3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Pressure  \Pres"sure\,  n. 
  Electro-motive  force. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Pressure  \Pres"sure\  (?;  138),  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. 
 
  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. 
 
  Where  the  pressure  of  danger  was  not  felt. 
  --Macaulay. 
 
  3.  Affliction;  distress;  grievance. 
 
  My  people's  pressures  are  grievous.  --Eikon 
  Basilike 
 
  In  the  midst  of  his  great  troubles  and  pressures. 
  --Atterbury. 
 
  4.  Urgency;  as  the  pressure  of  business. 
 
  5.  Impression;  stamp;  character  impressed. 
 
  All  saws  of  books,  all  forms,  all  pressures  past. 
  --Shak. 
 
  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  upon  a  unit's  area. 
 
  {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. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  pressure 
  n  1:  the  force  applied  to  a  unit  area  of  surface;  measured  in 
  pascals  (SI  unit)  or  in  dynes  (cgs  unit);  "the 
  compressed  gas  exerts  an  increased  pressure"  [syn:  {force 
  per  unit  area}] 
  2:  a  force  that  compels;  "the  public  brought  pressure  to  bear 
  on  the  government" 
  3:  the  act  of  pressing;  "he  gave  the  button  a  press";  "he  used 
  pressure  to  stop  the  bleeding"  [syn:  {press},  {pressing}] 
  4:  the  state  of  urgently  demanding  notice  or  attention;  "the 
  press  of  business  matters"  [syn:  {imperativeness},  {insistence}, 
  {insistency},  {press}] 
  5:  the  somatic  sensation  of  pressure;  "the  sensitivity  of  his 
  skin  to  pressure  and  temperature  was  normal"  [syn:  {pressure 
  sensation}] 
  v  1:  to  cause  to  do  through  pressure  or  necessity,  by  physical, 
  moral  or  intellectual  means  :"She  forced  him  to  take  a 
  job  in  the  city"  [syn:  {coerce},  {force}] 
  2:  exert  pressure  on  someone  through  threats  [syn:  {blackmail}, 
  {blackjack}] 

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