Definition

1. 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

1. push out of the way