push-up

[ poosh-uhp ]

noun

1. an exercise in which a person, keeping a prone position with the hands palms down under the shoulders, the balls of the feet on the ground, and the back straight, pushes the body up and lets it down by an alternate straightening and bending of the arms.

adjective

1. (of a brassiere) having padding and usually underwires in the lower part of the cups so as to raise the breasts and make them seem fuller.
2. (of a sleeve) made to be pushed up the arm, away from the wrist or elbow, so as to create a puffed or creased fullness.

push-up

noun

1. an exercise in which the body is alternately raised from and lowered to the floor by the arms only, the trunk being kept straight with the toes and hands resting on the floor Also called (in Britain and certain other countries)press-up

Word History and Origins

Origin of push-up¹

First recorded in 1905–10; noun use of verb phrase push up

Example Sentences

These big events do nothing to push up the popularity of the royal family, but they do a lot for us, for us it's all good news.

From The Daily Beast

I made a mental note to wear a push-up bra for the rest of my time in Turkey.

From The Daily Beast

The $16 plastic frame appears to push up into the eyelid cover to separate it from the lid.

From The Daily Beast

One of these clips inside your nostrils to “push up the bones and contours of your nose,” slimming it.

From The Daily Beast

As they enter the city, creatives push up rents, displacing local stores and residents.

From The Daily Beast

Tell yourself that you'll be able to push up fifty times from the ground before you come out.

From Project Gutenberg

When Ney and Sebastiani began on the twentieth to push up the south bank of the Aube, they expected no opposition.

From Project Gutenberg

Oh, probably the water isn't very deep; they can push up part way, and then wade.

From Project Gutenberg

Porter made no effort to push up the Warrenton turnpike, followed by the divisions of King and Reynolds.

From Project Gutenberg

Out of the woods in front the enemy were swarming like angry bees in clouds of skirmishers, and beginning to push up the slope.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• climb
• grow
• lift
• move up
• push up
• rocket
• soar
• surge