press English · revision 3487

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /pres/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ {{homograph|1|push, squeeze}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1225|origins=la premere}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The verb is [[inh|enm|pressen]], [[bor|fro|presser|t=to squeeze, press upon; torture]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) also directly from [[la|pressāre|t=to press]],^(Barnhart 1988) a [[frequentative]] of [[m|la|premere|t=to press, hold fast, crowd]], formed from its past participle pressus.^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002)^(MWU 2024) Etymonline traces ''premere'' to [[ine-pro|*per-|t=to strike]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) The noun is [[inh|enm|presse]], from [[m|fro|presse|t=a throng, a crush; a wine or cheese press]],^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) though late Old English already had ''press'' for a clothes press.^(Etymonline) The same Latin verb gave [[pressure]] and [[print]].^(Cresswell 2021)^(Klein 1966)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The noun meant a crowd or throng from before 1225,^(OED 1989) or about 1300,^(Etymonline) and the verb “to offer, urge” before 1325^(Barnhart 1988) or “to clasp, embrace” in the early 14th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 14th century the verb meant “to squeeze out”, “to crowd together”, “to exert pressure” and “to push forward”.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) A machine for pressing grapes or cloth is from the late 14th century,^(Etymonline) or 1373.^(HTOED) “To urge, argue for” is from the 1590s,^(Etymonline) and “urgency” as a noun from the 1640s.^(Etymonline) A printing machine is a ''press'' from the 1530s, extended to a publishing house by the 1570s and to publishing generally, as in ''freedom of the press'', from about 1680;^(Etymonline) this shifted to newspapers and journalism about 1800–1820,^(Etymonline) and to journalists collectively by 1921.^(Etymonline) Word Origins dates journalists as ''the press'' to the late 18th century.^(Cresswell 2021) ''Press agent'' is from 1873 and ''press conference'' from 1931,^(Etymonline) and ''to press the flesh'', “to shake hands”, is by 1926.^(Etymonline) The weightlifting sense is from 1908.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1225 – noun, a crowd.^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1325 – verb, to urge.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * late 14th century – a pressing machine; to exert pressure.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1530s – a printing press.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1680 – ''freedom of the press''.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1800–1820 – newspapers, journalism.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1873 – ''press agent''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1921 – journalists collectively.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1931 – ''press conference''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To exert steady weight or force against; to squeeze.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # To extract by squeezing; to shape or flatten by pressure; to [[iron]] clothes.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # To hold close; to clasp.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # To urge or [[entreat]]; to insist on.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # To push forward; to crowd.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A machine that applies pressure; a printing press.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A printing or publishing house.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # Newspapers and journalism; journalists collectively.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A crowd; urgency, pressure of affairs.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # A cupboard, especially for clothes or books.^(Hoad 1986)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[pressure]]

+ * [[presser]]

+ * [[pressing]]

+ * [[press agent]]

+ * [[press conference]]

+ * [[press release]]

+ * [[printing press]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|force into service}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1543|origins=la praestāre}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ Forcing into service is an alteration, by association with [[press#1]], of obsolete ''prest'' “to engage with pay in advance”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) from Middle English ''prest'' “loan, enlistment money”,^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000) [[bor|fro|prest|t=loan, advance pay]], from [[m|fro|prester|t=to lend]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(COED 2004) from [[la|praestāre|t=to furnish, make available; to stand out]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[m|la|praestō|t=ready, available]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000) the source of [[presto]].^(Barnhart 1988) Etymonline analyses praestāre as prae- “before” and stāre “to stand”.^(Etymonline) Klein calls ''press'' a back-formation from ''prest'', mistaken for a past participle.^(Klein 1966)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To force a man into the army or navy: 1543 in the OED and Merriam-Webster,^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024) or 1578 in Barnhart, with ''prest'' “to engage recruits by an advance” from 1513.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Money paid to a soldier or sailor on enlisting was ''prest'' in the mid-14th century.^(Etymonline) The noun ''press'', the impressing of men for the navy, is from 1592,^(OED 1989) and a warrant for it from 1596.^(OED 1989) To seize for royal or public use is from 1633,^(OED 1989) and to put to an unusual use, as in ''pressed into service'', from 1598.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1359–60 – ''prest'', a loan.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1513 – ''prest'', to engage recruits.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1543 – ''press'', to force into service.^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1592 – noun, impressment.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1598 – to put to an unusual use.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To force into service in the army or navy; to [[impress]].^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # To take by force for public use; to use in an emergency for an unintended purpose.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(historical)'' Forced recruitment into the army or navy.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[press-gang]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[compress]]

+ * [[depress]]

+ * [[express]]

+ * [[impress]]

+ * [[oppress]]

+ * [[repress]]

+ * [[suppress]]

+ * [[presto]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}