COMPRESS

I. verb see: press Date: 14th century transitive verb to press or squeeze together, to reduce in size, quantity, or volume as if by squeezing , intransitive verb to undergo ~ion, see: contract II. noun Etymology: Middle French ~e, from ~er to ~, from Late Latin ~are Date: 1599 a folded cloth or pad applied so as to press upon a body part, a machine for ~ing