pressure

Etymology

From Old French, from Latin pressūra.

Pronunciation

• enPR: prĕshʹ-ə(r), IPA^(key): /ˈpɹɛʃə(ɹ)/
  • (UK) IPA^(key): [ˈpɹɛʃ.ə(ɹ)]
  • (US) IPA^(key): [ˈpɹɛʃ.ɚ]

  • Audio (US)

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛʃə(ɹ)
• Hyphenation: pres‧sure

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.

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.

See also

• (units of pressure): pascal (Pa); bar, barye (Ba); pounds per square inch (psi, lbf/in², lb/in²), torr, mmHg, atmosphere (atm)

Anagrams

• perusers

Pronunciation

• Homophones: pressurent, pressures

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

Participle

pressūre

1. vocative masculine singular of pressūrus

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin pressūra.

Noun

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

1. pressure (action or result of pressing)