Push

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Push, n. [Probably F. poche. See Pouch.].

 A pustule; a pimple.  Bacon.  [1913 Webster]

Push, v. t. [OE. possen, pussen, F. pousser, fr. L. pulsare, v. intens. fr. pellere, pulsum, to beat, knock, push. See Pulse a beating, and cf. Pursy.].

•  To press against with force; to drive or impel by pressure; to endeavor to drive by steady pressure, without striking; -- opposed to draw.  [1913 Webster]

  "Sidelong had pushed a mountain from his seat."  [1913 Webster]
•  To thrust the points of the horns against; to gore.  [1913 Webster]

  "If the ox shall push a manservant or maidservant, . . . the ox shall be stoned."  [1913 Webster]
•  To press or urge forward; to drive; to push an objection too far.  Dryden.  [1913 Webster]

  "Ambition pushes the soul to such actions as are apt to procure honor to the actor."  [1913 Webster]

  "We are pushed for an answer."  [1913 Webster]
•  To bear hard upon; to perplex; to embarrass.  [1913 Webster]
•  To importune; to press with solicitation; to tease.  [1913 Webster]

To push down, to overthrow by pushing or impulse.

Push, v. i. 

•  To make a thrust; to shove; as, to push with the horns or with a sword.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]
•  To make an advance, attack, or effort; to be energetic; as, a man must push in order to succeed.  [1913 Webster]

  "At the time of the end shall the kind of the south push at him and the king of the north shall come against him."  [1913 Webster]

  "War seemed asleep for nine long years; at length
  Both sides resolved to push, we tried our strength."  [1913 Webster]
•  To burst pot, as a bud or shoot.  [1913 Webster]

  "The rider pushed on at a rapid pace."  [1913 Webster]

To push on, to drive or urge forward; to hasten.

Push, n. 

•  A thrust with a pointed instrument, or with the end of a thing.  [1913 Webster]
•  Any thrust. pressure, impulse, or force, or force applied; a shove; as, to give the ball the first push.  [1913 Webster]
•  An assault or attack; an effort; an attempt; hence, the time or occasion for action.  [1913 Webster]

  "Exact reformation is not perfected at the first push."  [1913 Webster]

  "When it comes to the push, 'tis no more than talk."  [1913 Webster]
•  The faculty of overcoming obstacles; aggressive energy; as, he has push, or he has no push.  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- See Thrust.

Push, n. 

 A crowd; a company or clique of associates; a gang.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Push, 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.

Idiom

be 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.

Etymology

ME f. OF pousser, pou(l)ser f. L pulsare (as PULSATE)

DEVIL DICTIONARY

Push

n. One of the two things mainly conducive to success, especially in politics. The other is Pull.

