Pressure

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: pres=sure

CIDE DICTIONARY

Pressure, n. [OF., fr. L. pressura, fr. premere. See 4th Press.].

•  The act of pressing, or the condition of being pressed; compression; a squeezing; a crushing; as, a pressure of the hand.  [1913 Webster]
•  A contrasting force or impulse of any kind; as, the pressure of poverty; the pressure of taxes; the pressure of motives on the mind; the pressure of civilization.  [1913 Webster]

  "Where the pressure of danger was not felt."  [1913 Webster]
•  Affliction; distress; grievance.  [1913 Webster]

  "My people's pressures are grievous."  [1913 Webster]

  "In the midst of his great troubles and pressures."  [1913 Webster]
•  Urgency; as, the pressure of business.  [1913 Webster]
•  Impression; stamp; character impressed.  [1913 Webster]

  "All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past."  [1913 Webster]
•  The action of a force against some obstacle or opposing force; a force in the nature of a thrust, distributed over a surface, often estimated with reference to the amount upon a unit's area.  [1913 Webster]
•  Electro-motive force.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

Atmospheric pressure, Center of pressure, etc. See under Atmospheric, Center, etc. -- Back pressure (Steam engine), pressure which resists the motion of the piston, as the pressure of exhaust steam which does not find free outlet. -- Fluid pressure, pressure like that exerted by a fluid. It is a thrust which is normal and equally intense in all directions around a point. Rankine. -- Pressure gauge, a gauge for indicating fluid pressure; a manometer.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Pressure, n. & v.
--n.
1 a the exertion of continuous force on or against a body by another in contact with it. b the force exerted. c the amount of this (expressed by the force on a unit area) (atmospheric pressure).
2 urgency; the need to meet a deadline etc. (work under pressure).
3 affliction or difficulty (under financial pressure).
4 constraining influence (if pressure is brought to bear).
--v.tr.
1 apply (esp. moral) pressure to.
2 a coerce. b (often foll. by into) persuade (was pressured into attending).

Idiom

pressure-cook cook in a pressure-cooker. pressure-cooker an airtight pan for cooking quickly under steam pressure. pressure gauge a gauge showing the pressure of steam etc. pressure group a group or association formed to promote a particular interest or cause by influencing public policy. pressure point
1 a point where an artery can be pressed against a bone to inhibit bleeding.
2 a point on the skin sensitive to pressure.
3 a target for political pressure or influence. pressure suit an inflatable suit for flying at a high altitude.

Etymology

ME f. L pressura (as PRESS(1))

THESAURUS

Pressure

abetment, adverse circumstances, adversity, advocate, affliction, aggravation, albatross, annoyance, apply pressure, argumentum baculinum, ascendancy, authority, bale, bear against, bear down on, bear down upon, bear hard upon, bearing, beset, besiege, blandish, blandishment, blight, boost, bug, bummer, bump, bunt, burden, burdening, burthen, butt, buttonhole, buttonholing, cajole, cajolement, cajolery, call on, call upon, care, caressing, cargo, case of need, charge, charging, charisma, charm, clamping, clamping down, clout, clutch, coax, coaxing, coerce, coercion, compel, compression, compulsion, consequence, constrain, constraint, constraints, control, credit, crisis, cross, crunch, crush, crushing, cumber, cumbrance, curse, deadweight, demand, demandingness, demands, difficulties, difficulty, dig, dire necessity, distress, dominance, domination, downer, drag, drive, dun, dunning, duress, effect, emergency, eminence, enchantment, encouragement, encumbrance, esteem, exert pressure, exhort, exigence, exigencies, exigency, favor, feeling, fingering, force, freight, friction, frottage, goading, good feeling, greatness, handicap, handling, hard knocks, hard life, hard lot, hardcase, hardship, head, high pressure, high-pressure, hold, hustle, immediacy, impel, imperative, imperativeness, importance, importunacy, importunateness, importune, importunity, impulse, impulsion, incidental power, incubus, incumbency, inducement, influence, influentiality, influentialness, insinuation, insist, insist on, insist upon, insistence, instance, intimidate, intimidation, irritation, jab, jawbone, jog, joggle, jolt, jostle, lading, leadership, lean on, leverage, load, loading, lobby, magnetism, make, manipulation, mastery, matter of necessity, mental strain, millstone, moment, nag, nag at, nagging, needling, nervous strain, nervous tension, nip, nudge, oppression, overload, overtaxing, overweighting, palpation, persistence, personality, persuade, persuasion, pertinaciousness, pertinacity, pester, pestering, petting, pinch, plague, plaguing, plead with, plight, ply, plying, poke, potency, power, precedence, predicament, predominance, preponderance, press, pressing, pressingness, prestige, prevail on, prevail upon, pricking, priority, problems, prod, prodding, prominence, punch, purchase, push, put pressure on, rank, rash impulse, recommend, reign, repute, require, rigor, rubbing, rule, rush, saddling, say, sea of troubles, seniority, shove, soft-soap, spurring, squeeze, squeezing, stature, strain, straits, strength, stress, stress and strain, stress of life, stroking, strong-arm tactics, suasion, subtle influence, suggestion, superincumbency, supremacy, surcharge, sway, sweet-talk, tautness, taxing, tease, teasing, tenseness, tension, the big stick, the bludgeon, the club, the jackboot, the mailed fist, the strong arm, the sword, thrust, tightening, torque, torsion, touching, trial, tribulation, trouble, troubles, tweak, upper hand, urge, urgency, urgent need, urging, vale of tears, vexation, vicissitude, violence, weight, weightiness, wheedle, wheedling, whip hand, work on

