The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Pressure \Pres"sure\ (?; 138), n. [OF., fr. L. pressura, fr.
premere. See 4th Press.]
1. The act of pressing, or the condition of being pressed;
compression; a squeezing; a crushing; as, a pressure of
the hand.
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2. A contrasting force or impulse of any kind; as, the
pressure of poverty; the pressure of taxes; the pressure
of motives on the mind; the pressure of civilization.
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Where the pressure of danger was not felt.
--Macaulay.
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3. Affliction; distress; grievance.
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My people's pressures are grievous. --Eikon
Basilike.
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In the midst of his great troubles and pressures.
--Atterbury.
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4. Urgency; as, the pressure of business.
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5. Impression; stamp; character impressed.
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All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past.
--Shak.
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6. (Mech.) The action of a force against some obstacle or
opposing force; a force in the nature of a thrust,
distributed over a surface, often estimated with reference
to the amount upon a unit's area.
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7. Electro-motive force.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
Atmospheric pressure, Center of pressure, etc. See under
Atmospheric, Center, etc.
Back pressure (Steam engine), pressure which resists the
motion of the piston, as the pressure of exhaust steam
which does not find free outlet.
Fluid pressure, pressure like that exerted by a fluid. It
is a thrust which is normal and equally intense in all
directions around a point. --Rankine.
Pressure gauge, a gauge for indicating fluid pressure; a
manometer.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Back \Back\, a.
1. Being at the back or in the rear; distant; remote; as, the
back door; back settlements.
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2. Being in arrear; overdue; as, back rent.
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3. Moving or operating backward; as, back action.
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Back blocks, Australian pastoral country which is remote
from the seacoast or from a river. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
Back charges, charges brought forward after an account has
been made up.
Back filling (Arch.), the mass of materials used in filling
up the space between two walls, or between the inner and
outer faces of a wall, or upon the haunches of an arch or
vault.
Back pressure. (Steam Engine) See under Pressure.
Back rest, a guide attached to the slide rest of a lathe,
and placed in contact with the work, to steady it in
turning.
Back slang, a kind of slang in which every word is written
or pronounced backwards; as, nam for man.
Back stairs, stairs in the back part of a house; private
stairs. Also used adjectively. See Back stairs,
Backstairs, and Backstair, in the Vocabulary.
Back step (Mil.), the retrograde movement of a man or body
of men, without changing front.
Back stream, a current running against the main current of
a stream; an eddy.
To take the back track, to retrace one's steps; to retreat.
[Colloq.]
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