Definition of "press"

Connecting to the service is almost idiot proof and takes just a few button presses.

2004 10, “Maximum PC”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name), page 25

a slaloming winger putting lumpen defenders on their backsides, or even a sneaky centre-forward, using his boundless energy to lead the press and force mistakes.

2020 August 7, Jonathan Liew, “Phil Foden stars to offer Manchester City glimpse of multiple futures”, in The Guardian‎

And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Luke 19:3

The press in the square grew. Something would happen now.

1962, Olivia Manning, The Spoilt City; republished as The Balkan Trilogy, 1990, page 327

Imagine the press of humanity in a crowded Parisian brasserie, circa the era when Lagerfeld would have been patronizing such joints.

2015 March 10, Tim Banks, “Chanel Fall 2015 Ready-to-Wear Collection”, in Vogue

That books are pouring off the world’s presses at unprecedented rates is a fact often alluded to as a flood that is inundating libraries and the book trades.

1972, Carol A. Nemeyer, Scholarly Reprint Publishing in the United States, New York, N.Y.: R. R. Bowker Co., page 8

From another point of view, it was a place without a soul. The well-to-do had hearts of stone; the rich were brutally bumptious; the Press, the Municipality, all the public men, were ridiculously, vaingloriously self-satisfied.

1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XXII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company

British journalists shun complete respectability, feeling a duty to be ready to savage the mighty, or rummage through their bins. Elsewhere in Europe, government contracts and subsidies ensure that press barons will only defy the mighty so far.

2013 August 10, Lexington, “Keeping the mighty honest”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848

But then I had the [massive] flintlock by me for protection. ¶ […] The linen-press and a chest on the top of it formed, however, a very good gun-carriage; and, thus mounted, aim could be taken out of the window at the old mare feeding in the meadow below by the brook, and a 'bead' could be drawn upon Molly, the dairymaid, kissing the fogger behind the hedge, […].

1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […]

This is the fourth set of benchpresses. There will be five more; then there will be five sets of presses on an inclined bench […].

1974, Charles Gaines, George Butler, Pumping Iron: The Art and Sport of Bodybuilding, page 22

The way a press works is, say you're two down after six holes; you can then start another bet (in effect another match) from the seventh hole, for the same amount, starting all square on the seventh tee.

2012, Gary McCord, Golf For Dummies

When a side is two or more points down in the match, they may request a press.

2014, Nicolae Sfetcu, Sports Betting, page 181

I have misused the king's press.

c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act IV, scene ii]

The environmental comfort category is illustrative of cases in which there are low environmental presses matched against a number of personal competences.

2009, Allison E. Smith, Ageing in Urban Neighbourhoods, page 88

With tears and ſmiles ſhe took her ſon, and preſs'd / Th' illuſtrious infant to her fragrant breaſt.

a. 1701 (date written), John Dryden, “The Last Parting of Hector and Andromache. From the Sixth Book of the Iliad.”, in The Miscellaneous Works of John Dryden, […], volume IV, London: […] J[acob] and R[ichard] Tonson, […], published 1760, page 456

He turns from us; / Alas, he weeps too! Something presses him / He would reveal, but dare not. Sir, be comforted.

c. 1621, John Fletcher, The Pilgrim, act I, scene ii

The two gentlemen who conducted me to the island were pressed by their private affairs to return in three days.

1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume II, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], part III (A Voyage to Laputa, Balnibarbi, Glubbdubdribb, Luggnagg, and Japan)

He press'd a letter upon me within this hour.

1681, John Dryden, The Spanish Fryar: Or, the Double Discovery. […], London: […] Richard Tonson and Jacob Tonson, […], Act II, page 27

Be sure to press upon him every motive.

1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, Act I, scene i, page 1

God heard their prayers, wherein they earnestly pressed him for the honor of his great name.

1825, John Winthrop, The History of New England, volume II, page 29

If we read but a very little, we naturally want to press it all; if we read a great deal, we are willing not to press the whole of what we read, and we learn what ought to be pressed and what not.

1873, Matthew Arnold, “preface”, in Literature and Dogma

The peaceful peasant to the wars is press'd.

1697, Virgil, “The First Book of the Georgics”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […]