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to press

to press

114 2.7
Move close together and push forward in a crowd
  • verb
  • /prɛs/
: apiñarse
  • As the crowd began to gather, we had to press closer together to see the performance.
  • pressed together
  • pressed against someone
  • pressed for space

And so they press forward because this is what they want.

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Examples

  • And so they press forward because this is what they want.

  • Press my way through, press my way through.

  • And if you, if you press them and say, well, why not?

  • No, but they can press you, they can wait for you.

  • What she wanted was to press close to the body of someone.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • We're just going to tap the thing in and we're going to press on.

  • Open a few doors and press a few buttons.

  • Every time that they press the lever, food comes out.

  • So I presume we have to press the switch to turn the pie on.

  • Now what you're going to do is gently press the fondant against the cake.

Synonyms

to squeeze
vsto press
369 1.6

To press something firmly with your hand or fingers

applies to moving close in numbers or with force rather than small hand actions
to pack
vsto press
117 2.3

To press things together so they take less space

focuses more on moving in close toward someone rather than only compressing them
to crowd
vsto press
94 1.6

To move many people or animals into a small space

emphasizes moving in close often by force rather than only filling space
to throng
vsto press
6 6.4

To gather closely in large numbers in a place

is more about moving in close often using force rather than just gathering
to crowd together
vsto press
4 3.0

To stand or move closely in a group

often implies moving close with force or large numbers rather than mere grouping
to smush
vsto press
  • Informal
4 7.8

To press people or things together into a small space

is broader and covers moving in close without extreme crushing or flattening
to push forward
vsto press
3 3.6

To move ahead by pushing people or things out of the way

is more about moving in together or surrounding rather than forcing past others
to crowd in on
vsto press
1 4.8

To move close together around a person or thing leaving little space

is about moving close often by force or many people rather than surrounding
to thring
vsto press
  • Archaic
9.9

To crowd into a place in large numbers

is broader and covers moving close without extreme confinement
to push one's way past
vsto press
  • Informal
5.6

Move forward through a crowd by forcing people aside with your body

is about getting close together or surrounding rather than moving through people

Antonyms

844 2.1

Not joined to another thing and kept apart

81 4.4

To cause people and things, like a crowd or fog, to spread over a wide area

Idioms

by press release
  • Literature
2 3.6

Through an official announcement a company sends to the news media

Make someone feel or act in the way you want

Phrasal Verbs

35 3.9

To keep going with a task even when it is hard

31 2.5

To push something down with force to make it flat or close it

Push something down using your hand or weight

2 4.1

To get liquid from something by squeezing it

to press out
  • Specialized
1 5.3

To shape plastic by pushing soft material into a mold

Make a point strongly so other people understand or accept it

Push the Home button on a device to return to the main screen

To stop something burning by crushing it

Compounds

press conference
  • Literature
418 3.1

A meeting where a famous person answers questions from reporters

press release
  • Literature
125 2.5

An official message sent to the news media to give information

press corps
  • Literature
52 3.4

A group of reporters from different media who cover the same event or place

free press
  • Literature
28 3.0

News media that report independently and are not controlled by the government

A machine that makes many copies of pages with text or pictures on paper

18 3.2

The right of newspapers and journalists to report news without government control

18 3.0

An exercise where a person lies on their back on a bench and pushes weight up from the chest

full-court press
  • Informal
12 5.1

A strong, aggressive effort to reach a goal quickly, often to win support

press box
  • Literature
9 3.1

An area in a stadium or arena where reporters and broadcasters sit to report the game

7 3.7

A person who works to get news and attention for a company, group, or famous person

4 2.8

A small kitchen tool that squeezes garlic cloves into small pieces

press photographer
  • Literature
3 3.3

A person who takes pictures for newspapers or news websites

drill press
  • Specialized
3 5.8

A machine that makes accurate vertical holes in metal or wood

Clothing made to resist wrinkles and keep its shape after washing

press agency
  • Literature
1 4.0

A group that collects news and sends it to newspapers, TV, and websites

A secret way of printing and sharing banned or critical writing

press gallery
  • Literature
1 5.3

An area in a government hall where reporters sit to watch and report debates

vanity press
  • Jargon
1 8.2

A business that prints books for authors who pay, often with little editing

1 3.7

An exercise where you lie on your stomach and push your body up and down with your arms

