[pres.sure] n [ME, fr. LL pressura, fr. L, action of pressing, pressure, fr. pressus, pp. of premere] (14c) 1 a: the burden of physical or mental distress b: the constraint of circumstance: the weight of social or economic imposition
2: the application of force to something by something else in direct contact with it: compression 3 archaic: impression, stamp
4. a: the action of a force against an opposing force b: the force or thrust exerted over a surface divided by its area c: electromotive force
5: the stress or urgency of matters demanding attention: exigency "people who work well under ~"
6: the force of selection that results from one or more agents and tends to reduce a population of organisms "population ~" "predation ~" 7: atmospheric pressure 8: a sensation aroused by moderate compression of a body part or surface -- pres.sure.less adj
[2]pressure vt pres.sured ; pres.sur.ing (1938) 1: to apply pressure to
2: pressurize
3: to cook in a pressure cooker