when push comes to shove

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when push comes to shove

1. (figuratively, idiomatic) When the pressure is on; when the situation is critical or urgent; when the time has come for action, even if it is difficult.

   He is not a particularly talented builder, but when push comes to shove, he can usually get the job done.

   • 2020 May 20, Andrew Haines talks to Stefanie Foster, “Repurpose rail for the 2020s”, in Rail, page 35:

     "We've demonstrated that when push comes to shove, we can be really fast, we can be agile, we can do things more slickly.

• in a pinch
• nut-cutting time
• when the chips are down
• when the gloves come off