puʃ 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. øbe 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. [ME f. OF pousser, pou(l)ser f. L pulsare (as PULSATE)]