/ English Dictionary

PUSH

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of applying force in order to move something away

Example:

the pushing is good exercise

Synonyms:

push; pushing

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("push" is a kind of...):

actuation; propulsion (the act of propelling)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "push"):

depression (pushing down)

jog; nudge (a slight push or shake)

press; pressing; pressure (the act of pressing; the exertion of pressure)

shove (the act of shoving (giving a push to someone or something))

boost (the act of giving a push)

Derivation:

push (make strenuous pushing movements during birth to expel the baby)

push (move with force)

push (press against forcefully without moving)

push (move strenuously and with effort)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An effort to advance

Example:

the army made a push toward the sea

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("push" is a kind of...):

advance; advancement; forward motion; onward motion; procession; progress; progression (the act of moving forward (as toward a goal))

Derivation:

push (press, drive, or impel (someone) to action or completion of an action)

Sense 3

Meaning:

An electrical switch operated by pressing

Example:

the push beside the bed operated a buzzer at the desk

Synonyms:

button; push; push button

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("push" is a kind of...):

electric switch; electrical switch; switch (control consisting of a mechanical or electrical or electronic device for making or breaking or changing the connections in a circuit)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "push"):

reset button (a push button that you press to activate the reset mechanism)

panic button (a button to push in order to summon help in case of an emergency)

mouse button (a push button on the mouse)

horn button (a button that you press to activate the horn of an automobile)

bell; buzzer; doorbell (a push button at an outer door that gives a ringing or buzzing signal when pushed)

bell push (a button that is pushed to ring a bell)

Holonyms ("push" is a part of...):

push-button radio (a radio receiver that can be tuned by pressing buttons)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Enterprising or ambitious drive

Example:

Europeans often laugh at American energy

Synonyms:

energy; get-up-and-go; push

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("push" is a kind of...):

drive (the trait of being highly motivated)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "push"):

second wind (renewed energy or strength to continue an undertaking)

Derivation:

push (press, drive, or impel (someone) to action or completion of an action)

push (strive and make an effort to reach a goal)

push (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)

pushy (marked by aggressive ambition and energy and initiative)

Sense 5

Meaning:

The force used in pushing

Example:

the thrust of the jet engines

Synonyms:

push; thrust

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural phenomena

Hypernyms ("push" is a kind of...):

force ((physics) the influence that produces a change in a physical quantity)

Derivation:

push (make strenuous pushing movements during birth to expel the baby)

push (move with force)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Press, drive, or impel (someone) to action or completion of an action

Example:

He pushed her to finish her doctorate

Synonyms:

bear on; push

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "push" is one way to...):

exhort; press; urge; urge on (force or impel in an indicated direction)

Verb group:

drive; labor; labour; push; tug (strive and make an effort to reach a goal)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "push"):

nudge (push into action by pestering or annoying gently)

bull; bull through (push or force)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE

Sentence example:

Sam cannot push Sue

Derivation:

push (an effort to advance)

push (enterprising or ambitious drive)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make publicity for; try to sell (a product)

Example:

The company is heavily advertizing their new laptops

Synonyms:

advertise; advertize; promote; push

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "push" is one way to...):

praise (express approval of)

Verb group:

agitate; campaign; crusade; fight; press; push (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)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "push"):

agitate; campaign; crusade; fight; press; push (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)

bill (advertise especially by posters or placards)

plug (make a plug for; praise the qualities or in order to sell or promote)

propagandise; propagandize (spread by propaganda)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue push the movie

Sense 3

Meaning:

Make strenuous pushing movements during birth to expel the baby

Example:

'Now push hard,' said the doctor to the woman

Synonyms:

press; push

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "push" is one way to...):

force; push (move with force)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

push (the force used in pushing)

push (the act of applying force in order to move something away)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Move with force

Example:

He pushed the table into a corner

Synonyms:

force; push

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "push" is one way to...):

displace; move (cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense)

"Push" entails doing...:

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

press (exert pressure or force to or upon)

