pushed

push

 (po͝osh)

v. pushed, push·ing, push·es

v.tr.

1.

a. To apply pressure against (something), especially for the purpose of moving it: pushed the door but couldn't budge it.

b. To move (something) by exerting force against it; thrust or shove: pushed the crate aside.

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

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

3. To urge forward or urge insistently; pressure: pushed him to study harder.

4. To extend or enlarge: pushed sales into the millions.

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

6.

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

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

7. 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 pressure or force against something: winds pushing against the sail.

2. To advance despite difficulty or opposition; press forward: The regiment pushed toward the front line.

3. To advocate or recommend something insistently: pushed for a change in leadership.

4. To expend great or vigorous effort: pushed to finish his paper by the deadline.

n.

1.

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

b. The act of pressing: with a push of the button.

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

3. A provocation to action; a stimulus: has artistic talent but needs a push to get started.

4. Informal Persevering energy; enterprise: doesn't have the push to get the job done.

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 the situation must be confronted and dealt with: When push comes to shove, we'll have to move to a cheaper place.

---

[Middle English pushen, from Old French pousser, from Latin pulsāre, frequentative of pellere, to strike, push; see pel- 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.

Antonym: pull

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

pushed

(pʊʃt)

adj

(often foll by for) informal short (of) or in need (of time, money, etc)

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

Thesaurus

pushed

adjective (Informal) (often with for) short of, pressed, rushed, tight, hurried, under pressure, in difficulty, up against it (informal) He's going to be a bit pushed for time.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

pushed

[ˈpʊʃt] adj (British)

to be pushed for time → être à court de temps
to be pushed for money → être à court de d'argent

to be hard pushed to do sth (= hard-pressed) → être bien en peine de faire qch

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005