Press

press

 The word "press" usually describes the gentle motion of putting a finger to or on something and pushing it.

• He’s pressing a button on the machine.

Sometimes we use the word "press" to describe the act of using an iron:

• My pants are wrinkled. They need to be pressed.

iron

"Press" also means to influence or pressure a person into doing something:

• She’s pressing him to sign the contract.

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When the word "press" is used as a noun, it refers to the business of journalism, particularly newspapers.

• There was a story in the press yesterday about tax cuts given to billionaires.

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Click here to go to the Word of the Day page.

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First published on August 24, 2012

Updated on September 19, 2017.