propel
verb /prəˈpel/
/prəˈpel/
[often passive]Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they propel | /prəˈpel/ /prəˈpel/ |
| he / she / it propels | /prəˈpelz/ /prəˈpelz/ |
| past simple propelled | /prəˈpeld/ /prəˈpeld/ |
| past participle propelled | /prəˈpeld/ /prəˈpeld/ |
| -ing form propelling | /prəˈpelɪŋ/ /prəˈpelɪŋ/ |
- propel something (+ adv./prep.) to move, drive or push something forward or in a particular direction
- mechanically propelled vehicles
- a boat propelled only by oars
- He succeeded in propelling the ball across the line.
- propel somebody + adv./prep. to force somebody to move in a particular direction or to get into a particular situation
- He was grabbed from behind and propelled through the door.
- Fury propelled her into action.
- This picture propelled her to international stardom.
- to be propelled into the limelight/spotlight
see also propulsion
Word Originlate Middle English (in the sense ‘expel, drive out’): from Latin propellere, from pro- ‘forward’ + pellere ‘to drive’.