pressure

[presh-er]

noun

1. the exertion of force upon a surface by an object, fluid, etc., in contact with it.

   the pressure of earth against a wall.

2. Physics.,  force per unit area. P

3. Meteorology.,  atmospheric pressure.

4. Electricity.,  electromotive force.

5. the state of being pressed or compressed.

6. harassment; oppression.

   the pressures of daily life.

7. a constraining or compelling force or influence.

   the social pressures of city life;

   financial pressure.

8. urgency, as of affairs or business.

   He works well under pressure.

9. Obsolete.,  that which is impressed.

verb (used with object)

pressured, pressuring 

1. to force (someone) toward a particular end; influence.

   They pressured him into accepting the contract.

2. pressurize.

pressure

/ ˈprɛʃə /

noun

1. the state of pressing or being pressed

2. the exertion of force by one body on the surface of another

3. a moral force that compels

   to bring pressure to bear

4. an urgent claim or demand or series of urgent claims or demands

   to work under pressure

5. a burdensome condition that is hard to bear

   the pressure of grief

6. p.  P. the normal force applied to a unit area of a surface, usually measured in pascals (newtons per square metre), millibars, torr, or atmospheres

7. short for atmospheric pressure blood pressure

verb

1. (tr) to constrain or compel, as by the application of moral force

2. another word for pressurize

pressure

1. The force per unit area that one region of a gas, liquid, or solid exerts on another. Pressure is usually measured in Pascal units, atmospheres, or pounds per square inch.

2. ◆ A substance is said to have negative pressure if some other substance exerts more force per unit area on it than vice versa. Its value is simply the negative of the pressure exerted by the other substance.

pressure

1. The force exerted on a given area. (See atmospheric pressure.)

The most familiar measure of pressure is psi (pounds per square inch), used to rate pressure in automobile and bicycle tires.

Other Word Forms

• pressureless adjective
• interpressure adjective
• nonpressure noun
• superpressure noun
• underpressure noun
• unpressured adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pressure¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English (noun), from Latin pressūra; press ¹, -ure

Word History and Origins

Origin of pressure¹

C14: from Late Latin pressūra a pressing, from Latin premere to press

Example Sentences

I must also consider the significant toll that the ongoing pressure of the media is taking on my family.

From BBC

It would be far better to take the pressure off him because if we give him the space to understand his game then he can play more innings like Lord's.

From BBC

On Sunday morning, as high pressure pulls eastwards, weather fronts will move in from the Atlantic bringing cloud and showery rain.

From BBC

The South Asian nation has been caught up in Washington's push to pressure Russia over the Ukraine War.

From BBC

The network recently canceled “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” citing financial pressures.

From Salon

Related Words

• adversity 
• burden 
• constraint 
• force 
• hardship 
• heat 
• influence 
• power 
• strain 
• stress 
• tension 
• trouble 
• weight