push and shove
Aggressive physical contact
Push and shove describes aggressive physical jostling, the kind of rough contact in crowds or confrontations: There was a lot of pushing and shoving at the concert entrance.
The phrase often signals escalation—what starts as push and shove may become a full fight.
When push comes to shove means when a situation becomes serious or a decision becomes unavoidable.
Push roughly against
Labored effort against resistance
- tussleBrief physical struggle
- scuffleBrief disorderly struggle
- fightPhysical or verbal conflict
- clashViolent disagreement or collision
confrontation · altercation · skirmish · fracas · dustup · brawl · roughhouse · grapple
thrust
Forceful forward motion
ram · bulldoze · heave · shunt · jostle · elbow · bump · nudge · muscle · manhandle
jostle
Push roughly against
press · crush · mob · swarm · surge · stampede · pile · cram · pack · wedge
struggle
Labored effort against resistance
clash · confrontation · altercation · skirmish · fracas · dustup · brawl · roughhouse · grapple · wrestle
push and shovegentle touch
step back · make way · hold back · stand still · retreat
push and shovetake turns
Alternate in sequence
stand in line · wait one's turn · courtesy · decorum · good manners
push and shoveaccommodate
Provide for or adjust
back off · give way · let be · leave alone · ease up
push, shove, pushed, pushes, pushing, pusher, pushers, pushy, pushiness