press
♦♦♦ press /pr'es/ (presses pressing pressed)
1 [VERB] V n against n, V n prep
If you press something somewhere, you push it firmly against something else.
He pressed his back against the door...
They pressed the silver knife into the cake.
2 [VERB] V n
If you press a button or switch, you push it with your finger in order to make a machine or device work.
Drago pressed a button and the door closed...
[N-COUNT] usu sing
Press is also a noun.
...a TV which rises from a table at the press of a button.
3 [VERB] V n, V adv
If you press something or press down on it, you push hard against it with your foot or hand.
The engine stalled. He pressed the accelerator hard...
She stood up and leaned forward with her hands pressing down on the desk.
4 [VERB] V for n, V for n to-inf
If you press for something, you try hard to persuade someone to give it to you or to agree to it.
Police might now press for changes in the law...
They had pressed for their children to be taught French.
= push
5 [VERB] V n to-inf, be V-ed for/about n, be V-ed for/about n
If you press someone, you try hard to persuade them to do something.
Trade unions are pressing him to stand firm...
Mr King seems certain to be pressed for further details...
She smiles coyly when pressed about her private life.
6 [VERB] V n
If someone presses their claim, demand, or point, they state it in a very forceful way.
The protest campaign has used mass strikes and demonstrations to press its demands...
7 [VERB] V on n
If an unpleasant feeling or worry presses on you, it affects you very much or you are always thinking about it.
The weight of irrational guilt pressed on her...
8 [VERB] V n on n
If you press something on someone, you give it to them and insist that they take it.
All I had was money, which I pressed on her reluctant mother...
9 [VERB] V n, V-ed
If you press clothes, you iron them in order to get rid of the creases.
Vera pressed his shirt...
...clean, neatly pressed, conservative clothes.
= iron
10 [VERB] be V-ed, V n, V-ed
If you press fruits or vegetables, you squeeze them or crush them, usually in order to extract the juice.
The grapes are hand-picked and pressed...
I pressed the juice of half a lemon into a glass of water.
...1 clove fresh garlic, pressed or diced.
11 [N-SING-COLL] the N
Newspapers are referred to as the press.
Today the British press is full of articles on India's new prime minister...
Press reports revealed that ozone levels in the upper atmosphere fell during the past month.
12 [N-SING-COLL] the N
Journalists are referred to as the press.
Christie looked relaxed and calm as he faced the press afterwards...
13 [N-COUNT]
A press or a printing press is a machine used for printing things such as books and newspapers.
14
see also pressed, pressing
15 [PHRASE] V inflects
If someone or something gets a bad press, they are criticized, especially in the newspapers, on television, or on radio. If they get a good press, they are praised.
...the bad press that career women consistently get in this country...
16 [PHRASE] V inflects, oft PHR against n
If you press charges against someone, you make an official accusation against them which has to be decided in a court of law.
I could have pressed charges against him...
17 [PHRASE] V inflects
When a newspaper or magazine goes to press, it starts being printed.
We check prices at the time of going to press...gut|ter press
[N-SING] the N
You can refer to newspapers and magazines which print mainly stories about sex and crime as the gutter press. (BRIT; in AM, use scandal sheets)
The gutter press has held the royals up to ridicule.press agen|cy (press agencies)
[N-COUNT]
A country's press agency is an organization that gathers news from that country and supplies it to journalists from all over the world.press agent (press agents)
[N-COUNT] oft with poss
A press agent is a person who is employed by a famous person to give information about that person to the press.press ahead
see press on 1press box (press boxes)
[N-COUNT] usu the N in sing
The press box at a sports ground is a room or area which is reserved for journalists to watch sporting events.press con|fer|ence (press conferences)
[N-COUNT]
A press conference is a meeting held by a famous or important person in which they answer journalists' questions.
She gave her reaction to his release at a press conference...press corps (press corps)
[N-COUNT-COLL] usu the N
The press corps is a group of journalists who are all working in a particular place, for different newspapers.
David McNeil is travelling with the White House press corps.press gal|lery (press galleries)
[N-COUNT] usu the N in sing
The press gallery is the area in a parliament, legislature, or council which is reserved for journalists who report on its activities.press of|fic|er (press officers)
[N-COUNT]
A press officer is a person who is employed by an organization to give information about that organization to the press.
...the Press Officer of the Bavarian Government.press on
or press ahead
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P, V P with n
If you press on or press ahead, you continue with a task or activity in a determined way, and do not allow any problems or difficulties to delay you.
Organizers of the strike are determined to press on...
Poland pressed on with economic reform.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
If you press on, you continue with a journey, even though it is becoming more difficult or more dangerous.
I considered turning back, but it was getting late, so I pressed on.
= keep goingpress re|lease (press releases)
[N-COUNT]
A press release is a written statement about a matter of public interest which is given to the press by an organization concerned with the matter.press room (press rooms)
also pressroom
[N-COUNT]
A press room is a room for journalists to use at a special event.press sec|re|tary (press secretaries)
[N-COUNT] oft supp N
A government's or political leader's press secretary is someone who is employed by them to give information to the press.
...the Prime Minister's official press secretary.press stud (press studs)
[N-COUNT]
A press stud is a small metal object used to fasten clothes and is made up of two parts which can be pressed together. (BRIT; in AM, use snap fastener, snap)
= popperprint|ing press (printing presses)
[N-COUNT]
A printing press is a machine used for printing, especially one that can print books, newspapers, or documents in large numbers.stop press
Stop press is sometimes printed next to an article in a newspaper to indicate that this is very recent news and was added after the rest of the newspaper had been printed. (BRIT)
STOP PRESS-Crisis in Chechnya.
