was pressing, was holding tightly against, was urgent, was bombarding (someone with questions)
On le pressait de questions.
He was being bombarded with questions.
J'étais le petit centre chaud contre lequel on se pressait.
I was the little warm center everyone huddled around.
— Fight Club (1999)
Ça ne pressait pas.
There was no rush.
— Nos années sauvages (1990)
Le temps pressait.
Time was running out.
— Alien³ (1992)
Elle pressait son nez contre la vitre.
She pressed her nose against the window.