1 A2 informal
To move sideways along a seat or bench to make room for another person
"'Shove over a bit,' he said, squeezing onto the park bench beside her."
shove over
A2 informal separable transitive/intransitive
To move to one side to make room, or to push something across to someone
In plain English
To move your body or push something sideways to make space for someone else
What does "shove over" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 informal
To push an object across a surface toward someone
"She shoved the salt shaker over to him without looking up."
separable
3 B1 neutral
To knock something over by pushing it
"He accidentally shoved the lamp over while reaching for his phone."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To shove something or someone so it moves over — transparent
Actually means
To move your body or push something sideways to make space for someone else
Usage tip
Very common in everyday informal English. As an intransitive command ('Shove over!'), it asks someone to move along a bench, sofa, or seat. As a transitive use, it means to push an object across to someone ('shove it over here'). Usually not considered rude, just direct.
Words that pair with "shove over"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
sofa bench seat plate bag box room
How to conjugate "shove over"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
shove over
I/you/we/they
3rd person
shoves over
he/she/it
Past simple
shoved over
yesterday
Past participle
shoved over
have + pp
-ing form
shoving over
continuous
Hear "shove over" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "shove over" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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