adjective
- ready or prepared
Usage: archaic
verb
- to force into military service
Usage: archaic; nautical
Examples
- The soldiers stood prest for battle at dawn.
- He was prest into service aboard the naval vessel.
- The captain ordered his men to be prest and ready.
- Many sailors were prest against their will during wartime.
- The crew remained prest throughout the long voyage.
- Young men were often prest into the king’s navy.