press gang

Thân thiện

A press gang seizes a man on the docks at night.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A group authorized to compel civilians into military or naval service: A "press gang" refers to an official detachment, historically used by the British Royal Navy, with the legal power to seize men and force them to serve as sailors.
   • Any group that coerces people into service or participation: By extension, it can describe any group that uses forceful or high-pressure tactics to make people join an activity or organization.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • In the 18th century, a press gang boarded the merchant ship and took half the crew.
  • The charity event organizers were so desperate for volunteers they acted like a press gang.

Advanced Usage

• Used as a verb phrase ("to press-gang"): To force or coerce someone into doing something.
  • I didn't want to join the committee, but they press-ganged me into it.
  • She was press-ganged into helping with the school play.

Variants and Related Words

• To press (verb, historical): The act of forcing someone into naval or military service.
  • He was pressed into service aboard a warship.
• Impressment (noun): The historical practice of forcing men into naval service.
  • Impressment was a common cause of complaint among sailors.

Synonyms

• Conscription detail: A group enforcing compulsory military service.
• Enforcement squad: A group tasked with compelling compliance.
• Shanghaiers (historical, informal): Those who kidnap men to serve as sailors.

Related Phrases

• To be shanghaied: To be kidnapped or coerced into service, especially on a ship (closely related in meaning and historical context).
  • The sailor claimed he had been shanghaied in port.

Related Idioms

• Press into service: To force someone or something to be used for a purpose.
  • With so many guests, even the children were pressed into service to help in the kitchen.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a detachment empowered to force civilians to serve in the army or navy