Meaning of repress in English

Table of contents
  1. Pronunciation
  2. Verb
    1. Etymology
    2. Definitions

  1. Pronunciation

    /rəˈprɛs/

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  1. Verb

    repress

    Etymology

    Middle English (in the sense ‘keep back something objectionable’): from Latin repress-‘pressed back, checked’, from the verb reprimere, from re-‘back’ + premere‘to press’

    Definitions

    1. put down by force or intimidation

    Examples

    • « The government quashes any attempt of an uprising »
    • « China keeps down her dissidents very efficiently »
    • « The rich landowners subjugated the peasants working the land »

    Derived terms

  2. 2. conceal or hide

    Examples

    • « smother a yawn »
    • « muffle one's anger »
    • « strangle a yawn »

    Derived terms

  3. 3. put out of one's consciousness

    Derived terms

Famous quotes

  • « Little progress can be made by merely attempting to repress what is evil. Our great hope lies in developing what is good. »
    Calvin Coolidge
  • « The oppressed are allowed once every few years to decide which particular representatives of the oppressing class are to represent and repress them in parliament. »
    Vladimir Lenin
  • « My hope is that the Chinese government will come to realise that it is futile to repress free speech, and that contrary to what they believe a regime's strength rests not its suppression of a plurality of opinions and ideas, but in its capacity and willingness to encourage them. »
    Ma Jian

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