pusher

American  

[poosh-er] / ˈpʊʃ ər /

noun

pushers plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• pushers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of pusher

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

Example Sentences

A spokeswoman for Christiania's press group, she said: "We are very tired of people saying Pusher Street is Christiania. It is not."

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2024

Grown right in Kirkland by Ram Viswanathan, a software guy and a Zone Pusher.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 7, 2024

His younger brother, Mads, is also an internationally successful actor, having starred in movies including Pusher, Casino Royale and King Arthur.

From The Guardian • Jan. 30, 2019

One recent morning, when a middle-aged woman took a photograph of Pusher Street, a young men confronted her and demanded she delete the photo.

From New York Times • Aug. 26, 2018

All the time when Staunton is buying Tomatoes and Salmon and Tintacks and Locomotives and Peanuts and lots of things that he doesn’t really want, George B. Pusher is in attendance on the Heroine.

From If I May by Milne, A. A. (Alan Alexander)