ˈpress-work
[f. press n.1 + work n.]
1. The work and management of a printing-press; the printing off on paper, etc. of what has been ‘composed’ or set up in type; the result of this, the work turned out from a press, esp. from the point of view of its quality.
| 1771 Luckombe Hist. Print. 47 His excellent method of disposition, composition, and press-work. Ibid. 52 His first works..resemble the press-work of Worde and Pinson. 1832 Babbage Econ. Manuf. xxi. (ed. 3) 208 The press-work, or printing off, is charged at a price agreed upon for each two hundred and fifty sheets. 1867 Brande & Cox Dict. Sc., etc. s.v., By fine presswork is meant work printed with the best paper and ink, and with the utmost care at a hand press. 1896 T. L. De Vinne Moxon's Mech. Exerc., Printing 412 The new method has..cheapened common presswork.., but it has not bettered the presswork of books. |
2. Literary work done for the press; journalistic work.
| 1888 Barrie When a Man's Single v, His first press-work had been a series of letters he had written when at school, and contributed to a local paper. |
3. a. Pottery. The making of ware by pressing the clay into moulds.
| 1839 Ure Dict. Arts 1012 A great variety of pottery wares..are made by two different methods, the one called press-work, and the other casting. The press-work is done in moulds made of Paris plaster... All vessels of an oval form, and such as have flat sides, are made in this way. |
b. The pressing or drawing of metal into a shaped hollow die; a piece of metal shaped by such means.
| 1896 O. Smith Press-Working of Metals i. 14 In press-work the metal is sometimes heated as in forging, but in the great majority of cases it is handled cold. 1903 Engineering 16 Jan. p. v (Index), Press work for sheet metal. 1904 Ibid. 22 Jan. 132/3 We illustrate below a very remarkable specimen of ‘press’ work... The barrel shown..has been drawn out of a steel-plate 1/24th of an inch in thickness. 1941 C. W. Hinman Pressworking of Metals i. 1 Today, it is a wonder how the past generation ever produced any satisfactory presswork. 1963 Bird & Hutton-Stott Veteran Motor Car 82 This was a most remarkable piece of presswork and comprised a complete chassis..of deep-section side girders, upswept over the rear axle. |
4. Joinery. (See quot.)
| 1875 Knight Dict. Mech., Press-work.., cabinet work of a number of successive veneers crossing grain, and united by glue, heat, and pressure. |
Hence as v. trans., to shape (metal) in this way; usu. as pres. pple.; so ˈpress-working vbl. n.
| 1896 O. Smith (title) Press-working of metals. Ibid. v. 120 It is taken for granted that the materials employed for press-working..must be to some considerable degree in a malleable or ductile physical condition. 1941 C. W. Hinman Pressworking of Metals vi. 62 (heading) Press-working nonmetallic materials. 1949 Tool Engineers Handbk. (Amer. Soc. Tool Engineers) lxxiii. 1058 Heated dies are used in the pressworking of brass and magnesium. 1958 Eary & Reed (title) Techniques of pressworking sheet metal. |