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I’m reading a manual right now instructing one to “press” the enter key.

However, both press and depress appear to be correct, as explained in the question Why is the term "depressed" often used to describe a button which is pressed?

  • Click “submit” or press the enter key.
  • Click “submit” or depress the enter key.

I know that depress is the less commonly used one of these two, at least as a verb). But technically speaking, which is the more correct word to use?

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Othya
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  • I've read that question and the answers. I am not asking if the word is a valid word to use; I'm asking which one is technically the more correct one? – Othya Jul 22 '14 at 16:53
  • What research have you already done? Perhaps you could include that in the question too. – Andrew Leach Jul 22 '14 at 16:56
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    You are making several assumptions here. One is that “correctness” even makes any sense here. Another is that “correctness” is not a “true-or-false” state but rather a gradable condition in which one alternative can be more correct than the second. Finally, you are assuming that there even can be a “right” answer to your question, one whose “technical correctness” (whatever that means) can be somehow demonstrated through some feat of logic or via reference to some dispositive rule-book, and that this matters. It turns out that none of these assumptions are particularly sound. – tchrist Jul 22 '14 at 17:47

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