The difference between Compress and Press

When used as nouns, compress means 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, whereas press means a device used to apply pressure to an item.

When used as verbs, compress means to make smaller, whereas press means to exert weight or force against, to act upon with force or weight.

check bellow for the other definitions of Compress and Press

  1. Compress as a verb (transitive):

    To make smaller; to press or squeeze together, or to make something occupy a smaller space or volume.

    Examples:

    "The force required to compress a spring varies linearly with the displacement."

  2. Compress as a verb (intransitive):

    To be pressed together or folded by compression into a more economic, easier format.

    Examples:

    "Our new model compresses easily, ideal for storage and travel"

  3. Compress as a verb (transitive):

    To condense into a more economic, easier format.

    Examples:

    "This chart compresses the entire audit report into a few lines on a single diagram."

  4. Compress as a verb (transitive):

    To abridge.

    Examples:

    "If you try to compress the entire book into a three-sentence summary, you will lose a lot of information."

  5. Compress as a verb (technology, transitive):

    To make digital information smaller by encoding it using fewer bits.

  6. Compress as a verb (obsolete):

    To embrace sexually.

    Examples:

    "rfquotek Alexander Pope"

  1. Compress as a noun:

    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.

    Examples:

    "He held a cold compress over the sprain."

  2. Compress as a noun:

    A machine for compressing

  1. Press as a noun (countable):

    A device used to apply pressure to an item.

    Examples:

    "a flower press'"

  2. Press as a noun (countable):

    A printing machine.

    Examples:

    "Stop the presses!"

  3. Press as a noun (uncountable):

    A collective term for the print-based media (both the people and the newspapers).

    Examples:

    "according to a member of the press;  nowrap This article appeared in the press."

  4. Press as a noun (countable):

    A publisher.

  5. Press as a noun (countable, especially, _, in, _, Ireland, _, and, _, Scotland):

    An enclosed storage space (e.g. closet, cupboard).

    Examples:

    "Put the cups in the press.  nowrap Put the ironing in the linen press."

  6. Press as a noun (countable, weightlifting):

    An exercise in which weight is forced away from the body by extension of the arms or legs.

  7. Press as a noun (countable, wagering):

    An additional bet in a golf match that duplicates an existing (usually losing) wager in value, but begins even at the time of the bet.

    Examples:

    "He can even the match with a press."

  8. Press as a noun (countable):

    Pure, unfermented grape juice.

    Examples:

    "I would like some Concord press with my meal tonight."

  9. Press as a noun:

    A commission to force men into public service, particularly into the navy.

  10. Press as a noun (obsolete):

    A crowd.

  1. Press as a verb (ambitransitive):

    to exert weight or force against, to act upon with force or weight

  2. Press as a verb (transitive):

    to compress, squeeze

    Examples:

    "to press fruit for the purpose of extracting the juice"

  3. Press as a verb (transitive):

    to clasp, hold in an embrace; to hug

    Examples:

    "She took her son, and press'd"

    "The illustrious infant to her fragrant breast'' (''Dryden'', Illiad, VI. 178.)"

  4. Press as a verb (transitive):

    to reduce to a particular shape or form by pressure, especially flatten or smooth

    Examples:

    "to press cloth with an iron"

    "to press a hat"

  5. Press as a verb (transitive, sewing):

    To flatten a selected area of fabric using an iron with an up-and-down, not sliding, motion, so as to avoid disturbing adjacent areas.

  6. Press as a verb (transitive):

    to drive or thrust by pressure, to force in a certain direction

    Examples:

    "to press a crowd back"

  7. Press as a verb (transitive, obsolete):

    to weigh upon, oppress, trouble

    Examples:

    "He turns from us;"

    "Alas, he weeps too! Something presses him"

    "He would reveal, but dare not.-Sir, be comforted.'' (''Fletcher'', Pilgrim, I. 2.)"

  8. Press as a verb (transitive):

    to force to a certain end or result; to urge strongly, impel

  9. Press as a verb:

    To try to force (something upon someone); to urge or inculcate.

    Examples:

    "to press the Bible on an audience"

  10. Press as a verb (transitive):

    to hasten, urge onward

    Examples:

    "to press a horse in a race"

  11. Press as a verb (transitive):

    to urge, beseech, entreat

    Examples:

    "God heard their prayers, wherein they earnestly pressed him for the honor of his great name.'' (''Winthrop'', Hist. New England, II. 35)"

  12. Press as a verb (transitive):

    to lay stress upon, emphasize

    Examples:

    "If we read but a very little, we naturally want to press it all; if we read a great deal, we are willing not to press the whole of what we read, and we learn what ought to be pressed and what not.'' (''M. Arnold'', Literature and Dogma, Pref.)"

  13. Press as a verb (ambitransitive):

    to throng, crowd

  14. Press as a verb (transitive, obsolete):

    to print

  15. Press as a verb:

    To force into service, particularly into naval service.

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