compress

compresses, compressing, compressed

(The verb is pronounced [[t]kəmpre̱s[/t]]. The noun is pronounced [[t]kɒ̱mpres[/t]].)

1) V-ERG When you compress something or when it compresses, it is pressed or squeezed so that it takes up less space.

[V n] Poor posture, sitting or walking slouched over, compresses the body's organs...

Air will compress but the brake fluid won't.

Derived words:

compression [[t]kəmpre̱ʃ(ə)n[/t]] N-UNCOUNT

The compression of the wood is easily achieved.

2) VERB If you compress something such as a piece of writing or a description, you make it shorter.

[V n] He never understood how to organize or compress large masses of material...

[V n] All those three books are compacted and compressed into one book.

Syn:

condense

3) VERB: usu passive If an event is compressed into a short space of time, it is given less time to happen than normal or previously.

[be V-ed into n] The four debates will be compressed into an unprecedentedly short eight-day period...

[be V-ed] Some courses such as engineering had to be compressed.

4) N-COUNT A compress is a pad of wet or dry cloth pressed on part of a patient's body to reduce fever.

Sore throats may be relieved by cold compresses.