Adjacent Words

Push definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

PUSH, v.t.
1. To press against with force; to drive or impel by pressure; or to endeavor to drive by steady pressure, without striking; opposed to draw. We push a thing forward by force applied behind it; we draw by applying force before it. We may push without moving the object.
2. To butt; to strike with the end of the horns; to thrust the points of horns against.
If the ox shall push a man-servant or maid-servant--he shall be stones. Exodus 21.
3. To press or urge forward; as,to push an objection too far.
He forewarns his care
With rules to push his fortune or to bear.
4. To urge; to drive.
Ambition pushes the soul to such actions as are apt to procure honor to the actor.
5. To enforce; to press; to drive to a conclusion.
We are pushed for an answer.
6. To importune; to press with solicitation; to tease.
To push down, to overthrow by pushing or impulse.
PUSH, v.i. To make a thrust; as, to push with the horns or with a sword.
1. To make an effort.
At length
Both sides resolv'd to push, we tried our strength.
2. To make an attack.
The king of the south shall push at him. Daniel 11.
3. To burst out.
To push on, to drive or urge forward; to hasten. Push on, brave men.
PUSH, n. A thrust with a pointed instrument, or with the end of a thing.
1. Any pressure, impulse or force applied; as, to give the ball the first push.
2. An assault or attack.
3. A forcible onset; a vigorous effort.
4. Exigence; trial; extremity.
When it comes to the push, it is no more than talk.
5. A sudden emergence.
6. A little swelling or pustule; a wheal; a pimple; an eruption.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the act of applying force in order to move something away; "he gave the door a hard push"; "the pushing is good exercise" [syn: push, pushing]
2: the force used in pushing; "the push of the water on the walls of the tank"; "the thrust of the jet engines" [syn: push, thrust]
3: enterprising or ambitious drive; "Europeans often laugh at American energy" [syn: energy, push, get-up-and-go]
4: an electrical switch operated by pressing; "the elevator was operated by push buttons"; "the push beside the bed operated a buzzer at the desk" [syn: push button, push, button]
5: an effort to advance; "the army made a push toward the sea" v
1: move with force, "He pushed the table into a corner" [syn: push, force] [ant: draw, force, pull]
2: press, drive, or impel (someone) to action or completion of an action; "He pushed her to finish her doctorate" [syn: push, bear on]
3: make publicity for; try to sell (a product); "The salesman is aggressively pushing the new computer model"; "The company is heavily advertizing their new laptops" [syn: advertise, advertize, promote, push]
4: strive and make an effort to reach a goal; "She tugged for years to make a decent living"; "We have to push a little to make the deadline!"; "She is driving away at her doctoral thesis" [syn: tug, labor, labour, push, drive]
5: press against forcefully without moving; "she pushed against the wall with all her strength"
6: approach a certain age or speed; "She is pushing fifty" [syn: push, crowd]
7: exert oneself continuously, vigorously, or obtrusively to gain an end or engage in a crusade for a certain cause or person; be an advocate for; "The liberal party pushed for reforms"; "She is crusading for women's rights"; "The Dean is pushing for his favorite candidate" [syn: crusade, fight, press, campaign, push, agitate]
8: sell or promote the sale of (illegal goods such as drugs); "The guy hanging around the school is pushing drugs"
9: move strenuously and with effort; "The crowd pushed forward"
10: make strenuous pushing movements during birth to expel the baby; "`Now push hard,' said the doctor to the woman" [syn: press, push]

Merriam Webster's

abbreviation People United to Serve Humanity

Merriam Webster's

I. verb Etymology: Middle English possen, pusshen, probably from Old French pousser to exert pressure, from Latin pulsare, frequentative of pellere to drive, strike — more at felt Date: 13th century transitive verb 1. a. to press against with force in order to drive or impel b. to move or endeavor to move away or ahead by steady pressure without striking 2. a. to thrust forward, downward, or outward b. to cause to increase ; raise <push prices to record levels> c. to try to move beyond or expand <push one's limits> d. to hit (a ball) toward the right from a right-handed swing or toward the left from a left-handed swing — compare pull 3. a. to press or urge forward to completion b. to urge or press the advancement, adoption, or practice of <pushed a bill in the legislature>; especially to make aggressive efforts to sell <we're pushing ham this week> c. to engage in the illicit sale of (narcotics) 4. to bear hard upon so as to involve in difficulty <poverty pushed them to the breaking point> 5. to approach in age or number <grandmother must be pushing 75> intransitive verb 1. to press against something with steady force in or as if in order to impel 2. to press forward energetically against opposition 3. to exert oneself continuously, vigorously, or obtrusively to gain an end <pushing for higher wages> II. noun Date: 1563 1. a vigorous effort to attain an end ; drive: a. a military assault or offensive b. an advance that overcomes obstacles c. a campaign to promote a product 2. a time for action ; emergency 3. a. an act of pushing ; shove b. (1) a physical force steadily applied in a direction away from the body exerting it (2) a nonphysical pressure ; influence, urge c. vigorous enterprise or energy 4. a. an exertion of influence to promote another's interests b. stimulation to activity ; impetus

