Word
press
Phoneticspress
US/ˈpɹɛs/
UK/pɹˈɛs/
Definitions
01to push a button
A1 · Beginner Computing
v. to push a button or key to make a machine work.
v. to activate a mechanism by applying downward or forward force to a button, key, or switch.
日本語:押す※
“You need to press the red button to start the coffee machine.”
“The operator was instructed to press the emergency stop sequence only if the pressure gauge exceeded the safety threshold.”
Antonyms
02to apply physical force
A2 · Elementary
v. to push firmly against something or someone.
v. to exert steady weight or force against a surface or object.
日本語:押す※
“He pressed his face against the window to see outside better.”
“The crowd pressed against the barriers as the motorcade approached the palace gates.”
Antonyms
03to iron clothes
B1 · Intermediate
v. to make clothes smooth using a hot iron.
v. to remove wrinkles from fabric by applying heat and pressure, typically with an iron.
“I need to press my shirt before the job interview tomorrow.”
“The tailor carefully pressed the seams of the wool jacket to ensure a crisp, professional finish.”
Antonyms
04to urge or insist
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to try hard to persuade someone to do something.
v. to urge, entreat, or insist upon a course of action or a specific demand.
“The reporter continued to press the politician for a clear answer.”
“The board decided not to press the matter further, fearing that legal action would damage the company's reputation.”
Antonyms
05news media
B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. newspapers, magazines, and the journalists who write for them.
n. the collective body of journalists and news organisations; print and digital media outlets.
“The story was reported in the local press the following morning.”
“Freedom of the press is considered a fundamental pillar of democratic governance in many nations.”
Synonyms
06a printing machine
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a large machine that prints books, newspapers, or magazines.
n. a mechanical device for printing text or images from type or plates onto paper.
“The newspaper went to press at midnight to be ready for the morning.”
“Modern digital presses have largely replaced the traditional offset machines in small-scale publishing houses.”
Synonyms
07an act of pushing
A2 · Elementary Countable noun
n. the act of pushing something once.
n. a single instance of applying pressure or pushing a button.
“With one quick press of the remote, the television turned on.”
“A firm press on the wound helped to stop the bleeding until the paramedics arrived.”
08a storage cupboard
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun British English · Dialect
n. a large cupboard used for storing clothes or linen.
n. a large, usually built-in cupboard or closet for storage.
“She kept the clean towels in the linen press in the hallway.”
“The old farmhouse featured a deep oak press built directly into the thick stone walls of the kitchen.”
09weightlifting exercise
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Sports
n. an exercise where you push weights away from your body.
n. a weightlifting movement involving the extension of the limbs to move a weight away from the body.
“He added more weight to the bench press during his workout.”
“The athlete struggled with the final repetition of the overhead press during the championship qualifiers.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “press” in context.
Noun
01. university press
“The book was published by a prestigious university press last year.”
noun + noun
Usage
When referring to the media, it is often used with the definite article ('the press') and can take either a singular or plural verb in British English.
Pitfall
The press are very small on this phone.
The buttons are very small on this phone.
Learners sometimes use 'press' to mean the physical buttons themselves, but 'press' refers to the action or the media, not the individual plastic keys.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Idioms
03. press on
04. press the flesh
06. pressed for time
07. stop press
08. stop the presses
09. yellow press
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- B1 · IntermediateOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/press
※ 機械で選んだ訳語です。ネイティブスピーカーによる確認はまだです。
「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0