Definition

1. Noun:

   • A forceful push or shove: A strong, often sudden, forward movement or pressure.
   • A stab or lunge with a pointed weapon: The act of piercing or attempting to pierce with something sharp.
   • The main point or central theme (of an argument, policy, etc.): The principal purpose or driving force behind something.
   • The propulsive force generated by an engine or jet: The reactive force that pushes a vehicle forward.

2. Verb:

   • To push something or someone suddenly or violently: To exert force to move something forward or away.
   • To force something into a particular position or state: To impose or insert something, often with effort.
   • To pierce or stab with a pointed object: To make a sudden forward movement with a sharp instrument.
   • To extend or cause to project: To push or cause something to stick out.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • He gave the door a hard thrust and it flew open.
  • The knight killed his opponent with a single thrust of his sword.
  • The main thrust of the article was the need for economic reform.
  • The rocket's thrust propelled it into space.

• Verb:

  • She thrust the letter into my hand and ran away.
  • He thrust his hands deep into his pockets.
  • The murderer thrust the knife into the victim's chest.
  • A rocky peak thrust up from the ocean floor.

Advanced Usage

• "To thrust oneself upon/into": To force one's presence, opinions, or company on someone or into a situation.
  • He always thrusts himself into our conversations.
• "To thrust aside": To push something away, often to ignore or dismiss it.
  • She thrust aside her doubts and continued with the plan.
• "Cut and thrust": The lively and aggressive exchange of ideas, especially in debate or competition.
  • He enjoyed the cut and thrust of political debate.

Variants and Related Words

• Thruster (n): A person or thing that thrusts; a small rocket engine used to control the position of a spacecraft.
• Thrusting (adj): Aggressively ambitious or pushy.
  • He was a thrusting young executive.

Synonyms

• Noun: Push, shove, lunge, stab, drive, impetus, gist, core.
• Verb: Push, shove, force, plunge, stab, ram, impose, propel.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Thrust forward: To push or move something to the front; to advance.
  • The general thrust his troops forward.
• Thrust upon: To force someone to accept or deal with something.
  • The responsibility was thrust upon her unexpectedly.

Related Idioms

• The thrust of the matter/argument: The essential or most important part of something.
  • Let's get to the thrust of the matter.
• To thrust and parry: To engage in a vigorous exchange, as in an argument or fencing.
  • The lawyers thrust and parried in the courtroom.

Noun

1. a sharp hand gesture (resembling a blow)
   • he warned me with a jab with his finger
   • he made a thrusting motion with his fist
2. verbal criticism
   • he enlivened his editorials with barbed thrusts at politicians
3. the act of applying force to propel something
   • after reaching the desired velocity the drive is cut off
4. a strong blow with a knife or other sharp pointed instrument
   • one strong stab to the heart killed him
5. the force used in pushing
   • the push of the water on the walls of the tank
   • the thrust of the jet engines

Verb

1. place or put with great energy
   • She threw the blanket around the child
   • thrust the money in the hands of the beggar
2. push upward
   • The front of the trains that had collided head-on thrust up into the air
3. force (molten rock) into pre-existing rock
4. penetrate or cut through with a sharp instrument
5. impose urgently, importunately, or inexorably
   • She forced her diet fads on him
6. make a thrusting forward movement
7. press or force
   • Stuff money into an envelope
   • She thrust the letter into his hand
8. push forcefully
   • He thrust his chin forward