thrust

plural thrusts

1. countableuncountablefencingAn attack made by moving the sword parallel to its length and landing with the point.

   Pierre was a master swordsman, and could parry the thrusts of lesser men with barely a thought.

2. countableuncountableA push, stab, or lunge forward.

   The cutpurse tried to knock her satchel from her hands, but she avoided his thrust and yelled, "Thief!"

   1 more example

   Tilehurst […] began to pedal unhurryingly towards the anticipated lane, with the easy thrust of a man who has just made a substantial meal and knows that he has plenty of time and to spare for his appointment.

   1934, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], The Bravo of London

   Synonyms: break, dart, grab

3. countableuncountableThe force generated by propulsion, as in a jet engine.

   Spacecraft are engineering marvels, designed to resist the thrust of liftoff, as well as the reverse pressure of the void.

   1 more example

   the pectoral fins are capable of generating high thrust during flutter

   2026, Xiangxiang Wang, Hualong Xie and Sirui Li, “Effect of pectoral fin locomotion parameters on fish propulsive performance”, in Engineering Research Express, volume 8, number 7

   Synonyms: lift, push

4. countablefigurativelyuncountableThe primary effort; the goal.

   Ostensibly, the class was about public health in general, but the main thrust was really sex education.

   2 more examples

   “The main thrust of it was that Britain is losing out, that Brexit it not delivering, our economy is in a weak position,” said the source.

   2023 February 11, Toby Helm, “Revealed: secret cross-party summit held to confront failings of Brexit”, in The Observer, →ISSN

   As is normal for biopics, the movie takes liberties with the historical record, but the thrust of the narrative is not disputed.

   2025 January 17, “The Guardian view on musical tastes: beware the algorithm comfort zone”, in The Guardian

   Synonyms: focus, gist, point

present singular third person thrusts · participle present thrusting · participle past thrusted · past thrusted

1. intransitiveTo make advance with force.

   We thrust at the enemy with our forces.

   Synonyms: attack, charge, rush

2. transitiveTo force something upon someone.

   I asked her not to thrust the responsibility on me.

   1 more example

   It is my earnest hope that the bitter lessons China has learned may prove instructive to countries and governments, and especially those in Asia which now face the same threat of Communism. Often it is not easy for most people to realize the presence of this threat in their midst, and by the time they do, it may already be too late to prevent its thrusting them behind the Iron Curtain at least for a time.

   1957, Chiang Chung-cheng (Kai-shek), “Introduction”, in Soviet Russia in China: A Summing-up at Seventy, New York: Farrar, Straus and Cudahy, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 7

   Synonyms: compel, charge, force

3. transitiveTo push out or extend rapidly or powerfully.

   Towers thrusting skyward.

   2 more examples

   He thrust his arm into the icy stream and grabbed a wriggling fish, astounding the observers.

   Three chairs of the steamer type, all maimed, comprised the furniture of this roof-garden, with […] on one of the copings a row of four red clay flower-pots filled with sun-baked dust from which gnarled and rusty stalks thrust themselves up like withered elfin limbs.

   1914 November, Louis Joseph Vance, “An Outsider […]”, in Munsey’s Magazine, volume LIII, number II, New York, N.Y.: The Frank A[ndrew] Munsey Company, […], published 1915, →OCLC, chapter I (Anarchy), pages 377–378

   Synonyms: dart, reach, stab

4. transitiveTo push or drive with force; to shove.

   to thrust anything with the hand or foot, or with an instrument

   1 more example

   Into a Dungeon thruſt, to work with Slaves?

   1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 28

   Synonyms: press, thring, thrutch

5. intransitiveTo enter by pushing; to squeeze in.

   And thrust between my father and the god.

   1692, John Dryden, Cleomenes, the Spartan Hero

   Synonyms: break in, force in

6. To stab; to pierce; usually with through.

   Synonyms: jab, run through, chef, chib, ching, chive, enthrill, foin