v. 1 subject to or exert pressure or force, force, push, impel, thrust, bear (on), weigh on or upon, jam, cram, crush; pressure or Brit also pressurize The crowd was pressing against the door Although hard pressed at first, we eventually won. 2 squeeze, compress, depress, push When the picture is in focus, press this button to release the shutter 3 squeeze, crush, compress, mash After harvesting, the grapes are pressed to extract the juice 4 iron, smooth, flatten, put through a mangle; steam I shall have to press my jacket before going out to dinner 5 clasp, embrace, hug, hold (close or tight(ly)), take in one's arms, throw one's arms about or around, cleave to, Archaic clip She pressed the child to her with great affection 6 constrain, urge, force, pressure, compel, demand, persuade, induce, prod, provoke, importune, beseech, ask, request, beg, entreat They pressed me to tell where the money was hidden 7 crowd, flock, gather, mill, swarm, throng, seethe, cluster, congregate, meet, converge, huddle The reporters pressed round the chancellor to catch every word
n. 8 crowding, gathering, thronging, converging, convergence, crowd, throng, swarm, cluster, huddle, pack, herd, host, multitude, horde, mob, crush When the doors opened, the huge press of people pushed onto the train 9 urgency, haste, hurry, hustle, bustle, pressure, stress The press of business required me to postpone my trip to Paris 10 the press. a newspapers, the papers, Fleet Street, the fourth estate, the media, the wire or news services, broadcasting, television, radio The press will have a field-day when this news gets out b newspaper people, newspapermen or newspaperwomen, newsmen or newswomen, reporters, correspondents, ladies or gentlemen of the press, journalists, commentators, paparazzi, Brit leader-writers, US editorial writers, Colloq news-hounds, Brit journos The doors were opened and the press were invited in