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Compress vs Plaster - What's the difference?

compress | plaster | Related terms |

In transitive terms the difference between compress and plaster

is that compress is to abridge while plaster is to hide or cover up, as if with plaster.

compress

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) compresser, from compressare 'to press hard/together', from compressus, the past participle of comprimere 'to compress', itself from com- 'together' + premere 'to press'

Verb

  • To make smaller; to press or squeeze together, or to make something occupy a smaller space or volume.
    • The force required to compress a spring varies linearly with the displacement.
  • * D. Webster
    • events of centuries compressed within the compass of a single life
  • * Melmoth
    • The same strength of expression, though more compressed , runs through his historical harangues.
  • To be pressed together or folded by compression into a more economic, easier format.
    • ''Our new model compresses easily, ideal for storage and travel
  • To condense into a more economic, easier format.
    • This chart compresses the entire audit report into a few lines on a single diagram.
  • To abridge.
    • If you try to compress the entire book into a three-sentence summary, you will lose a lot of information.
  • (technology) To make digital information smaller by encoding it using fewer bits.
  • (obsolete) To embrace sexually.
    • (Alexander Pope)
    Synonyms
    * (press together ): compact, condense, pack, press, squash, squeeze * (be pressed together ): contract * (condense, abridge ): abridge, condense, shorten, truncate
    Antonyms
    * (press together ): expand * (be pressed together ): decontract * (condense, abridge ): expand, lengthen * (make computing data smaller ): uncompress
    Derived terms
    * compressed * compressed air * compressedly * compressibility * compressible * compression * compressive * compressive strength * compressor * decompress
    Related terms
    * compression

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) compresse, from compresser 'to compress', from Late (etyl) compressare 'to press hard/together', from compressus, the past participle of comprimere 'to compress', itself from com- 'together' + premere 'to press'

    Noun

    (es)
  • A multiply folded piece of cloth, a pouch of ice etc., used to apply to a patient's skin, cover the dressing of wounds, and placed with the aid of a bandage to apply pressure on an injury.
    • He held a cold compress over the sprain.
  • A machine for compressing
    • Related terms
    * compression

    plaster

    English

    (wikipedia plaster)

    Alternative forms

    * plaister * plastre (obsolete)

    Noun

  • (uncountable) A paste applied to the skin for healing or cosmetic purposes.
  • (countable, New Zealand, British) A small adhesive bandage to cover a minor wound; a sticking plaster.
  • (uncountable) A mixture of lime or gypsum, sand, and water, sometimes with the addition of fibres, that hardens to a smooth solid and is used for coating walls and ceilings.
  • (countable) A cast made of plaster of Paris and gauze; plaster cast.
  • (uncountable) plaster of Paris.

    • Derived terms

    * plasterboard * gypsum plaster * plaster cast * plaster lath * plaster and lath; lath and plaster

    See also

    * cement board * lath * gypsum board * gyprock * sheetrock * wallboard * drywall

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To cover or coat something with plaster, or apply a plaster.
    • Her face was plastered in mud.
  • To hide or cover up, as if with plaster.
    • The radio station plastered the buses and trains with its advertisement.

    Derived terms

    * court-plaster * plasterboard * plastered * plasterer

    See also

    * drywall * sheetrock

    Anagrams

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