Meaning of press into service | Babel Free

Definitions

To make someone perform a task or duty, especially one they are not prepared or willing to do; to make something serve a function, especially one it was not designed or intended for.

idiomatic

Examples

“Anyone with basic first-aid training was pressed into service as a triage nurse after the earthquake.”

“In essence, the book gives a step-by-step account of how the author built, modified and developed his own⟳ 6-inch Newtonian reflector, pressing into service such materials as old larder shelves, a car halfshaft, pieces of Meccano, and several coffee-jar tops.”

“Even the molds don't have⟳ to be expensive — most plastic bins, bowls or drawer dividers can be pressed into service, though silicone molds are readily available.”

“The chances are that you have⟳ nearly everything you need⟳ to start⟳ up your business already somewhere around your home. […] You can press⟳ into service a garage, loft, spare⟳ bedroom or garden shed⟳ for a whole host⟳ of business-related takes from holding stock⟳ to being a dedicated office space away from the normal hustle of home life.”

CEFR level