He exerts pressure on his kids to get them to do as he wants. You must never give in to pressure.2 anxiety/overwork [countable, uncountable]BUSY/HAVE A LOT TO DO a way of working or living that causes you a lot of anxiety, especially because you feel you have too many things to dopressure of I feel I’m not able to cope well with the pressures of life.pressure on The pressure on doctors is increasing steadily.under pressure I’m under constant pressure at work. The pressures of work can make you ill. a high pressure job athletes who show grace under pressure (=who behave well when they are anxious)3 causing change [countable, uncountable] events or conditions that cause changes and affect the way a situation develops, especially in economics or politics inflationary pressures Analysts expect the pound to come under pressure.relieve/reduce pressure (on somebody/something) Slowing the arms race relieved pressure on the Soviet economic system. The 1990s brought increased economic pressure to bear on all business activities.4 weight [uncountable]PRESS the force or weight that is being put on to somethingpressure of The pressure of the water turns the wheel. the pressure of his hand on my arm5 gas/liquid [countable, uncountable] the force produced by the quantity of gas or liquid in a place or container The gas containers burst at high pressure.6 weather [countable, uncountable] a condition of the air in the Earth’s atmosphere, which affects the weatherhigh/low pressure A ridge of high pressure is building up strongly over the Atlantic. → peer pressureCOLLOCATIONSverbsput pressure on somebodyWe’ve decided to set up a campaign to put pressure on the Government.exert pressure on somebody formal (=put pressure on them)They exerted pressure on their colleagues to vote for the change.bring pressure to bear on somebody (=put pressure on them)These groups have brought pressure to bear on the government.put somebody under pressure (=put a lot of pressure on them)They were put under pressure to sign confessions.be under pressureApple growers are under pressure from the public to use fewer chemicals.come under pressureThe new prime minister has already come under pressure from the opposition to call an election.bow to pressure (also give in to pressure) (=do what people want you to do)He eventually gave in to pressure and resigned.respond to pressure (=do something as a result of pressure)The government responded to this pressure and modified the Bill.adjectivesstrong/intense pressureThere was strong pressure for a statement from the president.considerable pressureShopkeepers are under considerable pressure to work on Sundays.increasing/mounting pressureThere was increasing pressure on the Chancellor to cut petrol tax.public/popular pressure (=pressure from the public)He faces mounting public pressure to resign.political pressureWe did not make this recommendation because of political pressure.diplomatic pressure (=pressure from other countries' governments)The announcement of a ceasefire came after intense diplomatic pressure from the US. Examples from the Corpus
pressure• Every engineer knew that dollars-and-cents issues figured in his work, right along with boiler pressures and stress factors.• Indirect evidence of mounting demographic pressure is also provided by the steady destruction of the forests.• Suffice to say, the locals approved, and soon Cambianica felt pressure to expand his wine-making enterprise.• Inflationary pressures will lead to higher prices.• Reading cracked under intense pressure again after 69 minutes.• You never felt the pressure you felt from other choreographers.• Tourists and immigrants are increasing the pressures on the Galapagos's already scarce resources, from fresh water to seafood.• I just can't take the pressure at work anymore.• Blackburn cracked under the pressure, as Kerslake and Jones lined up for shots and David Mitchell cleaned up.• There was no water pressure in the bathroom this morning.exerts pressure on• The air exerts pressure on the airway, holding it open and allowing the sleeper to breathe normally.grace under pressure• They are the lessons of steadfastness and trust, honor and humor and, above all, grace under pressure.• This achievement is an art of the battlefield-exhibiting all that grace under pressure that is the glory of the cornered male.• But then, grace under pressure is a valued trait among the pastoralists.brought ... pressure to bear on• Employers brought maximum pressure to bear on workers in order to restore order: recalcitrant strikers faced lock-outs.• Those groups have brought pressure to bear on government to provide resources or pursue policies to the benefit of their members.• He brought undue pressure to bear on his parents by giving them an entirely misleading account of the documents.• On his eastern border, Ine brought pressure to bear on the eastern Saxons who were sheltering exiles from his kingdom.at high pressure• Lock lid in place and cook at high pressure for 16 minutes.• Which of these two minerals might have formed at higher pressure than the other?• It may need hosing at high pressure to get rid of any surface slime.• The equation of state of molecular hydrogen at high pressures and temperatures is particularly important and yet it is poorly known.• Reactions are carried out at high pressure and temperature and the processes involve large scale filtration, drying, milling and packing.• There they breathe in pure oxygen at high pressure.• If so, the conductivity of the rock at high pressures would be expected to mirror that of carbon.high/low pressure• Remove from heat and lower pressure using the cold-water-release method.• The equation of state of molecular hydrogen at high pressures and temperatures is particularly important and yet it is poorly known.• Reactions are carried out at high pressure and temperature and the processes involve large scale filtration, drying, milling and packing.• After removing it there was no more trouble from low pressure.• Lock lid in place and bring to high pressure.• Bring to high pressure and cook 12 minutes.• If it is not sufficiently tender, lock lid back into place and return to high pressure for a few minutes.pressurepressure2 verb [transitive] FORCE somebody TO DO something especially American English to try to make someone do something by making them feel it is their duty to do it SYN pressurize British Englishpressure somebody into doing something You want to enjoy food, not to be pressured into eating the right things.pressure somebody to do something Don’t feel we are pressuring you to give what you can’t afford.► see thesaurus at force→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
pressure• Bush has been somewhat less outspoken, apparently sensitive to being seen as pressuring his successor at a tough moment.• Over the next few years, Mrs J was pressured into lending her son large sums of money.• When David Hale claims he was pressured into making illegal loans, he is branded a crook and a liar.• The more conservative Viktor Chernomyrdin was voted in after Yeltsin was pressured into withdrawing his support for Gaidar.• I weighed in on Monday, got blood pressured, then drove through blinding rain into the Guildford one-way system.• Reagan was continuously being pressured to compromise in ways that preserved the influence and the policies of the defeated opposition.• A child might need to be prodded or compelled to keep a promise, or simply pressured to do a job well.pressure somebody to do something• Sherry's boyfriend is pressuring her to have sex with him.Origin pressure1 (1300-1400) Latin pressura, from premere; → PRESS2 