compress

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: com=press

CIDE DICTIONARY

compress, v. t. [L. compressus, p. p. of comprimere to compress: com- + premere to press. See Press.].

•  To press or squeeze together; to force into a narrower compass; to reduce the volume of by pressure; to compact; to condense; as, to compress air or water.  [1913 Webster]

  "Events of centuries . . . compressed within the compass of a single life."  [1913 Webster]

  "The same strength of expression, though more compressed, runs through his historical harangues."  [1913 Webster]
•  To embrace sexually.  Pope.  [1913 Webster]
•  to reduce the space required for storage (of binary data) by an algorithm which converts the data to a smaller number of bits while preserving the information content. The compressed data is usually decompressed to recover the initial data format before subsequent use.  [PJC]

Syn. -- To crowd; squeeze; condense; reduce; abridge.

compress, n. [F. compresse.].

 A folded piece of cloth, pledget of lint, etc., used to cover the dressing of wounds, and so placed as, by the aid of a bandage, to make due pressure on any part.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

compress, v. & n.
--v.tr.
1 squeeze together.
2 bring into a smaller space or shorter extent.
--n. a pad of lint etc. pressed on to part of the body to relieve inflammation, stop bleeding, etc.

Idiom

compressed air air at more than atmospheric pressure.

Derivative

compressible adj. compressibility n. compressive adj.

Etymology

ME f. OF compresser or LL compressare frequent. of L comprimere compress- (as COM-, premere press)

THESAURUS

compress

Ace bandage, Band-Aid, abbreviate, abridge, abstract, adhesive tape, application, band, bandage, bandaging, bear, binder, bob, boil down, brace, capsulize, cast, cataplasm, circumscribe, clamp, clip, coarct, compact, concentrate, condense, congest, consolidate, constrict, constringe, contract, cotton, court plaster, cram, cramp, cravat, crop, crowd, crush, curtail, cut, cut back, cut down, cut off short, cut short, damp, dampen, decrease, deduct, deflate, densen, densify, depreciate, depress, diminish, dock, downgrade, draw, draw in, draw together, dressing, elastic bandage, elide, ensphere, epithem, epitomize, foreshorten, four-tailed bandage, gauze, jam, knit, lessen, lint, lower, mow, narrow, nip, pare, pinch, plaster, plaster cast, pledget, poll, pollard, poultice, press, prune, pucker, pucker up, purse, push, ram down, reap, recap, recapitulate, reduce, retrench, roll back, roller, roller bandage, rubber bandage, scale down, shave, shear, shorten, shrink, simplify, sling, snub, solidify, splint, sponge, squab, squash, squeeze, squish, step down, strangle, strangulate, stunt, stupe, sum up, summarize, synopsize, take from, take in, tampon, tape, telescope, tent, tighten, tourniquet, triangular bandage, trim, truncate, tune down, tweak, wad up, wrinkle

