1. (n.) The act of pressing, or the condition of being pressed; compression; a squeezing; a crushing; as, a pressure of the hand.

2. (n.) A contrasting force or impulse of any kind; as, the pressure of poverty; the pressure of taxes; the pressure of motives on the mind; the pressure of civilization.

3. (n.) Affliction; distress; grievance.

4. (n.) Urgency; as, the pressure of business.

5. (n.) Impression; stamp; character impressed.

6. (n.) The action of a force against some obstacle or opposing force; a force in the nature of a thrust, distributed over a surface, often estimated with reference to the upon a unit's area.

abetment adverse circumstances adversity advocate affliction aggravation albatross annoyance apply pressure argumentum baculinum ascendancy authority bale bear against bear down on bear down upon bear hard upon bearing beset besiege blandish blandishment blight boost bug bummer bump bunt burden burdening burthen butt buttonhole buttonholing cajole cajolement cajolery call on call upon care caressing cargo case of need charge charging charisma charm clamping clamping down clout clutch coax coaxing coerce coercion compel compression compulsion consequence constrain constraint constraints control credit crisis cross crunch crush crushing cumber cumbrance curse deadweight demand demandingness demands difficulties difficulty dig dire necessity distress dominance domination downer drag drive dun dunning duress effect emergency eminence enchantment encouragement encumbrance esteem exert pressure exhort exigence exigencies exigency favor feeling fingering force freight friction frottage goading good feeling greatness handicap handling hard knocks hard life hard lot hardcase hardship head high pressure high-pressure hold hustle immediacy impel imperative imperativeness importance importunacy importunateness importune importunity impulse impulsion incidental power incubus incumbency inducement influence influentiality influentialness insinuation insist insist on insist upon insistence instance intimidate intimidation irritation jab jawbone jog joggle jolt jostle lading leadership lean on leverage load loading lobby magnetism make manipulation mastery matter of necessity mental strain millstone moment nag nag at nagging needling nervous strain nervous tension nip nudge oppression overload overtaxing overweighting palpation persistence personality persuade persuasion pertinaciousness pertinacity pester pestering petting pinch plague plaguing plead with plight ply plying poke potency power precedence predicament predominance preponderance press pressing pressingness prestige prevail on prevail upon pricking priority problems prod prodding prominence punch purchase push put pressure on rank rash impulse recommend reign repute require rigor rubbing rule rush saddling say sea of troubles seniority shove soft-soap spurring squeeze squeezing stature strain straits strength stress stress and strain stress of life stroking strong-arm tactics suasion subtle influence suggestion