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tr.v. pressed, press·ing, press·es 1. To force into service in the army or navy; impress. 2. a. To take arbitrarily or by force, especially for public use. b. To use in a manner different from the usual or intended, especially in an emergency. n. 1. Conscription or impressment into service, especially into the army or navy. 2. Obsolete An official warrant for impressing men into military service. [Alteration of obsolete prest, to hire for military service by advance payment, from Middle English, enlistment money, loan, from Old French, from prester, to lend, from Medieval Latin praestāre, from Latin, to furnish, from praestō, present, at hand; see ghes- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
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