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Definition push in American English

push verb

verb
/pʊʃ/
1

to move someone or something away from you, or from their previous position, using part of your body, especially your hands

Example

Push as hard as you can.

Example

He was pushing a cart around the supermarket.

Example

She gently pushed him away.

Example

I pushed the door open with my foot.

Example

He pushed at a door in the courtyard.

Example

Rebecca pushed her handkerchief into her pocket.

Example

The table had been pushed against the wall.

Synonyms and related words
2

to press a button on a machine

Example

To turn on the television, you push this button.

Synonyms and related words
3

to move past or through a group of people or things by using a part of your body to move them away from you

Example

Stop pushing and just wait your turn.

Example

Pushing to the front of the line, he managed to get the last tickets.

Example

He just pushed past Fred and left.

Example

I was pushing my way through the crowd.

Example

People were pushing and shoving, trying to get to the best seats first.

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4

to encourage or force someone in a determined way to do something they do not want to do

Example

The police pushed her into giving evidence.

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4.1

to force someone to make a great effort, especially at school or in their career

Example

A lot of parents push their children, but my dad always just encourages and supports me.

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5

to try to make people buy a product or accept an idea

Example

He saw the interview as an opportunity to push his latest movie.

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6

to make something reach a particular level or standard

Example

The Fed had pushed up interest rates sharply to protect the dollar from speculators.

Example

The strong sunshine had pushed temperatures into the nineties.

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8

to make someone impatient or annoyed by behaving in an unreasonable way

Example

If you push him too far, he'll resign.

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9

if an army pushes into, through, or across a country or area, it moves farther into, through, or across it, using force

Example

Government troops pushed into the northern sector.

Synonyms and related words
Definition push in American English