op ‧ press /əˈpres/ BrE AmE verb [transitive often passive]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: French ; Origin: oppresser , from Latin oppressus , past participle of opprimere 'to press against' ]
1 . to treat a group of people unfairly or cruelly, and prevent them from having the same rights that other people in society have:
native tribes oppressed by the authorities
2 . to make someone feel unhappy, worried, or uncomfortable:
The gloom in the chapel oppressed her.