2. A mark made by pressure; an indentation; imprint; the
image or figure of anything, formed by pressure or as if
by pressure; result produced by pressure or influence.
The impresses of the insides of these shells.
--Woodward.
This weak impress of love is as a figure Trenched in
ice. --Shak.
3. Characteristic; mark of distinction; stamp. --South.
4. A device. See {Impresa}. --Cussans.
To describe . . . emblazoned shields, Impresses
quaint. --Milton.
5. [See {Imprest}, {Press} to force into service.] The act of
impressing, or taking by force for the public service;
compulsion to serve; also, that which is impressed.
Why such impress of shipwrights? --Shak.
{Impress gang}, a party of men, with an officer, employed to
impress seamen for ships of war; a press gang.
{Impress money}, a sum of money paid, immediately upon their
entering service, to men who have been impressed.