COMPRESS Copy link • COMPRESS 1. s. (in surgery) penicillus or penicillum. to put a compress on, penicillum superimponere. 2. v. comprimere. condensare (to make tight). To compress matter (in a book, speech, etc.), coartare (or coarctare): coartare et peranguste refercire (to compress in a narrow compass, Cic.: opposed to dilatare atque explicare): astringere (e.g., argumenta, Quint.): To compress many subjects into one book, plura in unum librum coartare.