THESAURUS

Push

accelerate, actuate, advance, advance against, advance upon, adventuresomeness, adventurousness, advertise, advocate, aggrandize, aggravated assault, aggression, aggressiveness, ambition, ambitiousness, amperage, amphibious attack, apply pressure, armed assault, armipotence, ask, assailing, assailment, assault, attack, augment, authority, badger, ballyhoo, bang, banzai attack, bear, bear down upon, bear upon, bearing, beat it, beef, beef up, beg, beset, besiege, black power, black-market, black-marketeer, blandish, blitz, blitzkrieg, boost, bootleg, bowl, breakthrough, browbeat, brush aside, brush off, brute force, buck, bug, build, bull, bulldoze, bully, bullyrag, bump, bump against, bunch, bundle, bunt, burden, bustle, butt, butt against, buttonhole, cajole, call on, call upon, campaign, charge, charisma, circle, climacteric, clout, clutch, coax, coerce, cogence, cogency, compel, compound, compulsion, constrain, constraint, continue, convergence of events, counterattack, counteroffensive, coup de main, cow, cram, crippling attack, crisis, critical juncture, critical point, crossroads, crowd, crucial period, crunch, crush, dash, dead set at, deny, depart, depress, descent on, determination, die trying, dig, dint, dismissal, dispatch, diversion, diversionary attack, domineer, dragoon, drive, drive on, driving force, drove, dun, duress, dynamism, eagerness, effect, effectiveness, effectuality, effort, egg on, elbow, emergency, encourage, energy, enlarge, enterprise, enterprisingness, enthusiasm, entreat, exert pressure, exhort, exigency, expand, expedite, extremity, fence, fire, flank, flank attack, flower power, foray, force, force majeure, forcefulness, forge ahead, forward, frontal attack, full blast, full force, gas, gas attack, get, get moving, get-up-and-get, get-up-and-go, getup, ginger, go, go ahead, go all out, go away, go slow, go-ahead, go-getting, go-to-itiveness, goad, group, gumption, harass, haste, hasten, hasten on, head, head-on attack, hie on, high-pressure, hinge, hit the road, horde, hound, hunch, hurry, hurry along, hurry on, hurry up, hurtle, hustle, hustle up, hype, impel, impetus, importune, impulse, impulsion, incentive, inch forward, incitation, incite, incitement, incursion, induce, infiltrate, infiltration, influence, initiative, insist, insist upon, instigation, intimidate, invasion, jab, jam, jawbone, jog, joggle, jolt, jostle, kick, launch, launch an attack, leave, light out, lightning attack, lightning war, lobby, lot, magnify, main force, main strength, make, make things hum, mana, march against, march upon, mass attack, megadeath, might, might and main, mightiness, mobilize, moonshine, motivate, motive power, mount an attack, move, moxie, muddle through, mugging, multitude, muscle power, nag, nag at, notice, nudge, offense, offensive, onset, onslaught, open an offensive, overburden, overkill, oversell, overstrain, overtax, panzer warfare, pass, pedal, peddle, pep, pepper, persuade, pester, pile drive, pinch, piss and vinegar, pizzazz, plague, plead with, plug, ply, poke, pole, poop, potence, potency, potentiality, power, power pack, power structure, power struggle, powerfulness, precipitate, prepotency, press, press forward, press on, pressure, proceed, prod, productiveness, productivity, promote, prompt, propagandize, propel, propellant, propelling, propelment, propulsion, publicize, puff, puissance, pull, pulsion, punch, push forward, push off, push on, push through, pushfulness, pushiness, pushing, pushingness, quicken, raid, railroad, railroad through, ram, ram down, rash impulse, rattle, rebuff, recommend, reject, roll, rouse, row, rub, run, run against, run at, rush, rush along, sail away, sally, scram, scramble, set, set in motion, shake, shock tactics, shoot ahead, shoulder, shove, shove off, shoving, shunt, sinew, skedaddle, snap, soft-soap, sortie, speed, speed along, speed up, spirit, spunk, spur, squab, squash, squeeze, squish, stampede, starch, steam, step lively, stimulate, strain, strait, strength, stress, strike, strong arm, superiority, superpower, sweep, sweep along, sweet-talk, take off, tamp, tax, tease, the boot, the sack, throng, thrust, torment, treadle, troll, trundle, try, try again, try and try, try hard, turn, turning point, tyrannize, unprovoked assault, up-and-comingness, urge, urgency, validity, vehemence, venturesomeness, venturousness, verve, vigor, vim, virility, virtue, virulence, vitality, walking papers, wattage, weight, wheedle, whip, whip along, work on, zeal, zing, zip

ROGET THESAURUS

Push

Circumstance

N circumstance, situation, phase, position, posture, attitude, place, point, terms, regime, footing, standing, status, occasion, juncture, conjunctive, contingency, predicament, emergence, emergency, exigency, crisis, pinch, pass, push, occurrence, turning point, bearings, how the land lies, surroundings, context, environment, location, contingency, dependence (uncertainty), causation, attribution, circumstantial, given, conditional, provisional, critical, modal, contingent, incidental, adventitious, limitative, in the circumstances, under the circumstances, the circumstances, conditions, thus, in such wise, accordingly, that being the case, such being the case, in view of the circumstances, that being so, sith, since, seeing that, as matters stand, as things go, as times go, conditionally, provided, if, in case, if so, if so be, if it be so, depending on circumstances, in certain circumstances, under certain conditions, if it so happen, if it so turn out, in the event of, in such a contingency, in such a case, in such an event, provisionally, unless, without, according to circumstances, according to the occasion, as it may happen, as it may turn out, as it may be, as the case may be, as the wind blows, pro re nata, yet are my sins not those of circumstance.

Essay

VB try, essay, experiment, endeavor, strive, tempt, attempt, make an attempt, venture, adventure, speculate, take one's chance, tempt fortune, try one's fortune, try one's luck, try one's hand, use one's endeavor, feel one's way, grope one's way, pick one's way, try hard, push, make a bold push, use one's best endeavor, do one's best.

Activity

VB be active, busy oneself in, stir, stir about, stir one's stumps, bestir oneself, rouse oneself, speed, hasten, peg away, lay about one, bustle, fuss, raise up, kick up a dust, push, make a push, make a fuss, make a stir, go ahead, push forward, fight one's way, elbow one's way, make progress, toll, plod, persist, keep up the ball, keep the pot boiling, look sharp, have all one's eyes about one, rise, arouse oneself, hustle, get up early, be about, keep moving, steal a march, kill two birds with one stone, seize the opportunity, lose no time, not lose a moment, make the most of one's time, not suffer the grass to grow under one's feet, improve the shining hour, make short work of, dash off, make haste, do one's best take pains, do wonders, work wonders, have many irons in the fire, have one's hands full, have much on one's hands, have other things to do, have other fish to fry, be busy, not have a moment to spare, not have a moment that one can call one's own, have one's fling, run the round of, go all lengths, stick at nothing, run riot, outdo, overdo, overact, overlay, overshoot the mark, make a toil of a pleasure, have a hand in, take an active part, put in one's oar, have a finger in the pie, mix oneself up with, trouble, one's head about, intrigue, agitate, tamper with, meddle, moil, intermeddle, interfere, interpose, obtrude, poke one's nose in, thrust one's nose in.

