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push
[poosh]
verb (used with object)
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.
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.
to make (one's way) by thrusting obstacles aside.
She pushed her way through the crowd.
Synonyms: shoulderto cause to extend or project; thrust.
She pushed her arms into the robe's sleeves and straightened the lapels.
to press or urge to some action or course.
His mother pushed him to get a job.
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.
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.
to press the adoption, use, sale, etc., of.
The sales associates here are aggressive and push inferior merchandise on customers.
to press or bear hard upon, as in dealings with someone.
The prosecutor pushed him for an answer.
to put into difficulties because of the lack of something specified (usually followed byfor ).
I'd love to stay and chat, but I'm really pushed for time.
Slang., to peddle (illicit drugs).
Informal., to be approaching a specific age, speed, or the like.
The maestro is pushing ninety-two.
Photography., to modify (film processing) to compensate for underexposure.
verb (used without object)
to exert a thrusting force upon something.
Even if you push hard on the shelf, there's no give, thanks to its sturdy construction.
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.
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.
to extend or project; thrust.
The point of land pushed far out into the sea.
to put forth vigorous or persistent efforts.
If you really push, you might be a partner in the law firm within a few years.
Slang., to sell illicit drugs.
to move when pushed.
We swapped that heavy sliding door for a swinging door that pushes easily.
noun
the act of pushing; a shove or thrust.
She gave the toy car a quick push, and it sailed off the ramp.
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.
a determined advance against opposition, obstacles, etc..
One last push, and we'll be finished with the project.
a vigorous and determined military attack or campaign.
The big push began in April, when the troops were all gathered and equipped.
the pressure of circumstances, activities, etc.
Digital Technology., push notification.
Informal., persevering energy; enterprise.
You have the push, but you also need to sustain that energy for political commitment.
Informal., a crowd or company of people.
British., dismissal from a job; sack.
Australian Slang., a gang of hoodlums.
adjective
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
push around, to treat contemptuously and unfairly; bully.
She's not the kind of person who can be pushed around.
push on, to press forward; continue; proceed.
The pioneers, despite overwhelming obstacles, pushed on across the plains.
push back
to make the date or time of (an event) later than originally planned.
to oppose or resist a plan, action, statement, etc..
The board members are starting to push back against criticism from the public.
push off, to go away; depart.
We stopped in Denver for the night and were ready to push off again the following morning.
push
/ pʊʃ /
verb
to apply steady force to (something) in order to move it
to thrust (one's way) through something, such as a crowd, by force
to apply oneself vigorously (to achieving a task, plan, etc)
(tr) to encourage or urge (a person) to some action, decision, etc
to be an advocate or promoter (of)
to push for acceptance of one's theories
(tr) to use one's influence to help (a person)
to push one's own candidate
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
(tr) to take undue risks, esp through overconfidence, thus risking failure
to push one's luck
(intr) to act overconfidently
sport to hit (a ball) with a stiff pushing stroke
informal, (tr) to sell (narcotic drugs) illegally
(intr; foll by out, into, etc) (esp of geographical features) to reach or extend
the cliffs pushed out to the sea
(tr) to overdevelop (a photographic film), usually by the equivalent of up to two stops, to compensate for underexposure or increase contrast
slang, to be dead and buried
noun
the act of pushing; thrust
a part or device that is pressed to operate some mechanism
informal, ambitious or enterprising drive, energy, etc
informal, a special effort or attempt to advance, as of an army in a war
to make a push
informal, a number of people gathered in one place, such as at a party
slang, a group or gang, esp one considered to be a clique
sport a stiff pushing stroke
informal, with difficulty; only just
informal, dismissal, esp from employment
informal, when matters become critical; when a decision needs to be made
Other Word Forms
- outpush verb (used with object)
- unpushed adjective
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of push1
Idioms and Phrases
Example Sentences
And was pushing both of us to places that I wouldn’t have gone initially, risky places in these scenes.
“For over a decade, NeueHouse has served as a center of creativity, community, design and innovation where trailblazers have convened to push boundaries and discover new ideas,” said the board in a statement.
Despite the push, Max remains far behind its rivals - this week it claimed to have 30 million users.
Political cartooning is a dying art, usurped by illustrations that trade intelligent ribbing for low-brow button pushing — or, equally as startling, memes that require minimal effort to make.
Now, they have more depth and quality to push on.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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