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. & n. --v. 1 tr. exert a force on (a thing) to move it away from oneself or from the origin of the force. 2 tr. cause to move in this direction. 3 intr. exert such a force (do not push against the door). 4 intr. & tr. a thrust forward or upward. b project or cause to project (pushes out new roots; the cape pushes out into the sea). 5 intr. move forward by force or persistence. 6 tr. make (one's way) by pushing. 7 intr. exert oneself, esp. to surpass others. 8 tr. (often foll. by to, into, or to + infin.) urge or impel. 9 tr. tax the abilities or tolerance of; press (a person) hard. 10 tr. pursue (a claim etc.). 11 tr. promote the use or sale or adoption of, e.g. by advertising. 12 intr. (foll. by for) demand persistently (pushed hard for reform). 13 tr. colloq. sell (a drug) illegally. --n. 1 the act or an instance of pushing; a shove or thrust. 2 the force exerted in this. 3 a vigorous effort. 4 a military attack in force. 5 enterprise, determination to succeed. 6 the use of influence to advance a person. 7 the pressure of affairs. 8 a crisis. Phrases and idioms: be pushed for colloq. have very little of (esp. time). get the push colloq. be dismissed or sent away. give a person the push colloq. dismiss or send away a person. push along (often in imper.) colloq. depart, leave. push around colloq. bully. push-bike Brit. colloq. a bicycle worked by pedals. push-button 1 a button to be pushed esp. to operate an electrical device. 2 (attrib.) operated in this way. push one's luck 1 take undue risks. 2 act presumptuously. push off 1 push with an oar etc. to get a boat out into a river etc. 2 (often in imper.) colloq. go away. push-pull 1 operated by pushing and pulling. 2 Electr. consisting of two valves etc. operated alternately. push-start n. the starting of a motor vehicle by pushing it to turn the engine. --v.tr. start (a vehicle) in this way. push through get (a scheme, proposal, etc.) completed or accepted quickly. push-up = press-up. Etymology: ME f. OF pousser, pou(l)ser f. L pulsare (as PULSATE)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Push Push, n. A crowd; a company or clique of associates; a gang. [Slang]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Push Push, n. [Probably F. poche. See Pouch.] A pustule; a pimple. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] --Bacon.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Push Push, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pushed; p. pr. & vb. n. Pushing.] [OE. possen, pussen, F. pousser, fr. L. pulsare, v. intens. fr. pellere, pulsum, to beat, knock, push. See Pulse a beating, and cf. Pursy.] 1. To press against with force; to drive or impel by pressure; to endeavor to drive by steady pressure, without striking; -- opposed to draw. Sidelong had pushed a mountain from his seat. --Milton. 2. To thrust the points of the horns against; to gore. If the ox shall push a manservant or maidservant, . . . the ox shall be stoned. --Ex. xxi. 32. 3. To press or urge forward; to drive; to push an objection too far. `` To push his fortune.'' --Dryden. Ambition pushes the soul to such actions as are apt to procure honor to the actor. --Spectator. We are pushed for an answer. --Swift. 4. To bear hard upon; to perplex; to embarrass. 5. To importune; to press with solicitation; to tease. To push down, to overthrow by pushing or impulse.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Push Push, n. 1. A thrust with a pointed instrument, or with the end of a thing. 2. Any thrust. pressure, impulse, or force, or force applied; a shove; as, to give the ball the first push. 3. An assault or attack; an effort; an attempt; hence, the time or occasion for action. Exact reformation is not perfected at the first push. --Milton. When it comes to the push, 'tis no more than talk. --L' Estrange. 4. The faculty of overcoming obstacles; aggressive energy; as, he has push, or he has no push. [Colloq.] Syn: See Thrust.