push away
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To physically move something or someone away from oneself by applying force: The act of using one's hands or body to create distance by exerting pressure against an object or person.
- To reject or distance oneself emotionally or socially: To figuratively create separation by refusing advances, offers, or intimacy.
Usage Examples
- Verb (Physical Action):
- She had to push away the heavy box to open the door.
- The child pushed away his plate of vegetables.
- Verb (Emotional/Social Action):
- He tends to push away people who try to get close to him.
- She pushed away the feelings of doubt and focused on her goal.
Advanced Usage
- "to push someone/something away": This is the standard transitive construction, requiring a direct object (the thing or person being moved or rejected).
- He pushed the attacker away with all his strength.
- Her harsh words pushed her friends away.
Variants and Related Words
- Push (verb): The base form, meaning to exert force on something to move it.
- Repel (verb): To drive or force back; often used in both physical and figurative contexts similar to "push away."
- Shove away (phrasal verb): A synonym implying a more forceful, abrupt pushing motion.
Synonyms
- Repel
- Shove away
- Fend off
- Reject (for the figurative sense)
- Distance oneself from (for the figurative sense)
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Push aside: To move something to the side, often to clear a space or to disregard something.
- He pushed aside the paperwork to make room for his coffee.
- Push back: To resist or oppose; to force into a previous position.
- The community pushed back against the new regulations.
Related Idioms
- To keep at arm's length: To avoid becoming too friendly or close with someone.
- After being betrayed, she kept all new acquaintances at arm's length. (This idiom relates to the figurative sense of "push away.")
Verb
- push out of the way