to press upon or against (a thing) with force in order to move it away.
to move (something) in a specified way by exerting force; shove; drive: to push something aside; to push the door open.
to effect or accomplish by thrusting obstacles aside: to push one's way through the crowd.
to cause to extend or project; thrust.
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: to push a bill through Congress.
to carry (an action or thing) toward a conclusion or extreme: She pushed the project to completion.
to press the adoption, use, sale, etc., of: to 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 by for): to be 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.
to use steady force in moving a thing away; shove.
to make one's way with effort or persistence, as against difficulty or opposition.
to extend or project; thrust: The point of land pushed far out into the sea.
to put forth vigorous or persistent efforts.
Slang. to sell illicit drugs.
to move on being pushed: a swinging door that pushes easily.
noun
the act of pushing; a shove or thrust.
a contrivance or part to be pushed in order to operate a mechanism.
a vigorous onset or effort.
a determined advance against opposition, obstacles, etc.
a vigorous and determined military attack or campaign: The big push began in April.
the pressure of circumstances, activities, etc.
Informal. persevering energy; enterprise.
Informal. a crowd or company of people.
British. dismissal from a job; sack.
AustralianSlang. a gang of hoodlums.
Verb Phrases
push around,to treat contemptuously and unfairly; bully: She's not the kind of person who can be pushed around.
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,Informal. to go away; depart: We stopped at Denver for the night and were ready to push off again the following morning.
push on,to press forward; continue; proceed: The pioneers, despite overwhelming obstacles, pushed on across the plains.
Idioms for push
push one's luck. luck (def. 12).
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.
Origin of push
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English pushen, poshen, posson (verb) <Middle French pousser, Old French po(u)lser, from Latin pulsāre. See pulsate
SYNONYMS FOR push
3 shoulder.
5 persuade, impel.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR push ON THESAURUS.COM
OTHER WORDS FROM push
outpush,verb (used with object)un·pushed,adjective
Many of them plan to help finance the latest push for new, K-12 curriculum.
Online learning provider Everfi makes $100 million commitment for curriculum that pushes for social change|Michal Lev-Ram, writer|September 15, 2020|Fortune
The United States already has more carbon-capture facilities than any other country in the world and could seize global market leadership with a concerted innovation push from the government.
To confront the climate crisis, the US should launch a National Energy Innovation Mission|Amy Nordrum|September 15, 2020|MIT Technology Review
Though the 2019 study observed that the watch tended to undercount wheelchair pushes, I found that the watch tended to overestimate my number of pushes slightly.
Smart Watches Could Do More For Wheelchair Users|John Loeppky|September 4, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
Even so, buyers say the push to constantly replan as well as to generate “good results” for clients even with economic uncertainty has been draining.
‘Seemingly nonstop’: Constant requests to replan and retool campaigns is getting to media buyers|Kristina Monllos|September 2, 2020|Digiday
The smaller HomePod will help Apple renew its push into the smart home at a lower price, albeit with fewer speakers inside the device than the current $299 model.
Apple is prepping 75 million 5G iPhones for later this year|radmarya|September 1, 2020|Fortune
Instead, straighten your civic backbone and push back in clear conscience.
Why We Stand With Charlie Hebdo—And You Should Too|John Avlon|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In Afghanistan, there was a push to take back the southern province Helmand.
Pentagon Doesn’t Know How Many People It’s Killed in the ISIS War|Nancy A. Youssef|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Doubling down on Schedule I is, at best, a deranged way to push Americans away from “medical,” and toward recreational, use.
Obama’s Pot Policy Is Refer Madness|James Poulos|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
After some animated debate at the conference, Lelaie declared, with some frustration, “If you push on the stick, you will fly.”
Flight 8501 Poses Question: Are Modern Jets Too Automated to Fly?|Clive Irving|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Slowly, two were opened up, and in 2010 the regional government opened all four Brogpa villages in a push for tourism.
The Himalayas’ Hidden Aryans|Nina Strochlic|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Just then Mr. Blacksnake wedged his head in under the old log and began to push and wriggle harder than ever.
Mother West Wind's Animal Friends|Thornton W. Burgess
The horses stopped and made no attempt to push against the ropes.
Jack the Young Cowboy|George Bird Grinnell
Marston saw Wyndham run aft and push the Kroo from the wheel, but this was the last he saw clearly for sometime.
Wyndham's Pal|Harold Bindloss
But just then Mrs. Ogilvie gave Helen Douglas so severe a push with her foot, that she stopped, and got very red.
Daddy's Girl|L. T. Meade
If anyone should push through that protecting fringe of growth, he would be looking directly down on the two lads.
The Secret Cache|E. C. [Ethel Claire] Brill
British Dictionary definitions for push
push
/ (pʊʃ) /
verb
(when tr, often foll by off, away, etc) to apply steady force to (something) in order to move it
to thrust (one's way) through something, such as a crowd, by force
(when intr, often foll by for) to apply oneself vigorously (to achieving a task, plan, etc)
(tr)to encourage or urge (a person) to some action, decision, etc
(when intr, often foll by for) 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, etcshe was a woman who liked to push her husband
(tr)to take undue risks, esp through overconfidence, thus risking failureto push one's luck
(intr)to act overconfidently
sportto hit (a ball) with a stiff pushing stroke
(tr)informalto sell (narcotic drugs) illegally
(intr; foll by out, into, etc)(esp of geographical features) to reach or extendthe 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
push up daisiesorpush up the daisiesslangto be dead and buried
noun
the act of pushing; thrust
a part or device that is pressed to operate some mechanism
informalambitious or enterprising drive, energy, etc
informala special effort or attempt to advance, as of an army in a warto make a push
informala number of people gathered in one place, such as at a party
Australianslanga group or gang, esp one considered to be a clique
sporta stiff pushing stroke
at a pushinformalwith difficulty; only just
the pushinformal, mainlyBritishdismissal, esp from employment
when push comes to shoveinformalwhen matters become critical; when a decision needs to be made
See also push about, push along, push in, push off, push on, push through
Word Origin for push
C13: from Old French pousser, from Latin pulsāre, from pellere to drive