核心畫面

One way to picture it: something standing up that a single finger can knock flat. The whole word lives in that one moment — no effort, and it is over. Push a person and you get someone who gives in; push a task and you get something you finish without trying. English leans hardest on the negative: no pushover means it does not go over.

可以想成一個立起來的東西,手指輕輕一推就倒了。整個字的畫面就停在那一下:不用出力,事情就結束。推的如果是人,得到的就更多收起可以想成一個立起來的東西,手指輕輕一推就倒了。整個字的畫面就停在那一下:不用出力,事情就結束。推的如果是人,得到的就是很好說話、很容易被佔便宜的人。推的如果是一件事,得到的就是輕鬆過關的考試或比賽。英文其實最常用它的否定:no pushover,意思是推不倒、沒那麼好解決。

From the word’s history

The packet gives pushover as a deverbal from the phrasal verb push over, first appearing around 1891. The noun simply freezes the action of the verb into a thing or a person.

字源資料說 pushover 直接從動詞片語 push over(推倒)變成名詞,大約 1891 年出現。名詞等於把「推倒」那個動作凍結成一個人或一件事,所以畫面才留得這麼清楚。

Wiktionary entry supplied in this packet (source_ref kaikki:3f6f69a190036ae4:732882883): 'A deverbal from push over. First use appears c. 1891 in the Galveston Daily News.'

Two branches

一推就倒的人

推的對象是人。

noun · B2

A person who is easy to persuade, push around, or beat, because they give in quickly instead of standing their ground or defending themselves.

軟柿子;容易擺布的人

一推就過的事

推的對象換成事情,畫面完全沒變:碰一下就結束。

noun · B2

A task, test, game, or job that is very easy to finish or win, so it takes almost no effort.

很容易的事