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REPRESSED
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (adjective)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Characterized by or showing the suppression of impulses or emotions
Example:
repressed rage turned his face scarlet
Synonyms:
pent-up; repressed
Classified under:
Similar:
inhibited (held back or restrained or prevented)
II. (verb)
Sense 1
Past simple / past participle of the verb repress
Context examples:
Jo's face was very sober, but her eyes twinkled, and there was an odd sound in her voice of repressed emotion of some sort.
(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)
I will not swear, reader, that there was not something of repressed sarcasm both in the tone in which I uttered this sentence, and in the feeling that accompanied it.
(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)
She repressed a smile at sight of the red line that marked the chafe of the collar against the bronzed neck.
(Martin Eden, by Jack London)
It was true that she had not to charge herself, in this instance as in the former, with being the sole and original author of the mischief; with having suggested such feelings as might otherwise never have entered Harriet's imagination; for Harriet had acknowledged her admiration and preference of Frank Churchill before she had ever given her a hint on the subject; but she felt completely guilty of having encouraged what she might have repressed.
(Emma, by Jane Austen)
Some mothers might have encouraged the intimacy from motives of interest, for Edward Ferrars was the eldest son of a man who had died very rich; and some might have repressed it from motives of prudence, for, except a trifling sum, the whole of his fortune depended on the will of his mother.
(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)
Sir Thomas did not know what was wanting, because, though a truly anxious father, he was not outwardly affectionate, and the reserve of his manner repressed all the flow of their spirits before him.
(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)
Histone hyperacetylation usually characterizes active chromatin, while histone deacetylation correlates with repressed transcription.
(Gene Silencing Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)
If Jane repressed her for a little time, she soon began again; and though much that passed between them was in a half-whisper, especially on Mrs. Elton's side, there was no avoiding a knowledge of their principal subjects: The post-office—catching cold—fetching letters—and friendship, were long under discussion; and to them succeeded one, which must be at least equally unpleasant to Jane—inquiries whether she had yet heard of any situation likely to suit her, and professions of Mrs. Elton's meditated activity.
(Emma, by Jane Austen)
There was a twitch of Miss Betsey's head, after each of these sentences, as if her own old wrongs were working within her, and she repressed any plainer reference to them by strong constraint.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
She lost all concern for him in finding herself thus selected as the object of such idle and frivolous gallantry; and while she steadily repressed it, could not but feel the reproof contained in his believing, that however long, and for whatever cause, his attentions had been withdrawn, her vanity would be gratified, and her preference secured at any time by their renewal.
(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)
