Compress \Com*press"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Compressed}; p. pr &
   vb. n. {Compressing}.] [L. compressus, p. p. of comprimere to
   compress: com- + premere to press. See Press.]
   1. To press or squeeze together; to force into a narrower
      compass; to reduce the volume of by pressure; to compact;
      to condense; as, to compress air or water.
      
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            Events of centuries . . . compressed within the
            compass of a single life.             --D. Webster.
      
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            The same strength of expression, though more
            compressed, runs through his historical harangues.
                                                  --Melmoth.
      
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   2. To embrace sexually. [Obs.] --Pope.
      
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   3. (Computers) to reduce the space required for storage (of
      binary data) by an algorithm which converts the data to a
      smaller number of bits while preserving the information
      content. The compressed data is usually decompressed to
      recover the initial data format before subsequent use.
      [PJC]

   Syn: To crowd; squeeze; condense; reduce; abridge.
        
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Compressed \Com*pressed"\, a.
   1. Pressed together; compacted; reduced in volume by
      pressure.
      
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   2. (Bot.) Flattened lengthwise.
      
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   {Compressed-air engine}, an engine operated by the elastic
      force of compressed air.
      
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