push (one's) buttons

1. To do things that create a very strong emotional reaction in one, especially anger, irritation, or exasperation. I hate Dave's new boyfriend, he's always trying to push my buttons, and he's doing a good job of it! No one will be able to push your buttons like your children, but it's all a part of the adventure of parenthood.

2. To be sexually attractive or arousing to one. A guy who knows how to cook really pushes my buttons.

See also: button, push

push someone's buttons

Also, press someone's buttons. Draw a strong emotional reaction from someone, especially anger or sexual arousal. For example, My mother-in-law really knew how to push my buttons, or A good-looking redhead, she always seemed to press his buttons. This metaphoric expression transfers activating some mechanism by pushing buttons to human emotions. [Slang; 1920s]

See also: button, push

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

push (or press) someone's buttons

be successful in arousing or provoking a reaction in someone. informal

See also: button, push

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

ˌpush somebody’s ˈbuttons

(also ˌpress somebody’s ˈbuttons especially in British English ) (informal) make somebody react, especially in an angry or excited way: I almost never lose my temper, but this guy can really push my buttons. ♢ I’ve known him for years, but I still don’t really know what pushes his buttons.

See also: button, push

push someone's buttons, to

To draw a strong emotional response from someone, usually negative. The term originated in the first half of the 1900s and has become a cliché. For example, “I said some negative things about the current administration and that really pushed Mary’s buttons—she exploded.” See also rub the wrong way.