Shak.
Press gang, or Pressgang, a detachment of seamen under the command of
an officer empowered to force men into the naval service. See Impress
gang, under Impress. -- Press money, money paid to a man enlisted into
public service. See Prest money, under Prest, a.
Press, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pressed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Pressing.] [F.
presser, fr. L. pressare to press, fr. premere, pressum, to press. Cf.
Print, v.] 1. To urge, or act upon, with force, as weight; to act upon
by pushing or thrusting, in distinction from pulling; to crowd or
compel by a gradual and continued exertion; to bear upon; to squeeze;
to compress; as, we press the ground with the feet when we walk; we
press the couch on which we repose; we press substances with the hands,
fingers, or arms; we are pressed in a crowd.
Good measure, pressed down, and shaken together.
Luke vi. 38.
2. To squeeze, in order to extract the juice or contents of; to squeeze
out, or express, from something.
From sweet kernels pressed, She tempers dulcet creams.
Milton.
And I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I
gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand.
Gen. xl. 11.
3. To squeeze in or with suitable instruments or apparatus, in order to
compact, make dense, or smooth; as, to press cotton bales, paper, etc.;
to smooth by ironing; as, to press clothes.