push

push¹ W2S1 [puʃ] v

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1¦(move)¦

2¦(button/switch)¦

3¦(try to get past)¦

4¦(encourage)¦

5¦(persuade)¦

6¦(change)¦

7¦(increase/decrease)¦

8¦(army)¦

9¦(advertise)¦

10¦(drugs)¦

11 be pushing 40/50 etc

12 push your luck/push it

13 push something out of your mind

14 push (somebody's) buttons

15 push the boat out

16 push the point

17 push the envelope

18 be pushing up (the) daisies

Phrasal verbs

　push ahead

　push along

　push somebody around

　push somebody/something aside

　push yourself forward

　push in

　push off

　push on

　push somebody/something<=>over

　push something<=>through

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[Date: 1300-1400; : Old French; Origin: poulser 'to hit, push', from Latin pulsare, from pellere 'to drive, hit']

1.) ¦(MOVE)¦ [I and T]

to make someone or something move by pressing them with your hands, arms etc

≠ ↑pull

▪ It didn't move, so she pushed harder.

▪ I promised to push him on the swings for as long as he wanted.

▪ shoppers pushing their grocery carts

push sb/sth away/back/aside etc

▪ She pushed him away.

▪ Maria pushed her hair back from her forehead.

push sb/sth towards/into etc sth

▪ Philip pushed him towards the door.

push sth open/shut

▪ I slowly pushed the door open.

2.) ¦(BUTTON/SWITCH)¦ [I and T]

to press a button, switch etc in order to make a piece of equipment start or stop working

= ↑press

▪ I got in and pushed the button for the fourth floor.

▪ Push the green button to start the engine.

3.) ¦(TRY TO GET PAST)¦

to use your hands, arms etc to make people or things move, so that you can get past them

▪ Don't push. Everyone will get a turn.

push (your way) past/through/into etc

▪ A fat man pushed past me in his rush to leave.

▪ She pushed her way to the front.

4.) ¦(ENCOURAGE)¦ [T]

to encourage or force someone to do something or to work hard

▪ Encourage your kids to try new things, but try not to push them too hard .

▪ athletes who push their bodies to the limit

push yourself

▪ He's been pushing himself too hard, working 12-hour days.

push sb into (doing) sth

▪ My husband pushed me into leaving the job.

push sb to do sth

▪ The teachers pushed the students to achieve.

5.) ¦(PERSUADE)¦ [I and T]

to try to persuade people to accept your ideas, opinions etc in order to achieve something

▪ The president is trying to push his agenda in Congress.

push for

▪ He was pushing hard for welfare reform.

push to do sth

▪ Company representatives are pushing to open foreign markets to their products.

push sth on sb

▪ We don't try to push our religion on anyone.

6.) ¦(CHANGE)¦ [T always + adverb/preposition]

to change someone's situation, or to make a situation change, especially when some people do not want it to change

▪ The law would push even more children into poverty.

▪ attempts to push the peace process forward

7.) ¦(INCREASE/DECREASE)¦ [T always + adverb/preposition]

to increase or decrease an amount, value, or number

push sth up/down

▪ Slow sales have pushed down orders.

push sth higher/lower

▪ New technology has pushed the cost of health care even higher.

8.) ¦(ARMY)¦ [I always + adverb/preposition]

if an army pushes somewhere, it moves in that direction

▪ The army was pushing north.

▪ We pushed deep into enemy territory.

9.) ¦(ADVERTISE)¦ [T] [i]informal

to try to sell more of a product by advertising it a lot

▪ Sports stars earn big bucks for pushing everything from shoes to soft drinks.

10.)¦(DRUGS)¦ [T] informal

to sell illegal drugs

→↑pusher

11.) be pushing 40/50 etc informal

to be nearly 40, 50 etc years old

12.) push your luck/push it informal

to do something or ask for something, especially something you have done or asked for before, when this is likely to annoy someone or involves a risk

▪ If she doesn't want to go, don't push it.

▪ It's 26 miles, so you're pushing your luck if you try to hike it in a day.

13.) push sth out of your mind also push sth to the back of your mind

to try not to think about something, especially something bad or worrying

▪ He pushed the thought out of his mind and tried to concentrate.

