push

1 /pUS/ verb

1 MOVE (I, T) to make someone or something move by using your hands, arms, shoulders etc to put pressure on them: It's still stuck - you'll have to push harder. | When I give the signal, I want you all to push. | push sb/sth: Johnson was penalised for pushing another player. | push sb/sth up/across/away etc: They were trying to push me into the water. | He pushed away his plate when he had finished. | push the door open/shut: I slowly pushed the door open.

2 BUTTON/SWITCH (I, T) to press a button, switch etc, especially in order to make a piece of equipment start working: You just push that button there, and the coffee comes out here.

3 TRY TO GET PAST SB (intransitive, transitive always + adv/prep) to use your hands, arms, shoulders etc to make someone move, especially so that you can get past them: There's no need to push. There are enough tickets for everyone. | push past/through: Jackson pushed past the journalists and escaped in his limousine. | push your way towards/across etc: She pushed her way to the front of the crowd.

4 ENCOURAGE/PERSUADE (T) to encourage or persuade someone to do something that they do not want to do: push sb to do sth: Her husband keeps pushing her to accept the job. | push sb into doing sth: My parents pushed me into going to college.

5 WORK HARD (T) to make someone work very hard: The teachers don't seem to push these kids very hard. | push yourself: He's been pushing himself too much.

6 DRUGS (T) informal to sell illegal drugs

—see also: pusher

7 ADVERTISE (T) informal to try to sell more of a product by advertising it a lot

8 IDEAS/OPINIONS (T) to try to make people accept your ideas or opinions, especially by talking about them a lot: I wish you'd stop pushing all this political rubbish.

9 push the boat out BrE informal to spend a lot of money on something because you want to make sure that it is enjoyable, successful etc

10 push your luck/push it informal to stupidly do something again, taking a risk that you will avoid problems because you have done it successfully before: Look, just don't push it! I've had about enough of your criticism!.

11 push sth to the back of your mind to try to forget about an unpleasant feeling or situation: I think you should push all these doubts to the back of your mind.

12 push the point old-fashioned to keep trying to make someone accept your opinion in a way that they find annoying

—see also: pull 1, pushed, pushing push ahead phrasal verb (I) to continue with a plan or activity, especially in a determined way (+ with): After careful consideration they decided to push ahead with the deal. push along phrasal verb (I) spoken to leave a place: It's getting late, I think we should be pushing along. —see also: push off push 1 push sb around also push sb about BrE phrasal verb (T) to give someone orders in a rude or threatening way: Who do you think you're pushing around? Do it yourself. push sth aside phrasal verb (T) to try to forget about something, especially something unpleasant, so that you can give your attention to what you are doing: You just have to try and push these negative thoughts aside. push (sb) for sth phrasal verb (T) to keep asking for something or trying to persuade people to do something, because you believe it is important or necessary: People living near the airport are pushing for new restrictions on night flights. | I'll have to push you for a decision. push forward phrasal verb

1 (I) to continue moving towards a place, in spite of difficulties: As the army pushed forward, the death toll mounted.

2 push yourself forward to try to make other people notice you: If she's going to do well at school, she'll have to push herself forward more.

push in phrasal verb (I)

1 to give advice, join in a conversation etc when you are not really involved: No, it didn't seem like you were pushing in or anything, just trying to help.

2 BrE informal to rudely and unfairly join a line of people, in front of other people who were already waiting

push off phrasal verb (I)

1 spoken, especially BrE used to tell someone rudely to go away

2 old-fashioned to leave a place

—see also: push along push 1

3 if a boat pushes off from the shore, it moves away from it

push on phrasal verb (I)

1 to continue travelling somewhere, especially after you have had a rest: It was getting dark but we decided to push on a little further.

2 to continue doing an activity

(+ with): I'd better push on with my homework. push sb/sth over phrasal verb (T) to make someone or something fall to the ground by pushing them: Several people had been pushed over in the rush for bargains. push sth through phrasal verb (T) to get a new law officially accepted: The White House made every effort to push the policy through Congress. push sth up phrasal verb (T)

1 to make the amount, number, or value of something increase: The war has pushed up oil prices.

—compare push down push 1

2 be pushing up (the) daisies humorous to be dead

2 noun

1 PUSHING MOVEMENT (C) the act of pushing or pressing something: With a gentle push, the car started moving down the slope. | give sb/sth a push: He gave her a push to see if she was awake. | If the door's stuck, just give it a push. | at the push of a button (=used to emphasize how easy a machine is to use): The liquidizer is marvellous, creating tasty soups at the push of a button.

2 ENCOURAGEMENT (singular) a small amount of encouragement, persuasion, or help from someone else: It looked like she would never go, but all she needed was a gentle push.

3 ATTACK/ATTEMPT

a) (C) a planned military attack into the area where the enemy is: The army has made another big push into enemy territory.

b) (C) a determined and well-planned attempt to gain an advantage over your opponents in business, advertising etc: The company has recently made a big push into the Japanese market.

4 give sb the push BrE informal

a) to make someone leave their job, especially because they have done something wrong

b) to tell someone that you no longer want to have a loving or sexual relationship with them

5 at a push informal, especially 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.

6 it'll be a push 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.

7 if it comes to the push also when push comes to shove spoken used to say what you can do if you are forced to make a decision or take action: When push comes to shove you can always borrow the extra money from the bank.