compress

com|press¹ [kəmˈpres] v

[Date: 1300-1400; : Late Latin; Origin: compressare 'to press hard', from Latin comprimere 'to compress', from com- ( COM-) + premere 'to press']

1.) [I and T]

to press something or make it smaller so that it takes up less space, or to become smaller

▪ Light silk is best for parachutes, as it compresses well and then expands rapidly.

▪ Isobel nodded, her lips compressed.

compress sth into sth

▪ Snow falling on the mountainsides is compressed into ice.

▪ The miners used rock drills and compressed air to drive through hard rock.

2.) [I and T]

to make a computer ↑file smaller by using a special computer ↑program, which makes the file easier to store or send, or to become smaller in this way

▪ The program compresses any data saved to the disk.

3.) [T]

to write or express something using fewer words

= ↑condense compress sth into sth

▪ In this chapter we compress into summary form the main issues discussed so far.

4.) [T ]

to reduce the amount of time that it takes for something to happen or be done

compress sth into sth

▪ Many couples want to compress their childbearing into a short space of time in their married life.

>compressible adj

>compression [-ˈpreʃən] n [U]

▪ data compression

compress ²

com|press² [ˈkɔmpres US ˈka:m-] n

[Date: 1500-1600; : French; Origin: compresse, from compresser 'to compress', from Late Latin compressare; COMPRESS¹]

a small thick piece of material that you put on part of someone's body to stop blood flowing out or to make it less painful

cold/hot compress

▪ Apply a cold compress to the injury.