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Push Push, v. i. 1. To make a thrust; to shove; as, to push with the horns or with a sword. --Shak. 2. To make an advance, attack, or effort; to be energetic; as, a man must push in order to succeed. At the time of the end shall the kind of the south push at him and the king of the north shall come against him. --Dan. xi. 40. War seemed asleep for nine long years; at length Both sides resolved to push, we tried our strength. --Dryden. 3. To burst pot, as a bud or shoot. To push on, to drive or urge forward; to hasten. The rider pushed on at a rapid pace. --Sir W. Scott.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(pushes, pushing, pushed) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. When you push something, you use force to make it move away from you or away from its previous position. The woman pushed back her chair and stood up... They pushed him into the car. ...a woman pushing a pushchair... He put both hands flat on the door and pushed as hard as he could... When there was no reply, he pushed the door open. VERB: V n with adv, V n prep, V n, V, V n adj • Push is also a noun. He gave me a sharp push... Information is called up at the push of a button. N-COUNT: usu sing 2. If you push through things that are blocking your way or push your way through them, you use force in order to move past them. I pushed through the crowds and on to the escalator... He pushed his way towards her, laughing. VERB: V prep/adv, V way prep/adv 3. If an army pushes into a country or area that it is attacking or invading, it moves further into it. One detachment pushed into the eastern suburbs towards the airfield... The army may push southwards into the Kurdish areas. = advance VERB: V into n, V adv into n • Push is also a noun. All that was needed was one final push, and the enemy would be vanquished once and for all. N-COUNT: usu sing 4. To push a value or amount up or down means to cause it to increase or decrease. Any shortage could push up grain prices... Interest had pushed the loan up to $27,000. VERB: V n with adv, V n prep 5. If someone or something pushes an idea or project in a particular direction, they cause it to develop or progress in a particular way. We are continuing to push the business forward... The government seemed intent on pushing local and central government in opposite directions. VERB: V n with adv, V n prep 6. If you push someone to do something or push them into doing it, you encourage or force them to do it. She thanks her parents for keeping her in school and pushing her to study... James did not push her into stealing the money... I knew he was pushing himself to the limit and felt rather anxious... There is no point in pushing them unless they are talented and they enjoy it. VERB: V n to-inf, V n into -ing, V n prep/adv, V n • Push is also a noun. We need a push to take the first step. N-COUNT: usu sing 7. If you push for something, you try very hard to achieve it or to persuade someone to do it. Britain's health experts are pushing for a ban on all cigarette advertising... Germany is pushing for direct flights to be established. VERB: V for n, V for n to-inf • Push is also a noun. In its push for economic growth it has ignored projects that would improve living standards... N-COUNT: usu sing 8. If someone pushes an idea, a point, or a product, they try in a forceful way to convince people to accept it or buy it. Ministers will push the case for opening the plant... VERB: V n 9. When someone pushes drugs, they sell them illegally. (INFORMAL) She was sent for trial yesterday accused of pushing drugs. = deal VERB: V n 10. see also pushed, pushing 11. If you get the push or are given the push, you are told that you are not wanted any more, either in your job or by someone you are having a relationship with. (BRIT INFORMAL) Two cabinet ministers also got the push. PHRASE: V inflects 12. to push the boat out: see boat to push your luck: see luck if push comes to shove: see shove

