n. [ OF., fr. L. pressura, fr. premere. See 4th Press. ] 1. The act of pressing, or the condition of being pressed; compression; a squeezing; a crushing; as, a pressure of the hand. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. 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. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Affliction; distress; grievance. [ 1913 Webster ]

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

In the midst of his great troubles and pressures. Atterbury. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Urgency; as, the pressure of business. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Impression; stamp; character impressed. [ 1913 Webster ]

All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Mech.) 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 ]

7. 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

. 1. (Cookery) a pot with a lid which may be tightly bound to the bottom part, forming a vessel which can withstand some gas pressure from within. It is used to heat foods in water or steam to a temperature somewhat above the boiling point of water, allowing the cooking process to be accomplished more quickly than otherwise. [ PJC ]

2. Fig., a situation involving intense psychological pressure due to multiple urgent demands, as in certain job situations. [ PJC ]

. (Elec.) Wires leading from various points of an electric system to a central station, where a voltmeter indicates the potential of the system at those points. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]