to push something firmly, often with your hand, finger, or a tool
Jake pressed the doorbell and waited.
Please press the red button to start the blender.
✦ Old French ‘presser’, from Latin ‘pressare’ meaning ‘to press’, frequentative of ‘premere’ ‘to press, squeeze’.
to make clothes smooth and flat with a hot iron
Grandma pressed the tablecloth before setting the plates.
I need to press my shirt for tomorrow’s interview.
to try hard to persuade someone to do something or give information
Reporters pressed the mayor for details about the plan.
My parents pressed me to apply for the scholarship.
to squeeze or crush something to remove liquid or to shape it
Farmers pressed the olives to make oil.
She pressed fresh oranges for breakfast juice.
to force liquid out of something by pressing or squeezing
The young mother gently expressed milk into a bottle.
They express olive oil by crushing the ripe olives.
a bus, train, or other service that travels quickly and stops only at main points
The morning express leaves at 7 a.m. sharp.
Take the express if you want to reach downtown quickly.
to make someone understand very clearly that something is important or serious
The teacher impressed on the students the need to submit their work on time.
I tried to impress upon him how dangerous the river could be.
(historical) to force someone to join the navy or army, especially by law
In the 18th century, many sailors were impressed into the British Navy against their will.
The king's men roamed the port to impress able-bodied men for the fleet.
✦ Sense arose in late Middle English from the idea of being ‘pressed’ into service.
