# pressure

Pronunciation: US say "PRESH-ur" /ˈpɹɛʃɚ/; UK say "PRESH-uh" /ˈpɹɛʃə(ɹ)/

## Noun

1. A strong influence, demand, or burden of any kind that pushes on someone, as from other people, poverty, or circumstances.
   - Simple: A force or feeling that pushes you toward or away from doing something.
   - _Social pressure to conform can quietly shape the choices people make._
   - _He resisted the pressure to abandon his principles for an easier path._
2. Force per unit area; the force applied over a surface divided by the size of that area.
   - Simple: The force pushing on a surface divided by the area it acts on.
   - _Atmospheric pressure decreases as you climb to higher altitudes._
   - _The gauge measured the pressure of the gas inside the sealed container._
3. A force applied against a surface by something pressing or pushing on it.
   - Simple: A push made when something presses against a surface.
   - _She applied firm pressure to the cut with a clean cloth until the bleeding stopped._
   - _He applied steady pressure to the wound to slow the bleeding._
5. A feeling of stress or strain caused by demands, deadlines or difficult circumstances.
   - Simple: The worried feeling you get when you have too much to do, too little time, or other problems.
   - _The pressure of the looming deadline kept the whole team working late._
   - _Negotiators worked under intense pressure as the ceasefire deadline approached._

## Verb

4. To strongly urge someone, or to exert force or influence on them, in order to make them act.
   - Simple: To strongly push or persuade someone to do something.
   - _Activists pressured the company to change its labor practices._
   - _Lobbyists routinely pressure lawmakers to vote in their favor._

## Noun

6. An impression or stamp; the figure or character pressed onto a surface. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: A mark or stamp pressed into a surface.

## Origin

From Latin "pressūra."

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/pressure (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).