presses

1. 1
   verb

   Third-person singular present of press.

   The machine presses each metal panel into shape.

   She presses the brake gently whenever traffic slows.

   Note

   Spelled exactly like the plural noun, so context decides between she presses and the presses. Most uses take a direct object: someone presses a key, presses a flower flat, or presses a shirt. The oldest meaning can also stand alone, as when a crowd presses forward. In ironing, the word means lifting the iron and setting it down rather than sliding it, which keeps nearby fabric undisturbed.

2. 2
   noun

   Plural of press.

   The factory's presses stamp metal sheets throughout the day.

   Antique printing presses line the walls of the museum hallway.

   Note

   Only the countable meanings of press take this plural: machines that squeeze or stamp, printing machines, and publishers. The press meaning the newspapers and their reporters is a collective noun with no plural, so presses never means "the media." A crowd is likewise a press, not presses. The -es ending follows the final s, as in dresses and glasses.

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