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oppress

verb

  1. to burden with cruel or unjust impositions
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Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /əˈpɹɛs/

noun

Etymology: From Middle English oppressen, from Old French oppresser, from Medieval Latin oppressare (“to press against, oppress”), frequentative of Latin opprimere, past participle oppressus (“to press against, press together, oppress”), from ob (“against”) + premere, past participle pressus (“to press”); see press.

  1. Oppression.

verb

Etymology: From Middle English oppressen, from Old French oppresser, from Medieval Latin oppressare (“to press against, oppress”), frequentative of Latin opprimere, past participle oppressus (“to press against, press together, oppress”), from ob (“against”) + premere, past participle pressus (“to press”); see press.

  1. To keep down by unjust force.

    The rural poor were oppressed by the land-owners.

  2. To make sad or gloomy.

    We were oppressed by the constant grey skies.

  3. Physically to press down on (someone) with harmful effects; to smother, crush.

    Most mercilesse of women, VVyden hight, / Her other sonne fast sleeping did oppresse, / And with most cruell hand him murdred pittilesse.

  4. To sexually violate; to rape.