pressure
/ˈpreʃə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈpreʃər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈpre-shər/ (ame, mw) · /ˈpreʃ.ər/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈpreʃ.ɚ/ (ame, ipa)
pressure — noun
- pressuresingular
- pressuresplural
1. the pushing or squeezing of one surface against another when two objects are in
the pushing or squeezing of one surface against another when two objects are in direct contact, measured by how much force is applied over a given area.
The nurse applied gentle pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding.
collocation: apply pressure / gentle pressure
The old bridge could not handle the extra pressure from the heavy trucks.
collocation: handle the pressure / pressure from something
Adisa felt the pressure of the bookcase against his back as he squeezed past.
The dentist asked the patient whether the pressure on the tooth was painful.
- compression
more technical; often used in engineering and physics contexts
- force
broader in meaning; does not always imply contact between surfaces
用法筆記
This sense is about actual physical contact between surfaces. Do not confuse with sense 2 (AIR/GAS FORCE), which describes pressure exerted by fluids or gases rather than solid objects.
2. the push created by a gas or liquid against whatever holds it, including the dow
the push created by a gas or liquid against whatever holds it, including the downward push of the air around us pressing on the earth's surface.
The car's tire pressure dropped sharply after the long drive in cold weather.
collocation: tire pressure drops
The weather report said a high-pressure system was moving toward the coast.
collocation: high-pressure system (weather)
The scuba diver checked her air pressure before going into the deep water.
The engineer made sure the pressure inside the boiler stayed below the safety limit.
- force
more general; pressure specifies how force is spread over a surface
- atmospheric pressure
restricted to the weight of the air around the Earth
用法筆記
Common in science, engineering, and weather contexts. For air pressure specifically, you can say 'atmospheric pressure'. For liquids, 'water pressure' is widely used in everyday talk about plumbing.
3. the effort to get someone to behave in a particular way by arguing, repeatedly a
the effort to get someone to behave in a particular way by arguing, repeatedly asking, or threatening them.
The manager put pressure on the sales team to meet the monthly target.
collocation: put pressure on someone to do something
Jiwoo felt pressure from her parents to choose a more stable career path.
collocation: feel pressure from someone to do something
The protesters used public pressure to force the company to change its pollution policy.
Under pressure from angry investors, the CEO agreed to resign from her position.
- coercion
stronger and more formal; implies threats rather than gentle persuasion
- persuasion
softer; does not carry the idea of force or threat
- arm-twisting
informal; suggests a forceful but not necessarily hostile approach
文法句型
put pressure on someone to do something
under pressure from someone to do something
用法筆記
Unlike sense 4 (STRESS), this sense focuses on the external source doing the persuading or forcing, not on the internal feeling of the person being pressured.
常見錯誤
4. a feeling of worry or strain caused by having too many demands, responsibilities
a feeling of worry or strain caused by having too many demands, responsibilities, or expectations to deal with.
The pressure of her final exams kept Tanvi awake at night.
collocation: the pressure of something + emotional/mental effect
Some people work better under pressure than in a calm environment.
collocation: work under pressure
The financial pressure on young families has grown a lot in recent years.
Cyrus could not handle the pressure of balancing work and family life.
文法句型
under pressure
the pressure of something
用法筆記
This sense describes the internal emotional state. Compare with sense 3 (PERSUADING), which describes external attempts to influence someone. The two often overlap: external pressure (sense 3) leads to internal stress (sense 4).
常見錯誤
5. a spoken comment or hint that makes someone feel a strong expectation to perform
a spoken comment or hint that makes someone feel a strong expectation to perform well, often said after someone has publicly praised or counted on them.
"No pressure, but the whole class is counting on you to win," said the teacher.
informal spoken expression: 'No pressure, but…'
My grandmother smiled and said no pressure, but I knew she expected me to do well.
When the coach told Andrés there was no pressure but the team needed a goal, his heart raced.
Tariro's brother grinned and said no pressure, which made her even more nervous.
- responsibility
more formal and general; does not capture the ironic tone of 'no pressure'
用法筆記
Almost always used in the fixed spoken phrase 'No pressure, but…' which ironically adds pressure. The phrase is informal and common in conversations among friends, family, or teammates.
6. a situation in football (soccer) in which the attacking team keeps pushing forwa
a situation in football (soccer) in which the attacking team keeps pushing forward and the defending team must work hard to prevent a goal from being scored.
The home team's defence came under heavy pressure in the last ten minutes.
sports collocation: come under pressure
The crowd cheered as the attackers kept the pressure on the goal for the whole second half.
sports collocation: keep the pressure on
Gabriel scored while his team was under pressure, and the stadium erupted with joy.
The visiting team spent the first half building pressure from the midfield area.
用法筆記
Specific to football commentary and discussion. Do not use this sense in general conversation. The phrase 'under pressure' in sports is often followed by a description of how the defending team responds.
pressure — verb
- pressurepresent simple I / you / we / they
- pressures3rd person singular
- pressuring-ing form
- pressuredpast simple
1. to keep pushing someone towards an action they are unwilling to take, by arguing
to keep pushing someone towards an action they are unwilling to take, by arguing, asking over and over, or threatening them.
Her parents pressured her to apply for jobs that paid better money.
collocation: pressure + object + to-infinitive
The salesperson pressured Minh into buying an expensive phone he did not need.
collocation: pressure + object + into + gerund
Kasia felt pressured by her classmates to join the after-school debate club.
The charity pressured the government to invest more in public healthcare services.
- encourage
positive, supportive approach rather than forceful persuasion
文法句型
pressure someone to do something
pressure someone into doing something
用法筆記
Common in both active and passive forms. The passive 'feel pressured' is very frequent in everyday English. The 'into + gerund' pattern emphasises that the person was unwilling at first.