ROGET THESAURUS

Pressure

Importance

N importance, consequence, moment, prominence, consideration, mark, materialness, import, significance, concern, emphasis, interest, greatness, superiority, notability, weight, value, usefulness, gravity, seriousness, solemnity, no joke, no laughing matter, pressure, urgency, stress, matter of life and death, memorabilia, notabilia, great doings, red-letter day, great thing, great point, main chance, the be all and the end all, cardinal point, substance, gist, sum and substance, gravamen, head and front, important part, principal part, prominent part, essential part, half the battle, sine qua non, breath of one's nostrils, cream, salt, core, kernel, heart, nucleus, keynote, keystone, corner stone, trump card, salient points, top sawyer, first fiddle, prima donna, chief, triton among the minnows, 'it', important, of importance, momentous, material, to the point, not to be overlooked, not to be despised, not to be sneezed at, egregious, weighty, of note, notable, prominent, salient, signal, memorable, remarkable, unforgettable, worthy of remark, worthy of notice, never to be forgotten, stirring, eventful, grave, serious, earnest, noble, grand, solemn, impressive, commanding, imposing, urgent, pressing, critical, instant, paramount, essential, vital, all-absorbing, radical, cardinal, chief, main, prime, primary, principal, leading, capital, foremost, overruling, of vital importance in the front rank, first-rate, superior, considerable, marked, rare, significant, telling, trenchant, emphatic, pregnant, tanti, materially, in the main, above all, kat' exochin, par excellence, to crown all, to beat all, expende Hannibalem!.

Adversity

N adversity, evil, failure, bad luck, ill luck, evil luck, adverse luck, hard fortune, hard hap, hard luck, hard lot, frowns of fortune, evil dispensation, evil star, evil genius, vicissitudes of life, ups and downs of life, broken fortunes, hard case, hard lines, hard life, sea of troubles, peck of troubles, hell upon earth, slough of despond, trouble, hardship, curse, blight, blast, load, pressure, pressure of the times, iron age, evil day, time out of joint, hard times, bad times, sad times, rainy day, cloud, dark cloud, gathering clouds, ill wind, visitation, infliction, affliction, bitter pill, care, trial, the sport of fortune, mishap, mischance, misadventure, misfortune, disaster, calamity, catastrophe, accident, casualty, cross, reverse, check, contretemps, rub, backset, comedown, setback, losing game, falling, fall, downfall, ruination, ruinousness, undoing, extremity, ruin, unfortunate, unblest, unhappy, unlucky, improsperous, unprosperous, hoodooed, luckless, hapless, out of luck, in trouble, in a bad way, in an evil plight, under a cloud, clouded, ill off, badly off, in adverse circumstances, poor, behindhand, down in the world, decayed, undone, on the road to ruin, on its last legs, on the wane, in one's utmost need, planet-struck, devoted, born under an evil star, born with a wooden ladle in one's mouth, ill-fated, ill-starred, ill-omened, adverse, untoward, disastrous, calamitous, ruinous, dire, deplorable.

