Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To cause to move forward or onward. synonym: push.
  • transitive verb To cause to develop or progress.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To drive forward; move or cause to move on; urge or press onward by force.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To drive forward; to urge or press onward by force; to move, or cause to move

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb To cause to move in a certain direction.
  • verb To make to arrive to a certain situation or result.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb give an incentive for action
  • verb cause to move forward with force

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English propellen, from Latin prōpellere : prō-, forward; see pro– + pellere, to drive; see pel- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Historically (late Middle English) meant "expel, drive out". From Latin propellō, from pro- "forward" and pellō ("push, move").

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Examples

  • If you open up the tools of social media and are willing to be transparent with your customers, they will help you spread the word and propel your business.

    Debate: Does Social Media Deliver Results for Small Businesses? 2012

  • Now since the imparting of the supremely Divine mysteries to the man initiated is the head and tail of every initiation, naturally then the Hierarchical judgment hit upon an appellation propel to it, from the truth of the facts.

    Dionysius the Areopagite, Works (1897) Dionysius the Areopagite 1897

  • Mike: apparently you guys didnt do your research. i hear the propel is a great phone. most sites give it around a 4 / 5 ... cybrpunk: Unfortunately, it seems the coupon no longer works.

    GadgetReview 2009

  • Mike: apparently you guys didnt do your research. i hear the propel is a great phone. most sites give it around a 4 / 5 ... cybrpunk: Unfortunately, it seems the coupon no longer works.

    Gadgetreview 2009

  • Mike: apparently you guys didnt do your research. i hear the propel is a great phone. most sites give it around a 4 / 5 ... cybrpunk: Unfortunately, it seems the coupon no longer works.

    Gadgetreview 2009

  • Mike: apparently you guys didnt do your research. i hear the propel is a great phone. most sites give it around a 4 / 5 ... cybrpunk: Unfortunately, it seems the coupon no longer works.

    GadgetReview 2009

  • White House officials said the bill helped "propel" the company's recent expansion.

    A state dinner do-over 2010

  • White House officials said the bill helped "propel" the company's recent expansion.

    A state dinner do-over 2010

  • They're some of the best in the SEC, and it really does kind of propel us into the next week and make us feel like we are a great team.

    Crimson White RSS 2010

  • They're some of the best in the SEC, and it really does kind of propel us into the next week and make us feel like we are a great team.

    Crimson White RSS 2010

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