Press into service
Force someone or something to perform or function, as in Can I press you into service to help people find their coats? or The funeral drew such a large crowd that more chairs were pressed into service. This idiom transfers press in the sense of “seize and force someone to serve,” as seamen once were, to other activities. It was first recorded in 1871.
Read Also:
- Press-kit
noun 1. a packet of promotional materials, as background information, photographs, or samples, for distribution to the press, as at a press conference. noun 1. a set of documents, usually containing useful facts and figures, given to journalists by a company prior to a product release, news conference, etc
- Pressman
noun, plural pressmen. 1. a person who operates or has charge of a printing press. 2. British. a writer or reporter for the press. noun (pl) -men 1. a person who works for the press 2. a person who operates a printing press
- Pressmark
noun, Chiefly British Library Science. 1. a symbol indicating the location of a book in the library. noun 1. (library science) a location mark on a book indicating a specific bookcase
- Press-money
noun, British Obsolete. 1. prest money.
- Press-of-sail
noun, Nautical. 1. as much sail as the wind or other conditions will permit a ship to carry. press of sail noun 1. (nautical) the most sail a vessel can carry under given conditions Also called press of canvas