Impress — Defs

01 v. t. To press, stamp, or print something in or upon; to mark by pressure, or as by pressure; to imprint (that which bears the impression).

imp. & p. p. Impressed; p. pr. & vb. n. Impressing

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.
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.
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.

02 v. i. To be impressed; to rest.

1.
To be impressed; to rest.[Obs.]
“Such fiendly thoughts in his heart impress.” — Chaucer.

03 n. The act of impressing or making.

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.
4.
A device. See Impresa. See: Impresa
“To describe . . . emblazoned shields, Impresses quaint.” — Milton.
5.
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.

Phrases & compounds

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.