a strong metal pot with a tight lid (= cover), that cooks food quickly by steam under high pressure Topics Cooking and eatingc2高压锅;压力锅 a situation that is difficult or dangerous because people are likely to become anxious or violent 一触即发的危险局势;剑拔弩张的形势 I needed to get away from the pressure cooker atmosphere of the campus during finals week. 我需要在期末考试周远离校园的高压锅氛围。 They performed wonders in keeping the lid on the pressure cooker of a rapidly rising jail population. 他们创造了奇迹,为迅速增长的监狱人口盖上了高压锅的盖子。