v.tr. 1 a check; restrain; keep under; quell. b suppress; prevent from sounding, rioting, or bursting out. 2 Psychol. actively exclude (an unwelcome thought) from conscious awareness. 3 (usu. as repressed adj.) subject (a person) to the suppression of his or her thoughts or impulses. represser n. repressible adj. repression n. repressive adj. repressively adv. repressiveness n. repressor n.
[ ME f. L reprimere (as RE-, premere PRESS(1)) ]