Impulse

N impulse, sudden thought, impromptu, improvisation, inspiration, flash, spurt, improvisatore, creature of impulse, extemporaneous, impulsive, indeliberate, snap, improvised, improvisate, improvisatory, unpremeditated, unmeditated, improvise, unprompted, unguided, natural, unguarded, spontaneous, instinctive, extempore, extemporaneously, offhand, impromptu, a limproviste, improviso, on the spur of the moment, on the spur of the occasion, impulse, impulsion, impetus, momentum, push, pulsion, thrust, shove, jog, jolt, brunt, booming, boost, throw, explosion, propulsion, percussion, concussion, collision, occursion, clash, encounter, cannon, carambole, appulse, shock, crash, bump, impact, elan, charge, beating, blow, dint, stroke, knock, tap, rap, slap, smack, pat, dab, fillip, slam, bang, hit, whack, thwack, cuff, squash, dowse, swap, whap, punch, thump, pelt, kick, punce, calcitration, ruade, arietation, cut, thrust, lunge, yerk, carom, carrom, clip, jab, plug, sidewinder, sidewipe, sideswipe, hammer, sledge hammer, mall, maul, mallet, flail, ram, rammer, battering ram, monkey, pile-driving engine, punch, bat, cant hook, cudgel, ax, dynamics, seismometer, accelerometer, earthquake detector, impelling, impulsive, impellent, booming, dynamic, dynamical, impelled, a hit, a very palpable hit.

VB flash on the mind, say what comes uppermost, improvise, extemporize, give an impetus, impel, push, start, give a start to, set going, drive, urge, boom, thrust, prod, foin, cant, elbow, shoulder, jostle, justle, hustle, hurtle, shove, jog, jolt, encounter, run against, bump against, butt against, knock one's head against, run one's head against, impinge, boost, bunt, carom, clip y, fan, fan out, jab, plug, strike, knock, hit, tap, rap, slap, flap, dab, pat, thump, beat, blow, bang, slam, dash, punch, thwack, whack, hit hard, strike hard, swap, batter, dowse, baste, pelt, patter, buffet, belabor, fetch one a blow, poke at, pink, lunge, yerk, kick, calcitrate, butt, strike at, whip, come into a collision, enter into collision, collide, sideswipe, foul, fall foul of, run foul of, telescope, throw.

Propulsion

N propulsion, projection, propelment, vis a tergo, force from behind, push, shove, ejaculate, ejection, throw, fling, toss, shot, discharge, shy, launch, release, projectiles, ballistics, archery, propeller, screw, twin screws, turbine, jet engine, missile, projectile, ball, discus, quoit, brickbat, shot, arrow, gun, ballista, countdown, windup, shooter, shot, archer, toxophilite, bowman, rifleman, marksman, good shot, crack shot, sharpshooter, propelled, propelling, propulsive, projectile.

Ejection

VB give exit, give vent to, let out, give out, pour out, squeeze out, send out, dispatch, despatch, exhale, excern, excrete, embogue, secrete, secern, extravasate, shed, void, evacuation, emit, open the sluices, open the floodgates, turn on the tap, extrude, detrude, effuse, spend, expend, pour forth, squirt, spirt, spurt, spill, slop, perspire, breathe, blow, tap, draw off, bale out, lade out, let blood, broach, eject, reject, expel, discard, cut, send to coventry, boycott, chasser, banish, bounce, fire, fire out, throw, throw out, throw up, throw off, throw away, throw aside, push, throw out, throw off, throw away, throw aside, shovel out, shovel away, sweep out, sweep away, brush off, brush away, whisk off, whisk away, turn off, turn away, send off, send away, discharge, send adrift, turn adrift, cast adrift, turn out, bundle out, throw overboard, give the sack to, send packing, send about one's business, send to the right about, strike off the roll, turn out neck and heels, turn out head and shoulders, turn out neck and crop, pack off, send away with a flea in the ear, send to Jericho, bow out, show the door to, turn out of doors, turn out of house and home, evict, oust, unhouse, unkennel, dislodge, unpeople, dispeople, depopulate, relegate, deport, empty, drain to the dregs, sweep off, clear off, clear out, clear away, suck, draw off, clean out, make a clean sweep of, clear decks, purge, embowel, disbowel, disembowel, eviscerate, gut, unearth, root out, root up, averuncate, weed out, get out, eliminate, get rid of, do away with, shake off, exenterate, vomit, throw up, regurgitate, spew, puke, keck, retch, heave, upchuck, chuck up, barf, belch out, cast up, bring up, be sick, get sick, worship the porcelain god, disgorge, expectorate, clear the throat, hawk, spit, sputter, splutter, slobber, drivel, slaver, slabber, eructate, drool, unpack, unlade, unload, unship, offload, break bulk, dump, be let out, spew forth, erupt, ooze.