1. To squeeze or to compress: Jack wanted to press his apples to make apple juice.
2. To flatten or to smooth something by pushing down: Mr. Smith pressed his wife's dress for the partly using an iron.
3. To embrace or to hug: Virginia held and pressed her daughters to her breast for a long time.
4. To push something firmly against another thing: Susan had to press her back against the wall in order to make room for other people to pass by.
5. To push something with a finger to make it function: In order to enter the building, James had to press the button next to the door in order to open it.
6. To persuade or beg someone to do something: Mr. and Mrs. James urged and pressed the school to have better cafeteria food for the children during their lunch break.
7. To affect a person in an unpleasant manner: Ruth couldn't concentrate on her work because there were issues that were pressing on her that had to be solved that day.

1. The exertion of force or crushing: The kind of pressing is one factor which determines the character and quality of olive oil.
2. A plastic or metal element that is produced by a mechanised compression device: New pressings of old phonograph records have been made and can be bought at the local shop downtown.

1. Referring to something which requires immediate attention: There were some pressing issues to be tended to, like getting new passports, before the family took off for their trip to Europe the following month!
2. Regarding something that is insistent or persistent: Despite a pressing and earnest invitation from her friend, Jane decided not to travel to Frankfurt to see her because she had other important plans which had to be tended to.