Sentence:  If the distant patron of the suburban branch has been frightened away from downtown by traffic problems , however , the city store can only <WSD>pressure</WSD> the politicians to do something about the highways or await the completion of the federal highway program . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  to cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means :"She forced him to take a job in the city"