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. a. 1. Thrust, impel (by pressure), hustle, jostle, justle, elbow, crowd, shove. 2. Urge, press forward, drive on. 3. Force, press, drive, embarrass by arguments. 4. Importune, tease, press with solicitation. 5. Prosecute, follow closely. 6. Impel, drive, urge. II. v. n. 1. Thrust, make a thrust. 2. Endeavor, strive, try, exert one's self. 3. Bud, sprout, germinate, vegetate, grow, burst out, put forth, shoot forth. III. n. 1. Thrust, foin. 2. Trial, test, exigence, exigency, extremity, emergency, pinch, strait. 3. Onset, attack, assault, charge, strong effort.

Moby Thesaurus

accelerate, actuate, advance, advance against, advance upon, adventuresomeness, adventurousness, advertise, advocate, aggrandize, aggravated assault, aggression, aggressiveness, ambition, ambitiousness, amperage, amphibious attack, apply pressure, armed assault, armipotence, ask, assailing, assailment, assault, attack, augment, authority, badger, ballyhoo, bang, banzai attack, bear, bear down upon, bear upon, bearing, beat it, beef, beef up, beg, beset, besiege, black power, black-market, black-marketeer, blandish, blitz, blitzkrieg, boost, bootleg, bowl, breakthrough, browbeat, brush aside, brush off, brute force, buck, bug, build, bull, bulldoze, bully, bullyrag, bump, bump against, bunch, bundle, bunt, burden, bustle, butt, butt against, buttonhole, cajole, call on, call upon, campaign, charge, charisma, circle, climacteric, clout, clutch, coax, coerce, cogence, cogency, compel, compound, compulsion, constrain, constraint, continue, convergence of events, counterattack, counteroffensive, coup de main, cow, cram, crippling attack, crisis, critical juncture, critical point, crossroads, crowd, crucial period, crunch, crush, dash, dead set at, deny, depart, depress, descent on, determination, die trying, dig, dint, dismissal, dispatch, diversion, diversionary attack, domineer, dragoon, drive, drive on, driving force, drove, dun, duress, dynamism, eagerness, effect, effectiveness, effectuality, effort, egg on, elbow, emergency, encourage, energy, enlarge, enterprise, enterprisingness, enthusiasm, entreat, exert pressure, exhort, exigency, expand, expedite, extremity, fence, fire, flank, flank attack, flower power, foray, force, force majeure, forcefulness, forge ahead, forward, frontal attack, full blast, full force, gas, gas attack, get, get moving, get-up-and-get, get-up-and-go, getup, ginger, go, go ahead, go all out, go away, go slow, go-ahead, go-getting, go-to-itiveness, goad, group, gumption, harass, haste, hasten, hasten on, head, head-on attack, hie on, high-pressure, hinge, hit the road, horde, hound, hunch, hurry, hurry along, hurry on, hurry up, hurtle, hustle, hustle up, hype, impel, impetus, importune, impulse, impulsion, incentive, inch forward, incitation, incite, incitement, incursion, induce, infiltrate, infiltration, influence, initiative, insist, insist upon, instigation, intimidate, invasion, jab, jam, jawbone, jog, joggle, jolt, jostle, kick, launch, launch an attack, leave, light out, lightning attack, lightning war, lobby, lot, magnify, main force, main strength, make, make things hum, mana, march against, march upon, mass attack, megadeath, might, might and main, mightiness, mobilize, moonshine, motivate, motive power, mount an attack, move, moxie, muddle through, mugging, multitude, muscle power, nag, nag at, notice, nudge, offense, offensive, onset, onslaught, open an offensive, overburden, overkill, oversell, overstrain, overtax, panzer warfare, pass, pedal, peddle, pep, pepper, persuade, pester, pile drive, pinch, piss and vinegar, pizzazz, plague, plead with, plug, ply, poke, pole, poop, potence, potency, potentiality, power, power pack, power structure, power struggle, powerfulness, precipitate, prepotency, press, press forward, press on, pressure, proceed, prod, productiveness, productivity, promote, prompt, propagandize, propel, propellant, propelling, propelment, propulsion, publicize, puff, puissance, pull, pulsion, punch, push forward, push off, push on, push through, pushfulness, pushiness, pushing, pushingness, quicken, raid, railroad, railroad through, ram, ram down, rash impulse, rattle, rebuff, recommend, reject, roll, rouse, row, rub, run, run against, run at, rush, rush along, sail away, sally, scram, scramble, set, set in motion, shake, shock tactics, shoot ahead, shoulder, shove, shove off, shoving, shunt, sinew, skedaddle, snap, soft-soap, sortie, speed, speed along, speed up, spirit, spunk, spur, squab, squash, squeeze, squish, stampede, starch, steam, step lively, stimulate, strain, strait, strength, stress, strike, strong arm, superiority, superpower, sweep, sweep along, sweet-talk, take off, tamp, tax, tease, the boot, the sack, throng, thrust, torment, treadle, troll, trundle, try, try again, try and try, try hard, turn, turning point, tyrannize, unprovoked assault, up-and-comingness, urge, urgency, validity, vehemence, venturesomeness, venturousness, verve, vigor, vim, virility, virtue, virulence, vitality, walking papers, wattage, weight, wheedle, whip, whip along, work on, zeal, zing, zip