push (pʊʃ) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) |
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| —vb (when tr, often foll by off, away, etc) (when intr,often foll by for) (when intr,often foll by for) |
| 1. | to apply steady force to (something) in order to move it |
| 2. | to thrust (one's way) through something, such as a crowd, by force |
| 3. | to apply oneself vigorously (to achieving a task, plan, etc) |
| 4. | (tr) to encourage or urge (a person) to some action, decision, etc |
| 5. | to be an advocate or promoter (of): to push for acceptance of one's theories |
| 6. | (tr) to use one's influence to help (a person): to push one's own candidate |
| 7. | to bear upon (oneself or another person) in order to achieve more effort, better results, etc: she was a woman who liked to push her husband |
| 8. | a. (tr) to take undue risks, esp through overconfidence, thus risking failure: to push one's luck |
| | b. (intr) to act overconfidently |
| 9. | sport to hit (a ball) with a stiff pushing stroke |
| 10. | informal (tr) to sell (narcotic drugs) illegally |
| 11. | (intr; foll by out, into, etc) (esp of geographical features) to reach or extend: the cliffs pushed out to the sea |
| 12. | (tr) to overdevelop (a photographic film), usually by the equivalent of up to two stops, to compensate for underexposure or increase contrast |
| 13. | slang push up daisies, push up the daisies to be dead and buried |
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| —n |
| 14. | the act of pushing; thrust |
| 15. | a part or device that is pressed to operate some mechanism |
| 16. | informal ambitious or enterprising drive, energy, etc |
| 17. | informal a special effort or attempt to advance, as of an army in a war: to make a push |
| 18. | informal a number of people gathered in one place, such as at a party |
| 19. | slang (Austral) a group or gang, esp one considered to be a clique |
| 20. | sport a stiff pushing stroke |
| 21. | informal at a push with difficulty; only just |
| 22. | informal chiefly (Brit) the push dismissal, esp from employment |
| 23. | informal when push comes to shove when matters become critical; when a decision needs to be made |
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| [C13: from Old French pousser, from Latin pulsāre, from pellere to drive] |