push

present singular third person pushes · participle present pushing · participle past pushed · past pushed · first person past singular pushed · archaic present second person singular pushest · past second person singular pushed · archaic past second person singular pushedst · present singular third person pushes · archaic present singular third person pusheth · past singular third person pushed · past plural pushed · past subjunctive pushed · participle present pushing · participle past pushed

1. intransitivetransitiveTo apply a force to (an object) such that it moves away from the person or thing applying the force.

   You need to push quite hard to get this door open.

   1 more example

   In his anger he pushed me against the wall and threatened me.

   Synonyms: press, shove, thring, thrutch · Antonyms: draw, pull, tug

2. transitiveTo continually attempt to persuade (a person) into a particular course of action.

   December 22, 1711, letter to The Spectator Ambition […] pushes the soul to such actions as are apt to procure honour and reputation to the actor.

   1 more example

   We are pushed for an answer.

   December 7, 1710, Jonathan Swift, The Examiner, Number 18

   Synonyms: press, urge, abet, actuate, goose, fuel, light a fire under, send

3. transitiveTo press or urge forward; to drive.

   to push an objection too far; to push one's luck

   1 more example

   to push his fortune

   1667, John Dryden, Annus Mirabilis: The Year of Wonders, 1666. […], London: […] Henry Herringman, […], →OCLC, stanza 133

   Synonyms: drive, force

4. transitiveTo continually promote (a point of view, a product for sale, etc.).

   They're pushing that perfume again.

   3 more examples

   Stop pushing the issue — I'm not interested.

   There were two men hanging around the school gates today, pushing drugs.

   Earlier the premier had rejected outright suggestions, apparently being pushed by up to a third of the government’s 33-member caucus, that the government forget the deficit and launch a major public initiative to stimulate the economy.

   1982 December 11, Frances Russell, “Economic performance buoys Pawley’s position”, in The Vancouver Sun (The Weekend Sun), Vancouver, BC, page A6

   Synonyms: advertise, promote

5. intransitiveTo continually exert oneself in order to achieve a goal.

   Don't think that if you keep pushing harder and harder, it will make you succeed faster or earn more.

   2016, JoAnneh Nagler, How to be an artist without losing your mind, your shirt, or your creative compass, →ISBN, page 91

6. informalparticiplepresentregionaltransitiveTo approach; to come close to.

   He's pushing sixty.

   He's nearly sixty years old.

   3 more examples

   My old car is pushing 250,000 miles.

   Don't be mad at me 'cause you're pushing thirty / And your old tricks no longer work

   2004, Amy Winehouse, Salaam Remi, “Fuck Me Pumps”, in Frank, performed by Amy Winehouse

   “I'm pushing 40 and on TikTok,” he says. “I feel old every day.”

   2023 October 7, Ajesh Patalay, quoting Jon Kung, “The Naked Chef 2.0”, in FT Weekend (HTSI section), London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 77

   Synonyms: approach, near

7. intransitiveTo tense the muscles in the abdomen in order to give birth or defecate.

   During childbirth, there are times when the obstetrician advises the woman not to push.

   1 more example

   “Pushing will be easy,” the nurse told me after I’d arrived at the hospital, […]. “For someone like you, you’ll be done in 30 minutes.” Instead, I pushed for four hours, ripping the muscle between my ass and my vagina in the process.

   2026 June 12, Emily Ratajkowski, “Mother F*cker”, in The Cut

   Synonyms: bear down, boo-boo, cack, choke a darkie, crap, defecate, do one's ease, ease oneself

8. intransitiveTo continue to attempt to persuade a person into a particular course of action.
9. To make a higher bid at an auction.
10. card gamesTo make an all-in bet.
11. transitiveboard gamesTo move (a pawn) directly forward.
12. computingTo add (a data item) to the top of a stack.

    When the microprocessor decodes the JSR opcode, it stores the operand into the TEMP register and pushes the current contents of the PC ($00 0128) onto the stack.

    1992, Michael A. Miller, The 68000 Microprocessor Family: Architecture, Programming, and Applications, page 47

    Antonyms: pop

13. computingTo publish (an update, etc.) by transmitting it to other computers.

    Because this version of the Windows Installer is aware of the GAC, it has the capability to publish components into it. […] You can manually or programmatically push an assembly into the GAC by using the command-line tool Gacutil.exe.

    2002, Lars Powers, Mike Snell, Visual Basic Programmer's Guide to the .NET Framework Class Library, page 968

14. obsoleteTo thrust the points of the horns against; to gore.

    If the ox shall push a manservant or maidservant, […] the ox shall be stoned.

    1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Exodus 21:32

15. To burst out of its pot, as a bud or shoot.
16. ball gamesTo strike the cue ball in such a way that it stays in contact with the cue and object ball at the same time (a foul shot).

plural pushes

1. countableuncountableA short, directed application of force; an act of pushing.

   Give the door a hard push if it sticks.

2. countableuncountableAn act of tensing the muscles of the abdomen in order to expel its contents.

   One more push and the baby will be out.

3. countableuncountableA great effort (to do something).

   Let's give one last push on our advertising campaign.

   2 more examples

   Some details got lost in the push to get the project done.

   The push to amend the Civil and Commercial Code on marriage is expected to enter parliament on Wednesday. The amendment would allow same-sex marriage […]

   2022 February 9, E. Parpart, N. Patanasophon, “Activists push for new ammendment that would give marital rights for all”, in Thai Enquirer, retrieved 09 Feb 2022

4. countableuncountableAn attempt to persuade someone into a particular course of action.
5. countablefigurativelyuncountableA force that impels or pressures one to act.

   I guess it's just the special curse of working under deadline's push

   1984 April 7, “Mousie Mousie Wildflower (personal advertisement)”, in Gay Community News, page 14

   Synonyms: impetus

6. countableuncountablegovernmentA marching or drill maneuver/manoeuvre performed by moving a formation (especially a company front) forward or toward the audience, usually to accompany a dramatic climax or crescendo in the music.
7. countableuncountableA wager that results in no loss or gain for the bettor as a result of a tie or even score
8. countableuncountablecomputingThe addition of a data item to the top of a stack.
9. InternetuncountableThe situation where a server sends data to a client without waiting for a request.

   server push; a push technology

10. AustraliaUKcountableobsoleteslanguncountableA particular crowd or throng or people.

    Till some wild, excited person Galloped down the township cursing, "Sydney push have mobbed Macpherson, Roll up, Dandaloo!"

    1891, Banjo Paterson, An Evening in Dandaloo

    1 more example

    My father […] was soon as unambiguously Australian as any other member of the rough Rugby pushes that in the years before the Great War made up the mixed and liverly world of South Brisbane.

    1994, David Malouf, A First Place, Vintage, published 2015, page 37

11. countableuncountableball gamesA push shot.
12. countableslanguncountablegovernmentAn attempt to give momentum to a wrestler's career in the form of victories and/or more screen time.
13. countableuncountableA push-button, such as a bell push.

    A bell circuit, fed from the train lighting battery, is connected to a push in each berth and functions in conjunction with a luminous indicator mounted over the door and in association with a cancellation push, for use by the car attendant.

    1952 February, “New Third Class Sleeping Cars”, in Railway Magazine, page 87

plural pushes

1. UKdialectalobsoleteA pustule; a pimple.

   a Push rise upon his Nose

   1625, Francis Bacon, Of Praise

plural Pushes

1. A surname.