push around

push  (psh)

v. pushed, push·ing, push·es

v.tr.

1. To apply pressure against for the purpose of moving: push a shopping cart through the aisles of a market.

2. To move (an object) by exerting force against it; thrust or shove.

3. To force (one's way): We pushed our way through the crowd.

4. To urge forward or urge insistently; pressure: push a child to study harder.

5. To bear hard upon; press.

6. To exert downward pressure on (a button or keyboard, for example); press.

7. To extend or enlarge: push society past the frontier.

8. Informal To approach in age: is pushing 40 and still hasn't settled down.

9. Slang

a. To promote or sell (a product): The author pushed her latest book by making appearances in bookstores.

b. To sell (a narcotic) illegally: push drugs.

10. Sports To hit (a ball) in the direction toward the dominant hand of the player propelling it, as to the right of a right-handed player.

v.intr.

1. To exert outward pressure or force against something.

2. To advance despite difficulty or opposition; press forward.

3. To expend great or vigorous effort.

n.

1. The act of pushing; thrust: gave the door a swift push.

2. A vigorous or insistent effort toward an end; a drive: a push to democracy.

3. A provocation to action; a stimulus.

4. Informal Persevering energy; enterprise.

Phrasal Verbs:

push around Informal

To treat or threaten to treat roughly; intimidate.

push off Informal

To set out; depart: The infantry patrol pushed off before dawn.

push on

To continue or proceed along one's way: The path was barely visible, but we pushed on.

Idioms:

push paper Informal

To have one's time taken up by administrative, often seemingly petty, paperwork: spent the afternoon pushing paper for the boss.

push up daisies Slang

To be dead and buried: a cemetery of heroes pushing up daisies.

when/if push comes to shove

At a point when or if all else has been taken into account and matters must be confronted, one way or another: "We extol the virtues of motherhood and bestow praise on the self-sacrificing homemaker but when push comes to shove, we give her little recognition for what she does" (Los Angeles Times).

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[Middle English pusshen, from Old French poulser, pousser, from Latin pulsre, frequentative of pellere, to strike, push; see pel-⁵ in Indo-European roots.]

Synonyms: push, propel, shove, thrust
These verbs mean to press against something in order to move it forward or aside: push a baby carriage; wind propelling a sailboat; shove a tray across a table; thrust the package into her hand. See Also Synonyms at campaign.

Antonym: pull

Thesaurus

Verb

1.

push around - be bossy towards; "Her big brother always bullied her when she was young" ballyrag, boss around, browbeat, bully, bullyrag, hector, strong-arm intimidate - make timid or fearful; "Her boss intimidates her" domineer, tyrannise, tyrannize - rule or exercise power over (somebody) in a cruel and autocratic manner; "her husband and mother-in-law tyrannize her"