ROGET THESAURUS

compress

Remedy

N remedy, help, cure, redress, medicine, medicament, diagnosis, medical examination, medical treatment, surgery, preventive medicine, clinical thermometer, stethoscope, X-ray machine, anthelmintic, antidote, antifebrile, antipoison, counterpoison, antitoxin, antispasmodic, bracer, faith cure, placebo, helminthagogue, lithagogue, pick-meup, stimulant, tonic, vermifuge, prophylactic, corrective, restorative, sedative, palliative, febrifuge, alterant, alterative, specific, antiseptic, emetic, analgesic, pain-killer, antitussive, antiinflammatory, antibiotic, antiviral, antifungal, carminative, Nepenthe, Mithridate, cure, treatment, regimen, radical cure, perfect cure, certain cure, sovereign remedy, examination, diagnosis, diagnostics, analysis, urinalysis, biopsy, radiology, medicine, physic, Galenicals, simples, drug, pharmaceutical, prescription, potion, draught, dose, pill, bolus, injection, infusion, drip, suppository, electuary, linctus, lincture, medicament, pharmacon, nostrum, receipt, recipe, prescription, catholicon, panacea, elixir, elixir vitae, philosopher's stone, balm, balsam, cordial, theriac, ptisan, agueweed, arnica, benzoin, bitartrate of potash, boneset, calomel, catnip, cinchona, cream of tartar, Epsom salts, feverroot, feverwort, friar's balsam, Indian sage, ipecac, ipecacuanha, jonquil, mercurous chloride, Peruvian bark, quinine, quinquina, sassafras, yarrow, salve, ointment, cerate, oil, lenitive, lotion, cosmetic, plaster, epithem, embrocation, liniment, cataplasm, sinapism, arquebusade, traumatic, vulnerary, pepastic, poultice, collyrium, depilatory, emplastrum, eyewater, vesicant, vesicatory, compress, pledget, bandage, treatment, medical treatment, regimen, dietary, dietetics, vis medicatrix, vis medicatrix naturae, medecine expectante, bloodletting, bleeding, venesection, phlebotomy, cupping, sanguisae, leeches, operation, surgical operation, transfusion, infusion, intravenous infusion, catheter, feeding tube, prevention, preventative medicine, immunization, inoculation, vaccination, vaccine, shot, booster, gamma globulin, pharmacy, pharmacology, pharmaceutics, pharmacopoeia, formulary, acology, Materia Medica, therapeutics, posology, homeopathy, allopathy, heteropathy, osteopathy, hydropathy, cold water cure, dietetics, surgery, chirurgery, chirurgy, healing art, leechcraft, orthopedics, orthopedy, orthopraxy, pediatrics, dentistry, midwifery, obstetrics, gynecology, tocology, sarcology, hospital, infirmary, pesthouse, lazarhouse, lazaretto, lock hospital, maison de sante, ambulance, dispensary, dispensatory, drug store, pharmacy, apothecary, druggist, chemist, Hotel des Invalides, sanatorium, spa, pump room, well, hospice, Red Cross, doctor, physician, surgeon, medical practitioner, general practitioner, specialist, medical attendant, apothecary, druggist, leech, osteopath, osteopathist, optometrist, ophthalmologist, internist, oncologist, gastroenterologist, epidemiologist, public health specialist, dermatologist, podiatrist, witch doctor, shaman, faith healer, quack, exorcist, Aesculapius, Hippocrates, Galen, accoucheur, accoucheuse, midwife, oculist, aurist, operator, nurse, registered nurse, practical nurse, monthly nurse, sister, nurse's aide, candystriper, dresser, bonesetter, pharmaceutist, pharmacist, druggist, chemist, pharmacopolist, remedial, restorative, corrective, palliative, healing, sanatory, sanative, prophylactic, preventative, immunizing, salutiferous, medical, medicinal, therapeutic, chirurgical, epulotic, paregoric, tonic, corroborant, analeptic, balsamic, anodyne, hypnotic, neurotic, narcotic, sedative, lenitive, demulcent, emollient, depuratory, detersive, detergent, abstersive, disinfectant, febrifugal, alterative, traumatic, vulnerary, allopathic, heteropathic, homeopathic, hydropathic, anthelmintic, antifebrile, antiluetic, aperient, chalybeate, deobstruent, depurative, laxative, roborant, dietetic, alimentary, nutritious, nutritive, peptic, alexipharmic, alexiteric, remediable, curable, aux grands maux les grands remedes, Dios que da la llaga da la medicina, para todo hay remedio sino para la muerte, temporis ars medicina fere est, the remedy is worse than the disease, throw physic to the dogs, I'll none of it.

Contraction

VB become small, become smaller, lessen, decrease, grow less, dwindle, shrink, contract, narrow, shrivel, collapse, wither, lose flesh, wizen, fall away, waste, wane, ebb, decay, be smaller than, fall short of, not come up to, render smaller, lessen, diminish, contract, draw in, narrow, coarctate, boil down, constrict, constringe, condense, compress, squeeze, corrugate, crimp, crunch, crush, crumple up, warp, purse up, pack, squeeze, stow, pinch, tighten, strangle, cramp, dwarf, bedwarf, shorten, circumscribe, restrain, (subtraction) 38 abrade, pare, reduce, attenuate, rub down, scrape, file, file down, grind, grind down, chip, shave, shear, wear down.

Shortness

VB be short, render short, shorten, curtail, abridge, abbreviate, take in, reduce, compress, epitomize, retrench, cut short, obtruncate, scrimp, cut, chop up, hack, hew, cut down, pare down, clip, dock, lop, prune, shear, shave, mow, reap, crop, snub, truncate, pollard, stunt, nip, check the growth of, foreshorten (in drawing).

Density

VB be dense, become solid, render solid, solidify, solidate, concrete, set, take a set, consolidate, congeal, coagulate, curd, curdle, lopper, fix, clot, cake, candy, precipitate, deposit, cohere, crystallize, petrify, condense, thicken, gel, inspissate, incrassate, compress, squeeze, ram down, constipate.