im|press´er

im|press¹ «verb. ihm PREHS; noun. IHM prehs», verb, -pressed or (Archaic) -prest, -press|ing, noun.

–v.t.

1. to have a strong effect on the mind or feelings of; influence deeply: »

A hero impresses us with his courage.

2. Figurative. to fix in the mind: »

She repeated the words to impress them in her memory.

3. to make marks on by pressing or stamping: »

We can impress wax with a seal.

4. to produce by pressure; imprint; stamp: »

The clerk impressed his signature on the documents with a rubber stamp.

5. to apply with pressure: »

But he…his foot impress'd On the strong neck of that destructive beast (John Dryden).

6. to produce or generate (an electromotive force or potential difference) in a conductor from some outside source, such as a battery or dynamo.

–v.i.

to make an impression, especially a favorable one: »

Figurative. He could hear his own voice cracking with the desire to impress (Graham Greene).

–n.

1. an impression; mark; stamp: »

Figurative. An author leaves the impress of his personality on what he writes.

2. the act of impressing.

3. Figurative. an impression on the mind or feelings: »

This kind of upbringing leaves an impress which some Texans are never able to outgrow (Harper's).

╂[< Latin impressus, past participle of imprimere < in- in + premere to press]

–im|press´er, noun.

im|press² «ihm PREHS», verb, -pressed or (Archaic) -prest, -press|ing, noun.

–v.t.

1. to seize by authority for public use: »

The police impressed our car in order to pursue the escaping robbers.

2. to force (men) to serve in the armed forces: »

The captain…obtained permission to send parties on shore to impress seamen (Frederick Marryat).

3. to bring in and use; press (a thing) into service by argument, etc.

–n.

= impressment. (Cf. ↑impressment)

╂[< im-² + press²]