ˈpress-ˌmoney, † ˈprest-ˌmoney Now only Hist.
Also 6 presse-, 7 pressed-.
[Orig. prest-money, f. prest n.1 + money.
The change to press-money may have been at first a phonetic simplification, the t between two consonants being squeezed out, as in OE. blóstma, blósma, blossom, Christmas (ˈkrɪsməs), Christ-cross, criss-cross, etc.; this would naturally encourage association with the notion of pressing and pressure, as in press v.2 Cf. the 17th c. spelling pressed-money, as if money paid to men when pressed. (Some 17th c. etymologists fancifully derived the name from prest a., and explained it as money paid to men for being ‘prepared’ or ‘ready’ for service.)]
1. Money advanced, a loan; esp. to the sovereign in an emergency; = prest n.1 1.
| α 1560–1 Newcastle Guilds (Surtees) 89 An act mayd for the payment of the prest [mispr. press] money. [Cf. quots. 1560–1 in prest n.1 1 and prest v.1 1.] |
2. Money paid in advance for work undertaken, or expenses to be incurred;
= prest n.1 3.
| α 1445 Order Queen's Coronation in Rymer Fœdera (1710) XI. 83 That ye Deliver under oure saide Tresorer..in Prest Moneye the some of Five Hundred Pounds. 1539 in Househ. Ord. (1790) 228 The said Cofferer shall give prest money beforehand to every of the said Purveyors. 1604 Ibid. 309 Item, that the Cofferer doe give Prest-Money before hand to Our Purvayers. |
3. Earnest-money paid to a sailor or soldier on his enlistment, the acceptance of which was the legal proof of his engagement; ‘the King's (or Queen's) shilling’;
= prest n.1 4.
| α 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. cccxc. 667 Then it was ordayned..to gyue all maner of men of warre lycence to go thyder [to Spain]; And the kyng delyuered them their first prest money. 1545 St. Papers Hen. VIII, I. 792 Master Hugh Stuycklye..hathe..laid owt certen summes of monye for the conduyt and prest monye of such maryners as he towke up to go to Portesmouthe. 1548 Elyot Dict., Authoramentum,..also earnest money, wages or hyre, preast money. 1555 Philpot in Foxe A. & M. (1583) 1833/1 They haue taken his prest money a great while, and now let them shew themselues readye to serue hym faythfully. 1600 Holland Livy ii. xxiv. 59 The comminaltie..encouraged one another not to take prest-monie, or to enter their names in the muster-masters book. 1619 Dalton Country Just. cvii. (1630) 280 Souldiers entered of Record and having taken prest Money. 1633 D. R[ogers] Treat. Sacram. i. 170 Baptisme is our prest-mony to bind us to Christ in all estates to be his souldiers. 1666 Pepys Diary 30 June, He had not money to pay the pressed-money to the men. 1710 J. Harris Lex. Techn. II, Prest Money,..is Money given to Soldiers when they are Prest: and binds such as receive it to be ready at command at all Times appointed. |
| β 1585 Founders' Comp. (MS.) Acct. Books, Imprimis payd the xvjth day of aprill unto them in presse monye..iiij s. Ibid., Itm. payd unto gefferaye voo the xxiiijt of Iuly ffor Presse monye..xij d. 1595 Locrine ii. ii, Thra. My captain and the cobler so hard at it? Sirs, what is your quarrell? Capt. Nothing sir, but that he will not take presse⁓mony. 1649 G. Daniel Trinarch., Hen. V, ccxcix, The Subtle traps Of Pay, or Press-money. a 1659 Bp. Brownrig Serm. (1674) II. xxiii. 294 'Tis like Press-money, if once thou receivest it, thou art bound to do service. 1689 Royal Proclam. 29 Apr. in Lond. Gaz. No. 2450/2 Nevertheless His Majesty is informed, that several Mariners,..Press'd for His Service, and having received Press-Money, do neglect to repair to, and desert the said Service. 1714 Gay What D'ye Call It ii. ii, Here—Peascod, take my pouch—'tis all I own... 'Tis my press money—can this silver fail? a 1720 Sewel Hist. Quakers (1722) ii. 41 The Justices..resolved to press him for a Soldier..and Bennet sent Constables to give him Press-Money. |