nudge /nʌdʒ/ BrE AmE verb
[ Date: 1600-1700 ; Origin: Perhaps from a Scandinavian language ]
1 . [transitive] to push someone gently, usually with your elbow, in order to get their attention:
Jill nudged him in the ribs.
2 . [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to move something or someone a short distance by gently pushing:
She nudged the glass towards me.
David nudged me out of the way.
3 . [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to move forward slowly by pushing gently
nudge your way to/through etc (something)
I started to nudge my way to the front of the crowd.
4 . [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to gently persuade or encourage someone to take a particular decision or action
nudge somebody into/towards something
We’re trying to nudge them towards a practical solution.
5 . [transitive] to almost reach a particular level or amount:
Outside the temperature was nudging 30 degrees Celsius.
—nudge noun [countable] :
Hannah gave me a gentle nudge.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ push to make something or someone move by pressing them with your hands, arms etc:
Push the door, don’t pull it.
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She pushed him away and walked out.
▪ shove to push someone or something in a rough or careless way:
People were shoving to get to the front of the queue.
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Tom shoved his suitcase under the bed.
▪ stuff informal to push something quickly and carelessly into a small space:
She stuffed a few clothes into a bag and left.
▪ poke to push someone or something with your finger or something sharp:
I poked the snake with a stick but it was dead.
▪ nudge to push someone beside you gently with your elbow to get their attention:
Toby nudged me and pointed out of the window.
▪ roll to push something round or something on wheels so that it moves forward:
They rolled the logs down the hill.
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The car still didn’t start so we tried to roll it off the road.
▪ wheel to push something with wheels, for example a bicycle or a ↑ trolley , so that it moves forward, while guiding it with your hands:
Rob wheeled his bike round the back of the house.