14.) push (sb's) buttons informal

to make someone feel strong emotions

▪ Movies shouldn't be afraid to push a few buttons.

15.) push the boat out

BrE informal to spend more money than you usually do, on something special

▪ Push the boat out and get tickets to the theatre or ballet.

16.) push the point

to keep trying to make someone accept your opinion in a way that they think is annoying

17.) push the envelope

AmE to do something that is new and that goes beyond the limits of what has already been done in a particular area of activity

push the envelope of/on

▪ ideas that push the envelope of design and construction

18.) be pushing up (the) daisies informal

to be dead - used humorously

→↑pushed, ↑pushing

push ahead phr v

to continue with a plan or activity, especially in a determined way

push ahead with

▪ Quinlan decided to push ahead with the deal.

push along phr v

must/should etc be pushing along

BrE spoken used to say that you think it is time for you to leave a place

▪ It's getting late - I think we should be pushing along.

push around [push sb around] phr v

to tell someone what to do in an impolite or threatening way

▪ Europeans sometimes feel the Americans are trying to push them around.

push aside [push sb/sth aside] phr v

1.) push sth<=>aside

to try to forget about something, especially something unpleasant, so that you can give your attention to what you are doing

▪ She pushed aside her anger, forcing herself to focus on her work.

2.) to force someone out of their job or position, taking the job in their place

▪ Primakov was pushed aside but later became head of Intelligence.

push yourself forward [push yourself forward] phr v

BrE to try to make other people notice you

▪ Rupert was a quiet type, not one to push himself forward.

push in phr v

BrE informal to go in front of other people who are already waiting in a line for something, instead of going to the back of the line

▪ A couple of boys pushed in at the head of the queue.

push off phr v

1.) to start moving in a boat, on a bicycle, or when swimming or jumping, by pushing against something with your arms, legs etc

▪ Dad pushed off and jumped into the rowboat.

2.) BrE spoken used to tell someone rudely to go away

push on phr v

1.) to continue travelling somewhere, especially after you have had a rest

▪ We decided to push on a little further.

2.) to continue doing an activity

push on with

▪ Nixon pushed on with the weapons development program.

push over [push sb/sth<=>over] phr v

to make someone or something fall to the ground by pushing them

▪ He went wild, pushing over tables and chairs.

push through [push sth<=>through] phr v

to get a plan, law etc officially accepted, especially quickly

▪ The planning application was pushed through as quickly as possible.

push ²

push² n

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1¦(pushing movement)¦

2¦(effort)¦

3¦(encouragement)¦

4¦(army)¦

5 give somebody the push/get the push

6 when/if push comes to shove

7 at a push

8 it'll be a push

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1.) ¦(PUSHING MOVEMENT)¦

when someone pushes something

≠ ↑pull

▪ Jodi had stopped swinging. 'Want a push?' her dad asked.

▪ If the door's stuck, just give it a push .

at/with the push of a button

(=used to emphasize how easy a machine is to use)

▪ Files can be attached to your email at the push of a button.

2.) ¦(EFFORT)¦

when someone, especially a business, tries to get or achieve something

▪ the pre-Christmas advertising push

push into

▪ The company has recently made a big push into the Japanese market.

push for

▪ the push for improved productivity

push to do sth

▪ a push to attract new members

3.) ¦(ENCOURAGEMENT)¦ [singular]

if someone gives someone else a push, they encourage or persuade them to try something

▪ She just needed a gentle push to get her to join in.

4.) ¦(ARMY)¦

a planned military movement into the area where the enemy is

push into

▪ The army has made another big push into enemy territory.

5.) give sb the push/get the push

BrE informal

a) if your employer gives you the push, they make you leave your job

▪ I was scared I'd get the push.

b) if someone you are having a romantic relationship with gives you the push, they tell you that they no longer want to continue the relationship

6.) when/if push comes to shove also if it comes to the push BrE spoken if a situation becomes very difficult or action needs to be taken

▪ If push comes to shove, you can always sell the car.

7.) at a push

informal BrE if you can do something at a push, it will be difficult, but you will be able to do it

▪ We have room for five people, maybe six at a push.

8.) it'll be a push

BrE spoken used to say that something will be difficult because you do not have enough time to do it

▪ I'll do my best, but it'll be a bit of a push.