Definitions for: Pressure


[n] 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"
[n] a force that compels; "the public brought pressure to bear on the government"
[n] the somatic sensation of pressure; "the sensitivity of his skin to pressure and temperature was normal"
[n] 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"
[n] the state of urgently demanding notice or attention; "the press of business matters"
[n] an oppressive condition of physical or mental or social or economic distress
[v] to cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means :"She forced him to take a job in the city"
[v] exert pressure on someone through threats



Webster (1913) Definition: Pres"sure, n.
Electro-motive force.


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.

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.
--Shak.

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 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.

Synonyms: blackjack, blackmail, coerce, force, force per unit area, hale, imperativeness, insistence, insistency, press, press, pressing, pressure level, pressure sensation

See Also: act, act upon, blood pressure, bludgeon, bring oneself, compel, compressing, compression, corpuscular-radiation pressure, decompressing, decompression, distress, dragoon, drive, force, gas pressure, head, hydrostatic head, impression, influence, instantaneous sound pressure, intraocular pressure, move, obligate, oblige, oil pressure, osmotic pressure, physical phenomenon, push, pushing, radiation pressure, railroad, sandbag, somaesthesia, somatesthesia, somatic sensation, somesthesia, sound pressure, squeeze for, steamroll, steamroller, suction, terrorise, terrorize, turn up the heat, turn up the pressure, urgency, vapor pressure, vapour pressure, work

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