Verb group:

push (press against forcefully without moving)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "push"):

tip; topple; tumble (cause to topple or tumble by pushing)

shove; squeeze; stuff; thrust (press or force)

jam (push down forcibly)

drive (urge forward)

thrust (push forcefully)

push up (push upward)

muscle into (force one's way)

push aside; push away (push out of the way)

obtrude; push out; thrust out (push to thrust outward)

nose (push or move with the nose)

jostle; shove (come into rough contact with while moving)

flick; jerk (throw or toss with a quick motion)

shove (push roughly)

beat back; drive; force back; push back; repel; repulse (cause to move back by force or influence)

press; push (make strenuous pushing movements during birth to expel the baby)

nudge; poke at; prod (to push against gently)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence example:

They push the books into the box

Antonym:

pull (cause to move by pulling)

Derivation:

push (the act of applying force in order to move something away)

push (the force used in pushing)

pusher (a small vehicle with four wheels in which a baby or child is pushed around)

pushing (the act of applying force in order to move something away)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Press against forcefully without moving

Example:

she pushed against the wall with all her strength

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "push" is one way to...):

press (exert pressure or force to or upon)

Verb group:

push (move strenuously and with effort)

force; push (move with force)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

push (the act of applying force in order to move something away)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Move strenuously and with effort

Example:

The crowd pushed forward

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "push" is one way to...):

go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically)

Verb group:

push (press against forcefully without moving)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Something is ----ing PP

Derivation:

push (the act of applying force in order to move something away)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Approach a certain age or speed

Example:

She is pushing fifty

Synonyms:

crowd; push

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "push" is one way to...):

approach; come near; come on; draw close; draw near; go up; near (move towards)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 8

Meaning:

Sell or promote the sale of (illegal goods such as drugs)

Example:

The guy hanging around the school is pushing drugs

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "push" is one way to...):

deal; sell; trade (do business; offer for sale as for one's livelihood)

Domain category:

crime; criminal offence; criminal offense; law-breaking ((criminal law) an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

pusher (an unlicensed dealer in illegal drugs)

Sense 9

Meaning:

Strive and make an effort to reach a goal

Example:

She is driving away at her doctoral thesis

Synonyms:

drive; labor; labour; push; tug

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "push" is one way to...):

fight; struggle (make a strenuous or labored effort)

Verb group:

bear on; push (press, drive, or impel (someone) to action or completion of an action)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "push"):

reach; strain; strive (to exert much effort or energy)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE

Also:

push on (continue moving forward)

Derivation:

push (enterprising or ambitious drive)

Sense 10

Meaning:

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

Example:

The Dean is pushing for his favorite candidate

Synonyms:

agitate; campaign; crusade; fight; press; push

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "push" is one way to...):

advertise; advertize; promote; push (make publicity for; try to sell (a product))

Verb group:

advertise; advertize; promote; push (make publicity for; try to sell (a product))

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

push (enterprising or ambitious drive)

Credits

 Context examples: 

He pushed on therefore, now walking and now running.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“Yes, sir,” said our visitor, pushing his huge form into the room.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Use of a syringe and needle to push fluids or drugs into the body; often called a "shot."

(Injection, NCI Dictionary)

Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your arteries.

(High Blood Pressure, NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

These specialized pigment cells expand and contract and push the pigment to the surface.

(Octopuses can dream, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

As the ground under Mare Frigoris shifts, it pushes up wrinkle ridges, which typically snake along the ground for several miles.

(Study Finds New Wrinkles on Earth's Moon, NASA)

The red cores of the green bubbles are made of warm dust that has not yet been pushed away from the windy stars.

(Citizen Scientists Discover Yellow "Space Balls", NASA)

The man wanted to push him away; the youth, however, would not allow that, but thrust him off with all his strength, and seated himself again in his own place.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

There seemed to be no horses nor animals of any kind; the men carried things around in little green carts, which they pushed before them.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

A benign (not cancer) condition in which an overgrowth of prostate tissue pushes against the urethra and the bladder, blocking the flow of urine.

(Benign prostatic hyperplasia, NCI Dictionary)

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