when

when push comes to shove

When the situation deteriorates or becomes desperate; when drastic measures are needed. When push comes to shove, I have some extra savings I could tap into. We'll at least have some leverage in the negotiations when push comes to shove.

See also: come, push, shove, to

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

when

/if push comes to shove

At a point when the situation must be confronted and dealt with: When push comes to shove, we'll have to move to a cheaper place.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.