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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

How to Use Compress: Definition & Examples (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：press together (compress)

compress 🔊

/kəmˈpres/

To press something together to make it smaller and take up less space.

Compress meaning illustrated by hands pressing air out of a jacket in a vacuum storage bag.

press together 🔊

➕

/prɛs təˈɡeðər/

To apply pressure to an object or material, forcing its parts closer together, resulting in a reduction of its volume or size.

📁 Category：Objects & Materials 🔖 Level：Elementary

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'comprimere': 'com-' (together) + 'primere' (to press). Literally means 'to press together'.

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine a COMPRESSor squashing a big object into a small cube. It COMpresses by PRESSing things together.

📖 Example

Before my trip, I used a vacuum bag to compress my winter coat so it would fit in my suitcase. 🔊 Before my trip, I used a vacuum bag to press my winter coat together so it would fit in my suitcase.

🔗 Collocations

compress a file – to reduce the size of a digital file using a special algorithm

compressed air – air that is kept under a pressure greater than that of the atmosphere

compress into – to force or squeeze something into a smaller space or container

🔄 Synonyms

condense (v.) – to make something more compact or dense

compact (v.) – to press or squeeze something together firmly

squeeze (v.) – to press something firmly, especially from opposite sides

🚫 Antonyms

expand (v.) – to increase in size, volume, or quantity

stretch (v.) – to lengthen, widen, or distend

inflate (v.) – to fill with air or gas so as to swell or enlarge

🌱 Derivatives

compression (n.) – the action of compressing or being compressed

compressor (n.) – a machine used to compress air or other gas

📖 Cultural Story

Originating from Latin 'comprimere', meaning 'to press or squeeze together'. Its meaning broadened in English to include not just physical compression but also temporal or informational compression, reflecting efficiency drives in technology and management.

Meaning 2：condense into a short time (compress)

compress 🔊

/kəmˈpres/

To fit a lot of things or activities into a small space or short period of time.

Compress concept shown as condensing a tall stack of textbooks into a single slim notebook.

condense into a short time 🔊

➕

/kənˈdens ˈɪntu ə ʃɔːrt taɪm/

To fit a large amount of material, activity, or information into a restricted space of time or a concise format.

📁 Category：School Education 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

The teacher had to compress two weeks' lessons into one because of the upcoming school trip. 🔊 The teacher had to condense two weeks' lessons into one because of the upcoming school trip.

🔗 Collocations

compress a schedule – to arrange the events of a plan into a shorter timeframe

compress data – to reduce the amount of storage space required for information

compress a speech – to shorten a speech while keeping its main points

🔄 Synonyms

condense (v.) – to express the most important parts of something in a shorter form

abbreviate (v.) – to shorten a word, phrase, or text

summarize (v.) – to give a brief statement of the main points of something

🚫 Antonyms

expand (v.) – to add detail or explanation to something; to elaborate

lengthen (v.) – to make something longer in duration

prolong (v.) – to extend the duration of something

🌱 Derivatives

compressed (adj.) – flattened by pressure; condensed or concise