(pres) v.t.
1. To act upon by weight or pressure: to press a button.
2. To compress so as to extract the juice: to press grapes.
3. To extract by pressure, as juice.
4. To exert pressure upon so as to smooth, shape, make compact, etc.
5. To smooth or shape by heat and pressure, as clothes; iron.
6. To embrace closely; hug.
7. To force or impel; drive.
8. To distress or harass; place in difficulty: I am pressed for time.
9. To urge persistently; importune; entreat: They pressed me for an answer.
10. To advocate persistently; insist on; emphasize.
11. To put forward insistently: to press a gift on a friend.
12. To urge onward; hasten.
13. Obs. To crowd.
—v.i.
14. To exert pressure; bear heavily.
15. To advance forcibly or with speed: Press on!
16. To press clothes, etc.
17. To crowd; cram.
18. To be urgent or importunate. See synonyms under IMPRESS¹, JAM, PLEAD, PUSH.
—noun
1. A dense throng.
2. The act of crowding together or of straining forward.
3. Hurry or pressure of affairs; urgency: the press of business.
4. A movable upright closet or case in which clothes, books, etc., are kept: a linen press.
5. An apparatus or machine by which pressure is applied, as for making wine, compressing bulky substances for packing, etc.; a printing press.
6. Newspapers or periodical literature collectively, or the body of persons collectively, as editors, reporters, etc., engaged upon such publications; also, printed literature in the abstract.
7. The art, process, or business of printing.
8. The place of business in which a printing press is set up and where printing is carried on: the Clarendon Press; to go to press.
9. Criticism, comments, news, etc., in newspapers and periodicals. See synonyms under THRONG. [<OF presser <L pressare, freq. of premere (pp. pressus) press]
PRESS
Cider, wine, and fruit press.

(pres) v.t.
1. To force into military or naval service; impress.
2. To put to use in a manner not intended or desired.
—noun A commission to impress men into the public service; also, the impressment of men. [<obs. prest engage for military service by payment of earnest money <OF prester lend <L praestare guarantee, furnish money for <prae- before + stare stand; influenced in form and meaning by press¹]