English

Alternative forms

• pushup

Adjective

push-up ‎(not comparable)

1. (fashion) Supporting the breasts to increase their apparent size.
   • 2008, Women's Health, page 141

     Talk about lucky stripes: This push-up top features pads to provide oomph and make sure the girls stay sunny-side up.

   • 2011, Laura Resnick, Vamparazzi: Book Four of Esther Diamond, Penguin (ISBN 9781101547625)

     I paused to say, “Good,” then returned to breathing and vocalizing while I repeatedly bent over, stretched, and rolled up slowly, warming up my spine—and ignoring the way the wires of my push-up corset poked and squeezed me.

   • 2015, Robin Kirman, Bradstreet Gate: A Novel, Crown (ISBN 9780804139328)

     In the sharper light of his hotel room, the woman's skin looked overpowdered; her bra was push-up, a pendant nestled in the cleavage.

2. (fashion) Designed to be worn rolled up.
   • 1952, Jet, page 41

     Season's most popular blouses feature push-up sleeves, little- boy collars, dainty ties.

   • 1971, Ebony, page 121

     These intriguing outfits feature harem pants with long draped front-panel belts, slinky, sleeveless coats, flowing dresses that cling, trousers with push-up legs and deep-cut pants that reveal a whole lot of slim, smooth belly- button and all!

   • 1992, The American Legion

     A lovely body-skimming blouson with flattering full sleeves and wide push-up cuffs.

Noun

push-up ‎(plural push-ups)

1. An exercise done to improve upper body strength, performed by resting on one's toes and hands and pushing one's weight off the floor.
   • 2008, Lou Schuler, "Foreward", in Nate Green, Built for Show, page xii

     I did lots of push-ups and pull-ups, and my only regret is that I stopped doing them as a young adult when I finally got to work out in health clubs instead of my basement or garage.

Synonyms

• (exercise): press-up (mostly UK)

Translations

Verb

push-up ‎(third-person singular simple present push-ups, present participle push-upping, simple past and past participle push-upped)

1. To perform a push-up, or to lift oneself off the ground in a push-up-like manner.

See also

• push-up on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• chin-up
• press-up (UK)
• pull-up
• push-up bra