press into service

press someone or something into service

to force someone or something to serve or function. I don't think you can press him into service just yet. He isn't trained. I think that in an emergency, we could press this machine into service.

See also: press, service

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press somebody into service

to persuade or force someone to do something Murphy pressed his sister into service to do the research.

See also: press, service

press something into service

to use something for an unusual purpose A few buses and trucks were pressed into service, but the vast majority of refugees walked.

See also: press, service