pressure

/ˈprɛʃər/

/ˈprɛʃə/

Other forms: pressures; pressured; pressuring

You feel pressure when something presses on you –- whether a physical force or a stressful situation. If you don't crack under the pressure of witnessing the accident, you will calmly apply pressure on the driver's wound until help arrives.

The pressure of a looming deadline might cause you to finally get to work on an assignment. Pressure can also be a verb, like when your friend pressures you to go rock climbing despite your fear of heights. The rocks you would rather not climb were formed long ago by extreme heat and pressure. While climbing, your friend's blood pressure may rise right along with yours when she sees how clumsy you are.

Definitions of pressure

1. noun

   the act of pressing; the exertion of pressure
   “he used pressure to stop the bleeding”

   synonyms: press, pressing

   types:

   impression

   the act of pressing one thing on or into the surface of another

   compressing, compression

   applying pressure

   squeeze, squeezing

   the act of gripping and pressing firmly

   condensation, condensing

   the act of increasing the density of something

   compaction, crunch, crush

   the act of crushing

   constriction

   the action or process of compressing

   type of:

   push, pushing

   the act of applying force in order to move something away
2. noun

   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”

   synonyms: force per unit area, pressure level

   types:

   blood pressure

   the pressure of the circulating blood against the walls of the blood vessels; results from the systole of the left ventricle of the heart; sometimes measured for a quick evaluation of a person's health

   gas pressure

   the pressure exerted by a gas

   head

   the pressure exerted by a fluid

   hydrostatic head

   the pressure at a given point in a liquid measured in terms of the vertical height of a column of the liquid needed to produce the same pressure

   IOP, intraocular pressure

   pressure exerted by the fluids inside the eyeball; regulated by resistance to the outward flow of aqueous humor

   oil pressure

   pressure that keeps oil on the moving parts of an internal-combustion engine

   osmotic pressure

   (physical chemistry) the pressure exerted by a solution necessary to prevent osmosis into that solution when it is separated from the pure solvent by a semipermeable membrane

   corpuscular-radiation pressure, radiation pressure

   the minute pressure exerted on a surface normal to the direction of propagation of a wave

   instantaneous sound pressure, sound pressure

   the difference between the instantaneous pressure at a point in a sound field and the average pressure at that point

   suction

   a force over an area produced by a pressure difference

   vapor pressure, vapour pressure

   the pressure exerted by a vapor; often understood to mean saturated vapor pressure (the vapor pressure of a vapor in contact with its liquid form)

   acoustic radiation pressure

   (acoustics) the pressure exerted on a surface normal to the direction of propagation of a sound wave

   air pressure, atmospheric pressure

   the pressure exerted by the atmosphere

   systolic pressure

   the blood pressure (as measured by a sphygmomanometer) during the contraction of the left ventricle of the heart

   diastolic pressure

   the blood pressure (as measured by a sphygmomanometer) after the contraction of the heart while the chambers of the heart refill with blood

   arterial pressure

   the pressure of the circulating blood on the arteries

   venous pressure

   the pressure exerted on the walls of the veins by the circulating blood

   hypertonicity

   (of a solution) the extent to which a solution has a higher osmotic pressure than some other

   hypotonicity

   (of a solution) the extent to which a solution has a lower osmotic pressure than some other

   type of:

   physical phenomenon

   a natural phenomenon involving the physical properties of matter and energy
3. noun

   the pressure exerted by the atmosphere
   synonyms: air pressure, atmospheric pressure

   types:

   barometric pressure

   atmospheric pressure as indicated by a barometer

   compartment pressure

   the air pressure maintained in an air-tight compartment (as in an aircraft)

   overpressure

   a transient air pressure greater than the surrounding atmospheric pressure

   sea-level pressure

   the atmospheric pressure reduced by a formula to the pressure at sea level

   type of:

   gas pressure

   the pressure exerted by a gas
4. noun

   the somatic sensation that results from applying force to an area of skin
   “the sensitivity of his skin to pressure and temperature was normal”

   synonyms: pressure sensation

   type of:

   somaesthesia, somatesthesia, somatic sensation, somesthesia

   the perception of tactual or proprioceptive or gut sensations
5. verb

   cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means :"She forced him to take a job in the city"
   synonyms: coerce, force, hale, squeeze

   types:

   turn up the heat, turn up the pressure

   apply great or increased pressure

   drive

   compel or force or urge relentlessly or exert coercive pressure on, or motivate strongly

   bludgeon

   overcome or coerce as if by using a heavy club

   steamroll, steamroller

   bring to a specified state by overwhelming force or pressure

   squeeze for

   squeeze someone for money, information, etc.

   dragoon, railroad, sandbag

   compel by coercion, threats, or crude means

   terrorise, terrorize

   coerce by violence or with threats

   bring oneself

   cause to undertake a certain action, usually used in the negative

   type of:

   compel, obligate, oblige

   force somebody to do something
6. noun

   a force that compels
   “the public brought pressure to bear on the government”

   type of:

   force

   a powerful effect or influence
7. noun

   an oppressive condition of physical or mental or social or economic distress
   type of:

   distress

   a state of adversity (danger or affliction or need)
8. noun

   the state of demanding notice or attention
   synonyms: imperativeness, insistence, insistency, press

   type of:

   urgency

   the state of being urgent; an earnest and insistent necessity
9. verb

   exert pressure on someone through threats
   synonyms: blackjack, blackmail

   type of:

   act upon, influence, work

   have and exert influence or effect