pusher

American  

[poosh-er] / ˈpʊʃ ər /

noun

1. a person or thing that pushes.

2. Slang. a peddler of illegal drugs.

3. Aeronautics. an airplane that is driven by pusher propellers.

4. Nautical. one of the masts abaft the mizzen on a sailing vessel having more than three masts, either the sixth or seventh from forward.

5. Railroads. a helper attached to the rear of a train, usually to provide extra power for climbing a steep grade.

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pusher British  

/ ˈpʊʃə /

noun

1. informal a person who sells illegal drugs, esp narcotics such as heroin and morphine

2. informal an actively or aggressively ambitious person

3. 1. a type of aircraft propeller placed behind the engine

   2. a type of aircraft using such a propeller

4. a person or thing that pushes

5. a rakelike implement used by small children to push food onto a spoon

6. the usual name for pushchair

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Etymology

Origin of pusher

First recorded in 1585–95; push + -er ¹

Example Sentences

He lambasted Temple as “simply a paper pusher,” who ran the math on rate increases without being able to fix the problem.

From The Wall Street Journal

Pawn pushers at a couple of low-stakes chess tournaments in Iowa and Louisiana recently sat down at their boards only to discover a surprising competitor: one of the highest rated chess players ever to live.

From The Wall Street Journal

Since joining the House of Lords she has used her speeches to warn about proposed cuts to the civil service, criticising those who call public servants "pen pushers".

From BBC

His amusement arcade offers traditional slot machines and penny pushers, alongside brand new video games.

From BBC

“They sent my son over there as a paper pusher and then had the Taliban outside providing security,” Mr. Nikoui said at the time, according to the news organization.

From New York Times