Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Impress?

\Im*press"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Impressed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Impressing}.] [L. impressus, p. p. of imprimere to impress; pref. im- in, on + premere to press. See {Press} to squeeze, and cf. {Imprint}.] 1. To press, stamp, or print something in or upon; to mark by pressure, or as by pressure; to imprint (that which bears the impression). His heart, like an agate, with your print impressed. --Shak. 2. To produce by pressure, as a mark, stamp, image, etc.; to imprint (a mark or figure upon something). 3. Fig.: To fix deeply in the mind; to present forcibly to the attention, etc.; to imprint; to inculcate. Impress the motives of persuasion upon our own hearts till we feel the force of them. --I. Watts. 4. [See {Imprest}, {Impress}, n., 5.] To take by force for public service; as, to impress sailors or money. The second five thousand pounds impressed for the service of the sick and wounded prisoners. --Evelyn.
\Im*press"\, v. i. To be impressed; to rest. [Obs.] Such fiendly thoughts in his heart impress. --Chaucer.
\Im"press\, n.; pl. {Impresses}. 1. The act of impressing or making. 2. A mark made by pressure; an indentation; imprint; the image or figure of anything, formed by pressure or as if by pressure; result produced by pressure or influence. The impresses of the insides of these shells. --Woodward. This weak impress of love is as a figure Trenched in ice. --Shak. 3. Characteristic; mark of distinction; stamp. --South. 4. A device. See {Impresa}. --Cussans. To describe . . . emblazoned shields, Impresses quaint. --Milton. 5. [See {Imprest}, {Press} to force into service.] The act of impressing, or taking by force for the public service; compulsion to serve; also, that which is impressed. Why such impress of shipwrights? --Shak. {Impress gang}, a party of men, with an officer, employed to impress seamen for ships of war; a press gang. {Impress money}, a sum of money paid, immediately upon their entering service, to men who have been impressed.