— compressible , adj. — compressibly , adv. — compressingly , adv.
v. /keuhm pres"/ ; n. /kom"pres/ , v.t.
1. to press together; force into less space.
2. to cause to become a solid mass: to compress cotton into bales.
3. to condense, shorten, or abbreviate: The book was compressed by 50 pages.
n.
4. Med. a soft, cloth pad held in place by a bandage and used to provide pressure or to supply moisture, cold, heat, or medication.
5. an apparatus for compressing cotton bales.
6. a warehouse for storing cotton bales before shipment.
[ 1350-1400; (v.) ME ( compresser ) compressare, freq. of L comprimere to squeeze together (see COM-, PRESS 1 ); (n.) compresse, n. deriv. of the v. ]
Syn. 1. condense, squeeze, constrict. See contract .
Ant. 1. expand, spread.