appressed
- adjective
- /əˈprɛst/
- Specialized
- The bark is covered with appressed scales that are difficult to remove.
Examples
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The cat's ears were appressed to its head in fear.
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The appressed leaves help the plant retain moisture in dry environments.
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The leaves were appressed against the ground after the storm.
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She noticed the appressed petals of the flower.
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The appressed leaves of the plant lay flat against the ground, helping to conserve moisture.
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The appressed edges of the paper made it easier to stack without any gaps.
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His appressed hair gave him a sleek and polished appearance for the formal event.
Synonyms
Held very close and flat against a surface or another part
Clothes are flat and smooth after ironing
Made flat or more level than before
Antonyms
How Close
Surface Forms
Morphology
appressed = appress (semi-transparent) = ap + press + ed
The suffix '-ed' indicates the past participle form, but the specific sense of 'pressed closely against' may not be immediately clear.
Etymology
Appressed comes from the Latin parts ad- meaning 'to' and press meaning 'to push down'. So something appressed is 'pressed toward' another surface, which is why leaves or ears can lie flat and close to a stem or head.