press run
  • Specialized
1 5.6

A period when a printing press makes one set of newspapers or magazines

1 3.2

A machine that uses hot steam to make clothes flat and remove wrinkles

public press
  • Literature
1 3.2

Newspapers and magazines that gather and publish news for the public

bench press
  • Specialized
1 5.6

A small press fixed to a workbench for punching or shaping metal

press gang
  • Archaic
1 9.7

A group that forced people to join the navy or army

press association
  • Literature
1 3.9

An organization that gathers and sends news to newspapers and other media

1 4.6

A machine that removes creases from trousers with warm flat pads

hydraulic press
  • Specialized
1 4.2

A machine that uses liquid pressure to push or shape materials

press clipping
  • Literature
1 3.2

A short article cut from a newspaper or magazine kept for reference

gutter press
  • Offensive
1 8.1

Newspapers or magazines that print scandal stories and invade people's privacy to sell more copies

punch press
  • Specialized
1 6.8

A machine that cuts and shapes metal sheets by pressing a shaped tool

press lord
  • Literature
1 7.4

A person who owns or controls a large, powerful newspaper company

Fabric made to stay smooth after washing and not need ironing

overhead press
  • Specialized
1 4.3

A gym exercise that lifts a weight from the shoulder to above the head until the arms are straight

screw press
  • Specialized
1 6.4

A machine that uses a long turned metal rod to squeeze liquid from solid things

A machine with a large heated plate that presses clothes flat

offset press
  • Specialized
1 6.0

A machine that makes many copies by moving ink from a plate to rubber then to paper

A weight exercise where you lift a bar with weights from shoulder height straight overhead to work the shoulders

yellow press
  • Literature
1 7.1

Newspapers that print shocking and often untrue stories to get more readers

1 8.1

Announcing scientific results to the public before other scientists check them

cheese press
  • Specialized
1 4.6

A machine that squeezes milk curds to make cheese

incline bench press
  • Specialized
1 5.5

An exercise pressing a barbell or dumbbells up on a sloping bench to work the upper chest

flatbed press
  • Specialized
1 7.5

A machine that prints by pressing paper onto a flat surface with a roller

press sheet
  • Specialized
1 6.9

A large sheet of paper printed with many pages before cutting or folding

cylinder press
  • Archaic
1 8.0

A printing machine where a cylinder rolls paper over a flat bed of letters to copy text

filter press
  • Specialized
1 6.4

A machine that removes solids from liquids by pushing the liquid through cloth over frames

rotary press
  • Specialized
1 5.7

A machine that prints many pages quickly using a turning metal drum

stop press
  • Literature
1 7.1

An urgent news item added to a newspaper just before printing

mechanical press
  • Specialized
1 4.9

A machine that uses force to shape, cut, or squeeze materials

1 5.6

A cloth made to resist wrinkles and keep its shape after washing

drop press
  • Specialized
8.8

A machine that shapes metal by dropping a heavy weight onto it

baling press
  • Specialized
5.7

A machine that presses cardboard or plastic into compact bundles for easier handling and transport

Military officers check journalists' reports in war zones to keep information secret

fly press
  • Specialized
8.4

A machine that uses a heavy wheel and a screw to push and shape metal

A machine that uses flat plates and frames to separate solids from liquids

plate filter press
  • Specialized
6.9

A machine made of many plates that removes solids from liquids

A machine with plates and frames that separates solids from liquids in factories

7.5

Announcing official decisions to the public by press release before any internal discussion

press cutting
  • Literature
3.2

A piece cut from a newspaper or magazine that you keep

press of canvas
  • Archaic
9.9

The most sail a ship can carry safely without turning over or being damaged

3.7

A small fastener that snaps clothes closed

press of sail
  • Archaic
9.9

The most sail a ship can safely carry in the current weather

standing press
  • Specialized
8.0

A heavy machine that pushes down on paper or books to make them flat

How Close

to close in
120 4.6
to press
114 2.7
to surge
52 4.1
to crowd
94 1.6
to gather
∞ 1.0
to approach
559 2.1

Surface Forms

press infinitive
pressed past
pressed past participle
pressing present participle
presses third person singular

Etymology

Press (to crowd) comes from the old Latin premere 'to push', so to press toward something is to move close or push forward in a crowd.