Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - pressure

~1 n 1 force the act of force or weight being put on to something  (The pressure of the water turns the wheel. | factors such as temperature and pressure) 2 strength the strength of the force or weight put on something  (high/low pressure)  (The gas containers burst at high pressures. | Low atmospheric pressure often brings rain.)  (- see also blood pressure) 3 »STRONG« an attempt to persuade someone by using influence, arguments, or threats + for  (pressure for change inside the party) pressure to do sth  (There was great pressure to conform to existing standards. | under pressure from)  (John only agreed to go under pressure from his parents. | be/come under pressure (to do sth))  (The company is under pressure to improve pay and conditions. | give in to pressure (=agree to do something that someone has persuaded you to do) | put pressure on (=to try to persuade someone to do something because it is their duty.))  (Their parents were putting pressure on them to get married. | exert pressure on/bring pressure to bear on formal)  (Special interest groups can bring great pressure to bear on legislation.) 4 problems/demands conditions of work or a way of living that cause anxiety or difficulties  (Paul changed jobs because he couldn't stand the pressure) + on  (There are a lot of pressures on young people today.) under pressure  (You need to be able to work accurately under pressure. | pressure of work)  (Lou couldn't stay long because of pressure of work.) 5 pile on the pressure to increase the amount of pressure on someone  (Just when she was at her weakest, Martin started piling on the emotional pressure.) ~2 v to try to make someone do something by making them feel it is their duty to do it; pressurize BrE  (pressure sb into doing sth)  (I've been pressured into helping with the decorating. | pressure sb to do sth)