- oppress
- \ \ see PRESS
Word origins - 2ed. J. Ayto. 2005.
oppress
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Oppress — Op*press , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Oppressed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Oppressing}.] [F. oppresser, LL. oppressare, fr. L. oppressus, p. p. of opprimere; ob (see {Ob }) + premere to press. See {Press}.] 1. To impose excessive burdens upon; to overload;… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
oppress — index abuse (victimize), badger, bait (harass), brutalize, coerce, constrain (restrain) … Law dictionary
oppress — (v.) mid 14c., from O.Fr. oppresser (13c.), from M.L. oppressare, frequentative of L. opprimere press against, crush (in L.L. to rape ), from ob against + premere to press, push (see PRESS (Cf. press) (v.1)). It is the due [external] restraint… … Etymology dictionary
oppress — 1 *depress, weigh Analogous words: *abuse, mistreat, maltreat, ill treat, outrage: *worry, annoy, harass, harry 2 *wrong, persecute, aggrieve Analogous words: * … New Dictionary of Synonyms
oppress — [v] depress, subdue abuse, afflict, aggrieve, annoy, beat down*, burden, crush, despotize, dishearten, dispirit, distress, encumber, force, handicap, harass, harry, hound*, keep down, maltreat, outrage, overcome, overload, overpower, overthrow,… … New thesaurus
oppress — ► VERB 1) keep in subjection and hardship. 2) cause to feel distressed or anxious. DERIVATIVES oppression noun oppressor noun. ORIGIN Old French oppresser, from Latin opprimere press against … English terms dictionary
oppress — [ə pres′] vt. [ME oppressen < OFr oppresser < ML oppressare < L oppressus, pp. of opprimere, to press against < ob (see OB ) + premere,PRESS1] 1. to weigh heavily on the mind, spirits, or senses of; worry; trouble 2. to keep down by… … English World dictionary
oppress — oppressible, adj. oppressor, n. /euh pres /, v.t. 1. to burden with cruel or unjust impositions or restraints; subject to a burdensome or harsh exercise of authority or power: a people oppressed by totalitarianism. 2. to lie heavily upon (the… … Universalium
oppress — UK [əˈpres] / US verb [transitive, often passive] Word forms oppress : present tense I/you/we/they oppress he/she/it oppresses present participle oppressing past tense oppressed past participle oppressed 1) to treat people who are less powerful… … English dictionary
oppress — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) v. t. persecute, burden, crush, afflict, grieve, load, de press; overbear, compress, overtax, overburden; tyrannize. See malevolence, badness, severity, subjection, wrong. II (Roget s IV) v. Syn. trouble … English dictionary for students
oppress — [[t]əpre̱s[/t]] oppresses, oppressing, oppressed 1) VERB To oppress people means to treat them cruelly, or to prevent them from having the same opportunities, freedom, and benefits as others. [be V ed] These people often are oppressed by the… … English dictionary
