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pressgang

/ˈprɛsˌɡæŋ/
noun
  1. A historical group of men who forced others to join the navy or army against their will.
    • The pressgang was feared by many young men who wanted to avoid military service.
    • In the 18th century, a pressgang would roam the docks looking for sailors to kidnap.
    • Historians describe how the pressgang used violence to recruit unwilling soldiers.
verb
  1. To force someone to join a group or do something against their will.
    • Don't let anyone pressgang you into a decision you're not ready for.
    • They felt pressganged into signing the contract without reading it.
    • The manager tried to pressgang volunteers into working overtime.
Synonyms
conscriptcoerce
What does "pressgang" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean