Meaning
High blood pressure — 'di pressure' — one of the most talked-about health complaints in Jamaica, blamed for dizziness, headaches, and strokes. To 'have pressure' or for the pressure to 'go up' is a constant worry among older people, managed with tablets, less salt, and bush teas said to bring it down, such as soursop leaf and breadfruit leaf. By extension, 'pressure' also means stress and the hardship of a hard life bearing down on you.
Examples
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Di doctor seh mi have pressure.
The doctor says I have high blood pressure.
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Nuh eat too much salt, it raise yuh pressure.
Don't eat too much salt, it raises your blood pressure.
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Di whole a life a pure pressure.
All of life is pure stress.
Origin
From 'blood pressure', clipped to 'pressure'; hypertension, and by extension stress. See [[sugar]], [[bush-tea]].
How it’s used
High blood pressure ('di pressure'); by extension, stress/hardship. See [[sugar]], [[breadfruit-leaf]].