presspress1 /prɛs/ ●●● verb 
1
WITH FINGER [transitive] to push something with your finger in order to make a machine start, a bell ring, etc.: 
What happens if I press this button? Mrs. Mott pressed the doorbell again. Press F3 to save the document.2PUSH AGAINST [transitive] to push something firmly against a surface: He pressed some money into her hand. Their faces were pressed against the window.3IRON [transitive] to make clothes smooth using heat SYN iron: I need to have this suit cleaned and pressed.4press charges to say officially that someone has done something illegal so that a court must decide if s/he is guilty5PERSUADE [transitive] to try very hard to persuade someone to do something or tell you something: He pressed me to accept the job. Detectives had been pressing him for details.6MOVE [intransitive] to move in a particular direction by pushing: The crowd pressed forward to see what was happening.7HEAVY WEIGHT [transitive] to put pressure or weight on something to make it flat, crush it, etc.: a machine for pressing grapesTHESAURUSsquash – to press something and damage it by making it flat: Put the tomatoes where they won’t get squashed.crush – to press something very hard so that it is broken or destroyed: His leg was crushed in the accident.mash – to press fruit or cooked vegetables until they are soft and smooth: Mash the potatoes well.grind – to press something into powder using a special machine: Can you grind the coffee beans?squeeze – to press something from both sides, usually with your fingers: Squeeze the toothpaste tube from the bottom.compress formal – to press something so that it takes up less space: The pump compresses the air, forcing it through a tube into the tire.compact formal – to press something together so that it becomes smaller or more solid: The machine compacts household trash.press on/ahead phrasal verb to continue doing something without stopping: The army crossed the river and pressed on to the border.
1WITH FINGER [transitive] to push something with your finger in order to make a machine start, a bell ring, etc.: What happens if I press this button? Mrs. Mott pressed the doorbell again. Press F3 to save the document.2PUSH AGAINST [transitive] to push something firmly against a surface: He pressed some money into her hand. Their faces were pressed against the window.3IRON [transitive] to make clothes smooth using heat SYN iron: I need to have this suit cleaned and pressed.4press charges to say officially that someone has done something illegal so that a court must decide if s/he is guilty5PERSUADE [transitive] to try very hard to persuade someone to do something or tell you something: He pressed me to accept the job. Detectives had been pressing him for details.6MOVE [intransitive] to move in a particular direction by pushing: The crowd pressed forward to see what was happening.7HEAVY WEIGHT [transitive] to put pressure or weight on something to make it flat, crush it, etc.: a machine for pressing grapesTHESAURUSsquash – to press something and damage it by making it flat: Put the tomatoes where they won’t get squashed.crush – to press something very hard so that it is broken or destroyed: His leg was crushed in the accident.mash – to press fruit or cooked vegetables until they are soft and smooth: Mash the potatoes well.grind – to press something into powder using a special machine: Can you grind the coffee beans?squeeze – to press something from both sides, usually with your fingers: Squeeze the toothpaste tube from the bottom.compress formal – to press something so that it takes up less space: The pump compresses the air, forcing it through a tube into the tire.compact formal – to press something together so that it becomes smaller or more solid: The machine compacts household trash.press on/ahead phrasal verb to continue doing something without stopping: The army crossed the river and pressed on to the border.
