Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Compress

Com-press′

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Compressed
;
p. pr & vb. n.
Compressing
.]
[L.
compressus
, p. p. of
comprimere
to compress:
com-
+
premere
to press. See Press.]
1.
To press or squeeze together; to force into a narrower compass; to reduce the volume of by pressure; to compact; to condense;
as, to
compress
air or water
.
Events of centuries . . .
compressed
within the compass of a single life.
D. Webster.
The same strength of expression, though more
compressed
, runs through his historical harangues.
Melmoth.
2.
To embrace sexually.
[Obs.]
Pope.
Syn. – To crowd; squeeze; condense; reduce; abridge.

Com′press

,
Noun.
[F.
compresse
.]
(Surg.)
A folded piece of cloth, pledget of lint, etc., used to cover the dressing of wounds, and so placed as, by the aid of a bandage, to make due pressure on any part.

Webster 1828 Edition

Compress

COMPRESS

,
Verb.
T.
[L. To press. See Press.]
1.
To press together by external force; to force, urge or drive into a narrower compass; to crowd; as, to compress air.
The weight of a thousand atmospheres will compress water twelve and a half per cent.
2.
To embrace carnally.
3.
To crowd; to bring within narrow limits or space.
Events of centuries--compressed within the compass of a single life.

COMPRESS

,
Noun.
In surgery, a bolster of soft linen cloth, with several folds, used by surgeons to cover a plaster or dressing, to keep it in its place and defend the part from the external air.

Definition 2024

compress

compress

See also: kompres

English

Pronunciation

  • enPR: kəmprĕs', IPA(key): /kəmˈprɛs/
  • Rhymes: -ɛs

Verb

compress ‎(third-person singular simple present compresses, present participle compressing, simple past and past participle compressed)

  1. (transitive) To make smaller; to press or squeeze together, or to make something occupy a smaller space or volume.
    The force required to compress a spring varies linearly with the displacement.
    • D. Webster
      events of centuries […] compressed within the compass of a single life
    • Melmoth
      The same strength of expression, though more compressed, runs through his historical harangues.
  2. (intransitive) To be pressed together or folded by compression into a more economic, easier format.
    Our new model compresses easily, ideal for storage and travel
  3. (transitive) To condense into a more economic, easier format.
    This chart compresses the entire audit report into a few lines on a single diagram.
  4. (transitive) To abridge.
    If you try to compress the entire book into a three-sentence summary, you will lose a lot of information.
  5. (technology, transitive) To make digital information smaller by encoding it using fewer bits.
  6. (obsolete) To embrace sexually.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Alexander Pope to this entry?)
Synonyms
Antonyms
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle French compresse, from compresser 'to compress', from Late Latin compressare 'to press hard/together', from compressus, the past participle of comprimere 'to compress', itself from com- 'together' + premere 'to press'

Pronunciation

Noun

compress ‎(plural compresses)

  1. A multiply folded piece of cloth, a pouch of ice etc., used to apply to a patient's skin, cover the dressing of wounds, and placed with the aid of a bandage to apply pressure on an injury.
    He held a cold compress over the sprain.
  2. A machine for compressing
Related terms
Translations

Etymology

Borrowing from Old French compresser, from Late Latin compressare ‎(“to press hard/together”), from Latin compressus, the past participle of comprimō ‎(“to compress”), itself from com ‎(“together”) + premō ‎(“press”).

Similar Results