Online OXFORD Collocation Dictionary

pressure noun

¹ force produced by pressing

ADJ. gentle, light | firm | downward

VERB + PRESSURE apply, put | reduce

² force of a gas or liquid

ADJ. high, low | air, blood, water an instrument for measuring blood pressure | atmospheric, barometric

PRESSURE + VERB build up, increase, rise | ease, fall

³ cause of worry

ADJ. considerable, constant, intolerable, undue, unrelenting | commercial, competitive, economic, financial, political, social The economic pressures on small businesses are intense.

VERB + PRESSURE place/put sb under | cope with, withstand | escape, get away (from) It's an ideal place in which to relax and escape the pressures of modern life. | reduce

PRESSURE + VERB build up, increase

PREP. under ~ He's felt under pressure since his wife had the operation. | ~ on There's a lot of pressure on the soldiers preparing for battle.

PHRASES pressure of work The holiday was a welcome relief from the pressure of work.

⁴ attempt to persuade/influence sb

ADJ. enormous, great, intense, strong, tremendous There is intense pressure on her to resign. | growing, increasing, mounting | popular The government bowed to popular pressure and repealed the law. | peer, peer-group She started smoking because of peer pressure.

VERB + PRESSURE bring to bear, exert, place/put (sb under) This concession would not have happened but for the pressure that was brought to bear on the authorities. My parents never put any pressure on me to get a job. | be brought under, be under, come under, face Hospital staff are coming under pressure to work longer hours. | resist, withstand | bow to, give in to, respond to The editor bowed to pressure from his staff, and the article was suppressed.

PRESSURE + VERB intensify, mount

PRESSURE + NOUN group

PREP. under ~ Management is under pressure to set an example on pay restraint. | ~ for pressure for change in the country's economy | ~ from pressure from religious groups | ~ on pressure on foreign diplomats