8 VERB If you press something on someone, you give it to them and insist that they take it. □ [V n + on ] All I had was money, which I pressed on her reluctant mother.
9 VERB If you press clothes, you iron them in order to get rid of the creases. □ [V n] Vera pressed his shirt. □ [V -ed] …clean, neatly pressed, conservative clothes.
10 VERB If you press fruits or vegetables, you squeeze them or crush them, usually in order to extract the juice. □ [be V -ed] The grapes are hand-picked and pressed. □ [V n] I pressed the juice of half a lemon into a glass of water. □ [V -ed] …1 clove fresh garlic, pressed or diced.
11 N‑SING [with sing or pl verb] Newspapers are referred to as the press . □ Today the press is full of articles on the new prime minister. □ Press reports revealed that ozone levels in the upper atmosphere fell during the past month.
12 N‑SING [with sing or pl verb] Journalists are referred to as the press . □ Christie looked relaxed and calm as he faced the press afterwards.
13 N‑COUNT A press or a printing press is a machine used for printing things such as books and newspapers.
14 → see also pressed , pressing
15 PHRASE If someone or something gets a bad press , they are criticized, especially in the newspapers, on television, or on radio. If they get a good press , they are praised. □ …the bad press that career women consistently get in this country.
16 PHRASE If you press charges against someone, you make an official accusation against them which has to be decided in a court of law. □ I could have pressed charges against him.
17 PHRASE When a newspaper or magazine goes to press , it starts being printed. □ We check prices at the time of going to press.
▸ press ahead → see press on 1
▸ press on or press ahead
1 PHRASAL VERB If you press on or press ahead , you continue with a task or activity in a determined way, and do not allow any problems or difficulties to delay you. □ [V P ] Organizers of the strike are determined to press on. □ [V P + with ] Poland pressed on with economic reform.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you press on , you continue with a journey, even though it is becoming more difficult or more dangerous. □ [V P ] I considered turning back, but it was getting late, so I pressed on. SYNONYMS press VERB 1
push: He put both hands flat on the door and pushed as hard as he could.
squeeze: He squeezed her arm reassuringly.
pre ss agen|cy (press agencies ) N‑COUNT A country's press agency is an organization that gathers news from that country and supplies it to journalists from all over the world.
pre ss agent (press agents ) N‑COUNT [oft with poss] A press agent is a person who is employed by a famous person to give information about that person to the press.
pre ss box (press boxes ) N‑COUNT The press box at a sports ground is a room or area which is reserved for journalists to watch sporting events.
pre ss con|fer|ence (press conferences ) N‑COUNT A press conference is a meeting held by a famous or important person in which they answer journalists' questions. □ She gave her reaction to his release at a press conference.
pre ss corps (press corps ) N‑COUNT [with sing or pl verb] The press corps is a group of journalists who are all working in a particular place, for different newspapers. □ David McNeil is travelling with the White House press corps.
pressed /pre st/
1 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you say that you are pressed for time or pressed for money, you mean that you do not have enough time or money at the moment. □ [+ for ] Are you pressed for time, Mr Bayliss? If not, I suggest we have lunch.
2 → see also hard-pressed
pre ss gal|lery (press galleries ) N‑COUNT The press gallery is the area in a parliament, legislature, or council which is reserved for journalists who report on its activities.
pre ss-gang (press-gangs , press-ganging , press-ganged )
1 VERB [usu passive] If you are press-ganged into doing something, you are made or persuaded to do it, even though you do not really want to. [mainly BRIT ] □ [be V -ed + into ] I was press-ganged into working in that business. □ [be V -ed] She was a volunteer, she hadn't had to be press-ganged.
2 VERB [usu passive] If people are press-ganged , they are captured and forced to join the army or navy. [mainly BRIT ] □ [be V -ed + into ] They left their villages to evade being press-ganged into the army. □ [be V -ed] The government denies that the women were press-ganged. ● press-ganging N‑SING □ …the press-ganging of young people into the country's armed forces.
3 N‑COUNT In former times, a press-gang was a group of men who used to capture boys and men and force them to join the navy.
pres|sie /pre zi/ → see pressy
press|ing /pre s I ŋ/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A pressing problem, need, or issue has to be dealt with immediately. □ It is one of the most pressing problems facing this country.
2 → see also press
press|man /pre smæn/ (pressmen ) N‑COUNT A pressman is a journalist, especially a man, who works for a newspaper or magazine. [BRIT , JOURNALISM ] □ There were television crews and pressmen from all around the world. in AM, use newspaperman