push

[ poosh ]

verb (used with object)

1. to press upon or against (a person or thing):

   He pushed the doorbell a few times and heard it ring.

   You have to push the door open, not pull it.

2. to move (something or someone) in a specified way by exerting force; shove; drive:

   Just push the footstool aside if it's in your way.

3. to make (one's way) by thrusting obstacles aside:

   She pushed her way through the crowd.

   Synonyms: shoulder

4. to cause to extend or project; thrust:

   She pushed her arms into the robe's sleeves and straightened the lapels.

5. to press or urge to some action or course:

   His mother pushed him to get a job.

   Synonyms: impel, persuade

6. to press (an action, proposal, etc.) with energy and insistence:

   Legislators are redoubling their efforts to push a bill through Congress that would provide aid to struggling restaurant owners.

7. to carry (an action or thing) toward a conclusion or extreme:

   She pushed the project to completion.

   You're pushing your analogy to the point of absurdity.

8. to press the adoption, use, sale, etc., of:

   The sales associates here are aggressive and push inferior merchandise on customers.

9. to press or bear hard upon, as in dealings with someone:

   The prosecutor pushed him for an answer.

10. to put into difficulties because of the lack of something specified (usually followed by for ):

    I'd love to stay and chat, but I'm really pushed for time.

11. Slang. to peddle (illicit drugs).
12. Informal. to be approaching a specific age, speed, or the like:

    The maestro is pushing ninety-two.

13. Photography. to modify (film processing) to compensate for underexposure.

verb (used without object)

1. to exert a thrusting force upon something:

   Even if you push hard on the shelf, there's no give, thanks to its sturdy construction.

2. to use steady force in moving a thing away; shove:

   If you push while I steer, I think we can get the car out of the rut.

3. to make one's way with effort or persistence, as against difficulty or opposition:

   She pushed through the trees and came to a small clearing.

4. to extend or project; thrust:

   The point of land pushed far out into the sea.

5. to put forth vigorous or persistent efforts:

   If you really push, you might be a partner in the law firm within a few years.

6. Slang. to sell illicit drugs.
7. to move when pushed:

   We swapped that heavy sliding door for a swinging door that pushes easily.

noun

1. the act of pushing; a shove or thrust:

   She gave the toy car a quick push, and it sailed off the ramp.

2. a vigorous onset or effort:

   He didn't get the start he wanted in the race and had to make a push to catch up.

3. a determined advance against opposition, obstacles, etc.:

   One last push, and we'll be finished with the project.

4. a vigorous and determined military attack or campaign:

   The big push began in April, when the troops were all gathered and equipped.

5. the pressure of circumstances, activities, etc.
6. Digital Technology. push notification ( def ).
7. Informal. persevering energy; enterprise:

   You have the push, but you also need to sustain that energy for political commitment.

8. Informal. a crowd or company of people.
9. British. dismissal from a job; sack.
10. Australian Slang. a gang of hoodlums.

adjective

1. relating to or being a device, part, etc., that is powered, operated, or characterized by pushing:

   In push mode, the execution and delivery of the Web view are asynchronous, so the Web view can be returned to the client later.

   A small lawn can be tended with a push mower, but this quickly becomes impractical for larger ones.

verb phrase

1. to treat contemptuously and unfairly; bully:

   She's not the kind of person who can be pushed around.

2. to press forward; continue; proceed:

   The pioneers, despite overwhelming obstacles, pushed on across the plains.

3. 1. to make the date or time of (an event) later than originally planned.
   2. to oppose or resist a plan, action, statement, etc.:

      The board members are starting to push back against criticism from the public.

4. Informal. to go away; depart:

   We stopped in Denver for the night and were ready to push off again the following morning.

push

/ pʊʃ /

verb

1. whentr, often foll by off, away, etc to apply steady force to (something) in order to move it
2. to thrust (one's way) through something, such as a crowd, by force
3. whenintr,often foll by for to apply oneself vigorously (to achieving a task, plan, etc)
4. tr to encourage or urge (a person) to some action, decision, etc
5. whenintr,often foll by for to be an advocate or promoter (of)

   to push for acceptance of one's theories

6. tr to use one's influence to help (a person)

   to push one's own candidate

7. to bear upon (oneself or another person) in order to achieve more effort, better results, etc

   she was a woman who liked to push her husband

8. 1. tr to take undue risks, esp through overconfidence, thus risking failure

      to push one's luck

   2. intr to act overconfidently
9. sport to hit (a ball) with a stiff pushing stroke
10. informal.
    tr to sell (narcotic drugs) illegally
11. intr; foll by out, into, etc (esp of geographical features) to reach or extend

    the cliffs pushed out to the sea

12. tr to overdevelop (a photographic film), usually by the equivalent of up to two stops, to compensate for underexposure or increase contrast
13. push up daisies or push up the daisies slang.
    to be dead and buried

noun

1. the act of pushing; thrust
2. a part or device that is pressed to operate some mechanism
3. informal.
   ambitious or enterprising drive, energy, etc
4. informal.
   a special effort or attempt to advance, as of an army in a war

   to make a push

5. informal.
   a number of people gathered in one place, such as at a party
6. slang.
   a group or gang, esp one considered to be a clique
7. sport a stiff pushing stroke
8. at a push informal.
   with difficulty; only just
9. the push informal.
   dismissal, esp from employment
10. when push comes to shove informal.
    when matters become critical; when a decision needs to be made

Other Words From

• out·push verb (used with object)
• un·pushed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of push¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English pushen, poshen, posson (verb), from Middle French pousser, Old French po(u)lser, from Latin pulsāre “to batter, strike, make (strings) vibrate”; pulsate

Word History and Origins

Origin of push¹

C13: from Old French pousser, from Latin pulsāre, from pellere to drive

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. when / if push comes to shove, when or if matters are ultimately confronted or resolved; when or if a problem must be faced; in a crucial situation:

   If push comes to shove, the government will impose quotas on imports.

2. push one's luck. luck ( def 12 ).

Example Sentences

Sierra Club founder John Muir rhapsodized about the purity of wilderness, supporting the push to protect Yosemite’s lands from the “dirty” influence of the native tribes who inhabited it.

From Salon

Some journalists have wondered whether our lives could be in danger if we push back against Trump.

From Salon

Push to have Los Angeles declare itself a sanctuary city.

From Los Angeles Times

Grassroots activism can push back, lean in and go high when others go low.

From Los Angeles Times

Yet as urban and suburban sprawl continues to push communities further into fire-prone landscapes and climate change continues to worsen blazes, scientists and fire experts are fiercely debating what control homeowners really have over whether their home survives — or if it simply comes down to chance.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• accelerate
• bump
• depress
• drive
• force
• launch
• move
• nudge
• pressure
• propel
• shift
• shove