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Webster 1913 Edition


Pressure

Pres′sure

(?; 138)
,
Noun.
[OF., fr. L.
pressura
, fr.
premere
. See 4th
Press
.]
1.
The act of pressing, or the condition of being pressed; compression; a squeezing; a crushing;
as, a
pressure
of the hand
.
2.
A contrasting force or impulse of any kind;
as, the
pressure
of poverty; the
pressure
of taxes; the
pressure
of motives on the mind; the
pressure
of civilization.
Where the
pressure
of danger was not felt.
Macaulay.
3.
Affliction; distress; grievance.
My people’s
pressures
are grievous.
Eikon Basilike.
In the midst of his great troubles and
pressures
.
Atterbury.
4.
Urgency;
as, the
pressure
of business
.
5.
Impression; stamp; character impressed.
All saws of books, all forms, all
pressures
past.
Shakespeare
6.
(Mech.)
The action of a force against some obstacle or opposing force; a force in the nature of a thrust, distributed over a surface, often estimated with reference to the amount upon a unit's area.
Atmospheric pressure
,
Center of pressure
, etc.
See under
Atmospheric
,
Center
, etc.
Back pressure
(Steam engine)
,
pressure which resists the motion of the piston, as the pressure of exhaust steam which does not find free outlet.
Fluid pressure
,
pressure like that exerted by a fluid. It is a thrust which is normal and equally intense in all directions around a point.
Rankine.
Pressure gauge
,
a gauge for indicating fluid pressure; a manometer.

Webster 1828 Edition


Pressure

PRESS'URE

,
Noun.
[L. pressura.] The act of pressing or urging with force.
1.
The act of squeezing or crushing. Wine is obtained by the pressure of grapes.
2.
The state of being squeezed or crushed.
3.
The force of one body acting on another by weight or the continued application of power. Pressure is occasioned by weight or gravity, by the motion of bodies, by the expansion of fluids, by elasticity, &c. Mutual pressure may be caused by the meeting of moving bodies, or by the motion of one body against another at rest, and the resistance or elastic force of the latter. The degree of pressure is in proportion to the weight of the pressing body, or to the power applied, or to the elastic force of resisting bodies. The screw is a most powerful instrument of pressure. The pressure of wind on the sails of a ship is in proportion to its velocity.
4.
A constraining force or impulse; that which urges or compels the intellectual or moral faculties; as the pressure of motives on the mind, or of fear on the conscience.
5.
That which afflicts the body or depresses the spirits; any severe affliction, distress, calamity or grievance; straits, difficulties, embarrassments, or the distress they occasion. We speak of the pressure of poverty or want, the pressure of debts, the pressure of taxes, the pressure of afflictions or sorrow.
My own and my people's pressures are grievous.
To this consideration he retreats with comfort in all his pressures.
We observe that pressure is used both for trouble or calamity, and for the distress it produces.
6.
Urgency; as the pressure of business.
7.
Impression; stamp; character impressed.
All laws of books, all forms, all pressures past.

Definition 2024


pressure

pressure

See also: pressuré

English

Noun

pressure (countable and uncountable, plural pressures)

  1. A pressing; a force applied to a surface.
    Apply pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding.
  2. A contrasting force or impulse of any kind
    the pressure of poverty; the pressure of taxes; the pressure of motives on the mind; the pressure of civilization.
    • (Can we date this quote?) Macaulay
      Where the pressure of danger was not felt.
  3. Distress.
    She has felt pressure lately because her boss expects her to get the job done by the first.
    • 1649, Eikon Basilike
      My people's pressures are grievous.
    • (Can we date this quote?) Atterbury
      In the midst of his great troubles and pressures.
  4. Urgency
    the pressure of business
  5. (obsolete) Impression; stamp; character impressed.
    • (Can we date this quote?) Shakespeare
      All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past.
  6. (physics) The amount of force that is applied over a given area divided by the size of this area.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

See also

Verb

pressure (third-person singular simple present pressures, present participle pressuring, simple past and past participle pressured)

  1. (transitive) To encourage or heavily exert force or influence.
    Do not let anyone pressure you into buying something you do not want.

Anagrams


French

Pronunciation

Verb

pressure

  1. first-person singular present indicative of pressurer
  2. third-person singular present indicative of pressurer
  3. first-person singular present subjunctive of pressurer
  4. third-person singular present subjunctive of pressurer
  5. second-person singular imperative of pressurer

Latin

Participle

pressūre

  1. vocative masculine singular of pressūrus

Old French

Etymology

Borrowing from Latin pressūra.

Noun

pressure f (oblique plural pressures, nominative singular pressure, nominative plural pressures)

  1. pressure (action or result of pressing)

Descendants