push it

The slang sense referring to sexual intercourse was inspired by "Push It", a Salt-n-Pepa song of the 1980s. The song is ostensibly only about dancing but clearly also implies sex.

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push it (third-person singular simple present pushes it, present participle pushing it, simple past and past participle pushed it)

1. (idiomatic) To make an extraordinary or risky effort; to behave in a way which tests the limits; to take chances; to expect too much.

   You're really pushing it if you expect them to keep putting up with your B.S.

   We were really pushing it when we kept on driving even though the fuel gauge was near empty.

   • 1900, Anthony Hope, chapter 20, in Tristram of Blent:

     "No hurry, give me time"—"don't push it"—"wait"—"do nothing"—"the status quo"—all these various phrases expressed Lord Southend's earnest and re-iterated advice."

   • 1989 December 30, Frank Litsky, “Giants' Johnson Practicing Again”, in New York Times, retrieved 29 August 2013:

     This season, Johnson's back spasms returned after five games and he underwent surgery again. . . . "If it comes around well, I might be able to play. I'm not going to push it."

   • 2008 July 24, Bill Powell, “100 Olympic Athletes To Watch: Yao Ming”, in Time, retrieved 29 August 2013:

     [V]arious physicians in the U.S. have been quoted as saying that coming back this quickly from his particular injury is pushing it.

   • 2010, Andre Dubus, Adultery & Other Choices‎^[1], →ISBN:

     "Sometimes she lets me touch her, just the breasts you see, and that's fine, I don't push it."

2. (slang, dated) To have sexual intercourse.

   push it real good

   • 1987, Hurby Azor, Ray Davies, “Push It (Salt-n-Pepa song)”‎^[2]performed by Salt-n-Pepa:

     Salt-n-Pepa's here, and we're in effect
     Want you to push it back
     Cooling by day, then at night, working up a sweat
     C'mon girls, let's go show the guys that we know
     How to become number one in a hot party show
     Now push it
     push it good
     (Ah, push it) push it real good
     (Ah, push it) push it good
     (Ah, push it) p-push it real good
     Ow!
     Push it good
     Ooh, baby, baby, baby, baby
     Ooh, baby, baby, ba-baby, baby
     Push it good
     Push it real good
     Ah, push it

• The it is a dummy it.

• push one's luck
• push the envelope

• hits up, hitups, shit up