Crossword Genius

Compulsion to work and press together when speaking (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

need

'compulsion' is the definition.
(a compulsion is a need to do something)

'to work and press together when speaking' is the wordplay.
'to work and press together' becomes 'knead' (as in kneading dough).
'when speaking' indicates a 'sounds like' (homophone) clue.
'knead' is a homophone of 'NEED'.

(Other definitions for need that I've seen before include "Require; want" , "Lack - demand" , "What's lacking" , "''A friend in .... is a friend indeed''" , "state of distress" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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