shove
/ʃʌv
/verb [with object]
1Push (someone or something) roughly: police started pushing and shoving people down the street [no object]: kids pushed, kicked, and shoved...
- Prisoners were pushing and shoving each other trying to get a better view of what was going on.
- As I stand in shock, Riley pushes me to the side and then forcefully shoves me into a chair.
- Finally, he was shoved down into a chair and his ankles were handcuffed to the legs of the chairs.
Synonyms
push, thrust, propel, impel;
send, press, drive, plunge, stick, force, shoot, ram, barge, bump, knock, strike, hit, jolt, butt, prod, poke, nudge, elbow, shoulder;
bulldoze, sweep, jostle, bundle, hustle, hurry, rush, manhandle
1.1 [no object, with adverbial of direction] Make one’s way by pushing someone or something: Woolley shoved past him...
- The children shoved past him - pushing him back into his hallway - jeering and swearing.
- Blue yanked her coat on, shoving past them and locking the door with fumbling fingers.
- She glared at him and shoved past him, throwing open the door to the women's restroom.
Synonyms
push (one's way), force one's way, barge (one's way), elbow (one's way), shoulder one's way, muscle, bludgeon one's way, plunge, crash, bulldoze, sweep, bundle, hustle, hurry, rush
1.2 [with object and adverbial of place] Put (something) somewhere carelessly or roughly: she shoved the books into her briefcase...
- I just picked up all my books and shoved them into my locker as fast as my body could work.
- Ryan tossed his black messenger bag on the desk and shoved his binder and books into it.
- Sara shoved her math books on the shelf and stuffed a blue lunchbag into her backpack.
1.3 (shove it) informal Used to express angry dismissal of something: I told the selectors to shove it...
- This is why an artist should do their own thing, and tell their managers to shove it when they offer ‘helpful’ advice.
- And I have had other people talking about me being just, you know, disgusting and they can shove it.
- What did you think of your stepmother telling somebody to shove it?
noun
A strong push: she gave him a hefty shove and he nearly fell...
- With a strong shove, they were pushed away from the dock and out into the murky waters.
- With a strong shove, he slides the book over to her.
- Jamie gave Alex a shove in the shoulder, pushing him toward the side gate.
Synonyms
push, thrust, barge, ram, bump, bang, jolt, butt, knock, prod, poke, nudge, elbow, shoulder, jostle
Phrasal verbs
shove off
shove up
Origin
Old English scūfan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch schuiven and German schieben, also to shuffle.