| press | 1. To exert pressure; to bear heavily; to push, crowd, or urge with steady force. 2. To move on with urging and crowding; to make one's way with violence or effort; to bear onward forcibly; to crowd; to throng; to encroach. "They pressed upon him for to touch him." (Mark III. 10) 3. To urge with vehemence or importunity; to exert a strong or compelling influence; as, an argument presses upon the judgment. 4. <zoology> An East Indian insectivore (Tupaia ferruginea). It is arboreal in its habits, and has a bushy tail. The fur is soft, and varies from rusty red to maroon and to brownish black. (05 Mar 1998) |
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| dent | 1. <prefix> Relating to the teeth or dentition, dental. See: odonto-. Origin: L. Dens, tooth 2. A slight depression, or small notch or hollow, made by a blow or by pressure; an indentation. "A blow that would have made a dent in a pound of butter." (De Quincey) Origin: A variant of Dint. Source: Websters Dictionary (21 Jun 2000) |