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Glite Dictionary
to push up

to push up

11 2.1
Move something to a higher place by pushing from below or behind
  • phrasal verb
  • /pʊʃ ʌp/
translation icon : levantar
  • Now, push up your sleeve.
  • push up prices

And there were like little stilts that would push up the track and hold it in place.

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Examples

Synonyms

to pick up
vsto push up
834 1.0

To lift something or someone from the ground with your hands

achieves upward motion by pushing from below or behind rather than lifting by hand
to lift
vsto push up
553 1.0

To raise something higher by hand or with a machine

is narrower, involving a pushing action from below or behind
to elevate
vsto push up
128 3.9

To move something to a higher place or level

refers to physical upward movement by pushing from below or behind
to lift up
vsto push up
107 1.1

To raise someone or something to a higher place

moves things upward specifically by pushing from below or behind
to press
vsto push up
  • Specialized
68 4.1

Lift a weight by pushing it up with your arms while standing or lying down

focuses on pushing objects upward from below or behind in everyday movement
to take up
vsto push up
56 2.0

To lift something up, often with a spoon or tool

uses a pushing action from below or behind rather than a scooping motion
to boost
vsto push up
21 2.5

To push someone up from below so they reach a higher place

is specifically about directly pushing an object upward from below
to run up
vsto push up
8 5.6

Raise a flag or sail by pulling on ropes

moves objects upward instead by pushing from below or behind rather than hoisting
to raise up
vsto push up
7 2.1

To lift something or someone to a higher place

achieves that movement specifically by pushing from below or behind
to jack up
vsto push up
4 4.3

To lift a car or truck off the ground with a small lifting tool

describes direct upward pushing from below or behind without that specific tool
to hike up
vsto push up
  • Informal
4 3.5

Pull a piece of clothing higher on your body

instead uses a pushing motion from below or behind to create upward movement
to hitch up
vsto push up
  • Informal
3 4.4

Pull a piece of clothing higher on the body

differs by producing upward movement through pushing from below or behind
to heave up
vsto push up
  • Informal
3 4.5

To lift something heavy with a lot of effort

uses a direct pushing motion from below or behind rather than general force
to jack up the car
vsto push up
1 3.9

To lift a car off the ground with a jack to fix or change a part

refers to pushing upward from below or behind in ordinary actions without tools
to heft up
vsto push up
  • Informal
1 6.1

To lift something with effort to see how heavy it is

performs upward movement by pushing from below or behind instead of testing weight
to uprear
vsto push up
  • Archaic
8.8

To lift something to a higher position

is the more specific action of moving upward by pushing from below or behind

Antonyms

to drop
∞ 1.0

To let something fall suddenly or by accident

to lower
802 1.0

Make something go down in position, amount, or strength

How High

to elevate
128 3.9
to hoist
79 4.7
raise
4 2.9
to push up
11 2.1
to move up
43 2.0

Surface Forms

push up infinitive
pushed up past
pushed up past participle
pushing up present participle
pushes up third person singular

Morphology

push + up

The meaning 'to move or lift something to a higher position' is directly and predictably derived from combining 'push' (apply bodily force to move) with 'up' (toward a higher place). This verb + particle motion construction is literal and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Push up comes from a simple physical image: using push from below to make something go up, like pushing a heavy board or debris to lift it. So it means 'to move or lift something to a higher position'.