/ ɪkˈspres; NAmE / verb , adjective , adverb , noun
■ verb
1.
to show or make known a feeling, an opinion, etc. by words, looks or actions :
[ vn ]
Teachers have expressed concern about the changes.
His views have been expressed in numerous speeches.
to express fears / doubts / reservations
to express interest / regret / surprise
[ v wh- ]
Words cannot express how pleased I am.
—see also unexpressed
2.
express yourself to speak, write or communicate in some other way what you think or feel :
[ vn ]
Teenagers often have difficulty expressing themselves.
Perhaps I have not expressed myself very well.
She expresses herself most fully in her paintings.
( formal ) [ vn - adj ]
They expressed themselves delighted.
3.
[ vn ] express itself ( formal ) ( of a feeling ) to become obvious in a particular way :
Their pleasure expressed itself in a burst of applause.
4.
[ vn ] express sth as / in sth (especially mathematics ) to represent sth in a particular way, for example by symbols :
The figures are expressed as percentages.
Educational expenditure is often expressed in terms of the amount spent per student.
5.
[ vn ] to remove air or liquid from sth by pressing it :
Coconut milk is expressed from grated coconuts
6.
[ vn ] express sth (to sb/sth) ( NAmE ) to send sth by express post :
As soon as I receive payment I will express the book to you.
■ adjective [ only before noun ]
1.
travelling very fast; operating very quickly :
an express bus / coach / train
express delivery services
2.
( of a letter, package, etc. ) sent by express service :
express mail
3.
( NAmE ) ( of a company that delivers packages ) providing an express service :
an air express company
4.
( formal ) ( of a wish or an aim ) clearly and openly stated
SYN definite :
It was his express wish that you should have his gold watch after he died.
I came here with the express purpose of speaking with the manager.
■ adverb
using a special fast service :
I'd like to send this express, please.
■ noun
1.
(also exˈpress train ) [ C ] a fast train that does not stop at many places :
the 8.27 express to Edinburgh
the Trans-Siberian Express
2.
(also ˌspecial deˈlivery ) [ U ] ( BrE ) a service for sending or transporting things quickly
••
WORD ORIGIN
verb late Middle English (also in the sense press out, obtain by squeezing , used figuratively to mean extort ): from Old French expresser , based on Latin ex- out + pressare to press.
adjective sense 1 and adverb noun early 18th cent. (as a verb): extension of express state clearly ; sense 1of the noun from express train , so named because it served a particular destination without intermediate stops, reflecting an earlier sense of express done or made for a special purpose , later interpreted in the sense “rapid”. Senses relating to express delivery date from the institution of this postal service in 1891.
adjective sense 2 late Middle English : from Old French expres , from Latin expressus distinctly presented, past participle of exprimere press out, from ex- out + primere press.