English

Verb

push it ‎(third-person singular simple present pushes it, present participle pushing it, simple past and past participle pushed it)

1. (idiomatic) To make an extraordinary or risky effort; to behave in a way which tests the limits; to expect too much.
   • 1900, Anthony Hope, Tristram of Blent, ch. 20:

     "No hurry, give me time"—"don't push it"—"wait"—"do nothing"—"the status quo"—all these various phrases expressed Lord Southend's earnest and re-iterated advice."

   • 1989 Dec. 30, Frank Litsky, "Giants' Johnson Practicing Again," New York Times (retrieved 29 August 2013):

     This season, Johnson's back spasms returned after five games and he underwent surgery again. . . . "If it comes around well, I might be able to play. I'm not going to push it."

   • 2008 July 24, Bill Powell, "100 Olympic Athletes To Watch: Yao Ming," Time (retrieved 29 August 2013):

     [V]arious physicians in the U.S. have been quoted as saying that coming back this quickly from his particular injury is pushing it.

   • 2010, Andre Dubus, Adultery & Other Choices, ISBN 9781453299708, (Google preview):

     "Sometimes she lets me touch her, just the breasts you see, and that's fine, I don't push it."

Usage notes

• When this term is used with this sense, the pronoun it does not have a stated grammatical antecedent.

See also

• push one's luck