Result from Foreign Dictionaries (2 entries found)

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: Pressure \Pres"sure\ (?; 138), n. [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. [1913 Webster] 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. [1913 Webster] Where the pressure of danger was not felt. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster] 3. Affliction; distress; grievance. [1913 Webster] My people's pressures are grievous. --Eikon Basilike. [1913 Webster] In the midst of his great troubles and pressures. --Atterbury. [1913 Webster] 4. Urgency; as, the pressure of business. [1913 Webster] 5. Impression; stamp; character impressed. [1913 Webster] All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 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. [1913 Webster] 7. Electro-motive force. [Webster 1913 Suppl.] {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. [1913 Webster] From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]: pressure n 1: the force applied to a unit area of surface; measured in pascals (SI unit) or in dynes (cgs unit); "the compressed gas exerts an increased pressure" [syn: {pressure}, {pressure level}, {force per unit area}] 2: a force that compels; "the public brought pressure to bear on the government" 3: the act of pressing; the exertion of pressure; "he gave the button a press"; "he used pressure to stop the bleeding"; "at the pressing of a button" [syn: {press}, {pressure}, {pressing}] 4: the state of demanding notice or attention; "the insistence of their hunger"; "the press of business matters" [syn: {imperativeness}, {insistence}, {insistency}, {press}, {pressure}] 5: the somatic sensation that results from applying force to an area of skin; "the sensitivity of his skin to pressure and temperature was normal" [syn: {pressure}, {pressure sensation}] 6: an oppressive condition of physical or mental or social or economic distress 7: the pressure exerted by the atmosphere [syn: {atmospheric pressure}, {air pressure}, {pressure}] v 1: to cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means :"She forced him to take a job in the city"; "He squeezed her for information" [syn: {coerce}, {hale}, {squeeze}, {pressure}, {force}] 2: exert pressure on someone through threats [syn: {blackmail}, {blackjack}, {pressure}]