1 [VERB] V n against n, V n prep
If you press something somewhere, you push it firmly against something else.
He pressed his back against the door...
They pressed the silver knife into the cake.
2 [VERB] V n
If you press a button or switch, you push it with your finger in order to make a machine or device work.
Drago pressed a button and the door closed...
[N-COUNT] usu sing
Press is also a noun.
...a TV which rises from a table at the press of a button.
3 [VERB] V n, V adv
If you press something or press down on it, you push hard against it with your foot or hand.
The engine stalled. He pressed the accelerator hard...
She stood up and leaned forward with her hands pressing down on the desk.
4 [VERB] V for n, V for n to-inf
If you press for something, you try hard to persuade someone to give it to you or to agree to it.
Police might now press for changes in the law...
They had pressed for their children to be taught French.
= push
5 [VERB] V n to-inf, be V-ed for/about n, be V-ed for/about n
If you press someone, you try hard to persuade them to do something.
Trade unions are pressing him to stand firm...
Mr King seems certain to be pressed for further details...
She smiles coyly when pressed about her private life.
6 [VERB] V n
If someone presses their claim, demand, or point, they state it in a very forceful way.
The protest campaign has used mass strikes and demonstrations to press its demands...
7 [VERB] V on n
If an unpleasant feeling or worry presses on you, it affects you very much or you are always thinking about it.
The weight of irrational guilt pressed on her...
8 [VERB] V n on n
If you press something on someone, you give it to them and insist that they take it.
All I had was money, which I pressed on her reluctant mother...
9 [VERB] V n, V-ed
If you press clothes, you iron them in order to get rid of the creases.
Vera pressed his shirt...
...clean, neatly pressed, conservative clothes.
= iron
10 [VERB] be V-ed, V n, V-ed
If you press fruits or vegetables, you squeeze them or crush them, usually in order to extract the juice.
The grapes are hand-picked and pressed...
I pressed the juice of half a lemon into a glass of water.
...1 clove fresh garlic, pressed or diced.
11 [N-SING-COLL] the N
Newspapers are referred to as the press.
Today the British press is full of articles on India's new prime minister...
Press reports revealed that ozone levels in the upper atmosphere fell during the past month.
12 [N-SING-COLL] the N
Journalists are referred to as the press.
Christie looked relaxed and calm as he faced the press afterwards...
13 [N-COUNT]
A press or a printing press is a machine used for printing things such as books and newspapers.
14
see also pressed, pressing
15 [PHRASE] V inflects
If someone or something gets a bad press, they are criticized, especially in the newspapers, on television, or on radio. If they get a good press, they are praised.
...the bad press that career women consistently get in this country...
16 [PHRASE] V inflects, oft PHR against n
If you press charges against someone, you make an official accusation against them which has to be decided in a court of law.
I could have pressed charges against him...
17 [PHRASE] V inflects
When a newspaper or magazine goes to press, it starts being printed.
We check prices at the time of going to press...gut|ter press
[N-SING] the N
You can refer to newspapers and magazines which print mainly stories about sex and crime as the gutter press. (BRIT; in AM, use scandal sheets)
The gutter press has held the royals up to ridicule.press agen|cy (press agencies)
[N-COUNT]
A country's press agency is an organization that gathers news from that country and supplies it to journalists from all over the world.press agent (press agents)
[N-COUNT] oft with poss
A press agent is a person who is employed by a famous person to give information about that person to the press.press ahead
see press on 1press box (press boxes)
[N-COUNT] usu the N in sing
The press box at a sports ground is a room or area which is reserved for journalists to watch sporting events.press con|fer|ence (press conferences)
[N-COUNT]
A press conference is a meeting held by a famous or important person in which they answer journalists' questions.
She gave her reaction to his release at a press conference...press corps (press corps)
[N-COUNT-COLL] usu the N
The press corps is a group of journalists who are all working in a particular place, for different newspapers.
David McNeil is travelling with the White House press corps.press gal|lery (press galleries)
[N-COUNT] usu the N in sing
The press gallery is the area in a parliament, legislature, or council which is reserved for journalists who report on its activities.press of|fic|er (press officers)
[N-COUNT]
A press officer is a person who is employed by an organization to give information about that organization to the press.
...the Press Officer of the Bavarian Government.press on
or press ahead
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P, V P with n
If you press on or press ahead, you continue with a task or activity in a determined way, and do not allow any problems or difficulties to delay you.
Organizers of the strike are determined to press on...
Poland pressed on with economic reform.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
If you press on, you continue with a journey, even though it is becoming more difficult or more dangerous.
I considered turning back, but it was getting late, so I pressed on.
= keep goingpress re|lease (press releases)
[N-COUNT]
A press release is a written statement about a matter of public interest which is given to the press by an organization concerned with the matter.press room (press rooms)
also pressroom
[N-COUNT]
A press room is a room for journalists to use at a special event.press sec|re|tary (press secretaries)
[N-COUNT] oft supp N
A government's or political leader's press secretary is someone who is employed by them to give information to the press.
...the Prime Minister's official press secretary.press stud (press studs)
[N-COUNT]
A press stud is a small metal object used to fasten clothes and is made up of two parts which can be pressed together. (BRIT; in AM, use snap fastener, snap)
= popperprint|ing press (printing presses)
[N-COUNT]
A printing press is a machine used for printing, especially one that can print books, newspapers, or documents in large numbers.stop press
Stop press is sometimes printed next to an article in a newspaper to indicate that this is very recent news and was added after the rest of the newspaper had been printed. (BRIT)
STOP PRESS-Crisis in Chechnya.