1 B1 informal
To put on clothing quickly and without much care
"She shoved on her coat and ran out the door to catch the bus."
separable
shove on
B1 informal separable transitive
To put on clothing, a device, or media quickly or carelessly; or to push something onto a surface
In plain English
To quickly put something on, like clothes or music
What does "shove on" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 informal
To start playing music, a film, or a TV programme casually
"Shall I shove on a film while we wait for the food to arrive?"
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To shove something so it goes on top of or onto something — semi-transparent
Actually means
To quickly put something on, like clothes or music
Usage tip
Common in casual British speech. Used with clothing ('shove on a coat'), media ('shove on a film'), and sometimes with pushing objects onto a pile. Implies speed and informality rather than care.
Words that pair with "shove on"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
jacket film music kettle hat jumper show
How to conjugate "shove on"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
shove on
I/you/we/they
3rd person
shoves on
he/she/it
Past simple
shoved on
yesterday
Past participle
shoved on
have + pp
-ing form
shoving on
continuous
Hear "shove on" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "shove on" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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