shove

Everyday

1. To shove is to push someone or something roughly and hard. tree →
2. To shove something somewhere is to put it there quickly and carelessly. tree →
3. A shove is a hard, rough push. tree →

In the lessons

In stories and in playground rules: shoving in a queue is rude and can hurt someone; teachers say «no pushing or shoving». In everyday talk, «shove it in your bag» means put it there quickly. Phrases: «push and shove», «give it a shove», «shove over» (move along, informal).

Examples

• Please don't shove in the line. tree →
• He shoved the door, but it was stuck. tree →
• She shoved her books into her bag and ran. tree →
• The car wouldn't start, so we gave it a shove. tree →
• Someone shoved me and I fell over. tree →
• Shove over and let me sit down. tree →
• The big kids pushed and shoved to get on the bus. tree →
• With that the little man shoved him in at the door, and locked it. tree →

Note

Regular verb: past «shoved». Pronounced to rhyme with «love», not «stove». Shove is rougher than push; it often sounds rude or angry. Shoving others is unsafe near roads, stairs and pools.