push

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
push/pʊʃ/

▶verb

• 1 exert force on (someone or something) in order to move them away from oneself.

  ■ hold and exert force on (something) so as to cause it to move in front of one.

  ■ move one's body or a part of it forcefully into a specified position.

  ■ (push off) exert pressure with an oar so as to move a boat out from a bank.

• 2 move forward by using force.

  ■ (push in) Brit. go in front of people who are already queuing.

  ■ (push ahead) proceed with or continue a course of action.

  ■ (push off) Brit. informal go away; depart.

• 3 urge (someone) to greater effort.

  ■ (push for) demand persistently.

• 4 informal promote the use, sale, or acceptance of.

  ■ sell (a narcotic drug) illegally.

• 5 (be pushed) informal have very little of something, especially time.

• 6 (be pushing) informal be nearly (a particular age).

▶noun

• 1 an act of pushing.

• 2 a vigorous effort.

  ■ forcefulness and enterprise.

• 3 (a push) informal something that is hard to achieve.

– phrases
at a push Brit. informal only if necessary or with a certain degree of difficulty.
get (or give someone) the push (or shove) Brit. informal

• 1 be dismissed (or dismiss someone) from a job.

• 2 be rejected in (or end) a relationship.

push one's luck informal take a risk on the assumption that one will continue to be successful or in favour.
when push comes to shove informal when one must commit oneself to an action or decision.

– derivatives
pusher noun.

– origin ME: from OFr. pousser, from L. pulsare (see pulse1).