French word

empresser

Pronunciation

IPA/ɑ̃pʁɛse/

Meaning

  • verbhurry

Example

Elle s'empresse de répondre.

She hurries to reply.

Illustration for empresser (hurry)

More examples

Il s'est empressé de faire asseoir les invités.

He urged the guests to sit down.

Core concept

Pressure from behind makes a person move toward an immediate action.

Common phrases

  • s'empresser de

    hurry to ___

  • empresser quelqu'un de

    urge someone to ___

Similar words

se dépêcher: To act quickly so as not to fall behind schedule.
se presser: To hurry through an action with little delay.

Definition in French

Transitif : presser ou pousser quelqu'un à agir plus vite. Pronominal (s'empresser de + infinitif) : se hâter de faire quelque chose.

Word origin

The verb comes from Middle French empresser, formed with en- and presser, which derives from Latin premere, 'to press'.

Usage tips

  • The pronominal construction s'empresser de + infinitive is more formal than se dépêcher de + infinitive and often appears in polite written replies.

Other meanings

  • urgeverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word