Power

N power, potency, potentiality, jiva, puissance, might, force, energy, dint, right hand, right arm, ascendency, sway, control, prepotency, prepollence, almightiness, omnipotence, authority, strength, ability, ableness, competency, efficacy, efficiency, productivity, expertise (skill), validity, cogency, enablement, vantage ground, influence, pressure, conductivity, elasticity, gravity, electricity, magnetism, galvanism, voltaic electricity, voltaism, electromagnetism, atomic power, nuclear power, thermonuclear power, fuel cell, hydraulic power, water power, hydroelectric power, solar power, solar energy, solar panels, tidal power, wind power, attraction, vis inertiae, vis mortua, vis viva, potential energy, dynamic energy, dynamic friction, dynamic suction, live circuit, live rail, live wire, capability, capacity, quid valeant humeri quid ferre recusent, faculty, quality, attribute, endowment, virtue, gift, property, qualification, susceptibility, powerful, puissant, potential, capable, able, equal to, up to, cogent, valid, efficient, productive, effective, effectual, efficacious, adequate, competent, multipotent, plenipotent, omnipotent, almighty, forcible, (energetic), influential, productive, powerfully, by virtue of, by dint of, a toute force, dos moi pou sto kai kino ten gen, eripuit coelo fulmen sceptrumque tyrannis, fortis cadere cedere non potest.

Excitation

N excitation of feeling, mental excitement, suscitation, galvanism, stimulation, piquance, piquancy, provocation, inspiration, calling forth, infection, animation, agitation, perturbation, subjugation, fascination, intoxication, enravishment, entrancement, pressure, tension, high pressure, unction, impressiveness, trail of temper, casus belli, irritation, passion, thrill, repression of feeling, sensationalism, yellow journalism, excited, wrought up, up the qui vive, astir, sparkling, in a quiver, in a fever, in a ferment, in a blaze, in a state of excitement, in hysterics, black in the face, overwrought, tense, taught, on a razor's edge, hot, red-hot, flushed, feverish, all of a twitter, in a pucker, with quivering lips, with tears in one's eyes, flaming, boiling over, ebullient, seething, foaming at the mouth, fuming, raging, carried away by passion, wild, raving, frantic, mad, distracted, beside oneself, out of one's wits, ready to burst, bouleverse, demoniacal, lost, eperdu, tempest-tossed, haggard, ready to sink, stung to the quick, up, on one's high ropes, exciting, absorbing, riveting, distracting, impressive, warm, glowing, fervid, swelling, imposing, spirit-stirring, thrilling, high-wrought, soul-stirring, soul-subduing, heart-stirring, heart- swelling, heart-thrilling, agonizing, telling, sensational, hysterical, overpowering, overwhelming, more than flesh and blood can bear, yellow, piquant, spicy, appetizing, provocative, provoquant, tantalizing, eager to go, anxious to go, chafing at the bit, till one is black in the face, the heart beating high, the heart going pitapat, the heart leaping into one's mouth, the blood being up, the blood boiling in one's veins, the eye glistening, the eyes in a fine frenzy rolling, the head turned, when the going gets tough, the tough get going.

Influence

N influence, importance, weight, pressure, preponderance, prevalence, sway, predominance, predominancy, ascendency, dominance, reign, control, domination, pull, authority, capability, effect, interest, synergy (cooperation), footing, purchase, play, leverage, vantage ground, tower of strength, host in himself, protection, patronage, auspices, influential, effective, important, weighty, prevailing, prevalent, rife, rampant, dominant, regnant, predominant, in the ascendant, hegemonical, with telling effect, tel maure tel valet.

Gravity

N gravity, gravitation, weight, heaviness, specific gravity, pondorosity, pressure, load, burden, burthen, ballast, counterpoise, lump of, mass of, weight of, lead, millstone, mountain, Ossa on Pelion, weighing, ponderation, trutination, weights, avoirdupois weight, troy weight, apothecaries' weight, grain, scruple, drachma, ounce, pound, lb, arroba, load, stone, hundredweight, cwt, ton, long ton, metric ton, quintal, carat, pennyweight, tod, gram, centigram, milligram, microgram, kilogram, nanogram, picogram, femtogram, attogram, balance, scale, scales, steelyard, beam, weighbridge, spring balance, piezoelectric balance, analytical balance, two-pan balance, one-pan balance, postal scale, baby scale, statics, weighty, weighing, heavy as lead, ponderous, ponderable, lumpish, lumpy, cumbersome, burdensome, cumbrous, unwieldy, massive, incumbent, superincumbent.