0
Liveinsea Posted 19 years ago
Linguistics Studies

Can we "push the light on" or "pull the light on"?

0It seems to me that the verb “turn” has the meaning of rotating or making something spinning. So when the switch of a light is a knob or things of a similar kind, it is natural for us to say “turn off the light” or “turn on the light”.00 00But when the switch of a light is a button, or a string (which is connected to a real switch, and you must pull the string in order to make the light work), can we say “push the light on” or “pull the light on”?0-
  

Top answer

02br 02br 00Your suggestions sound odd. Consider a phone. We 'dial' a number, even though modern phones don't have a dial.

— Clive

  • 02br 02br 00Your suggestions sound odd.
  • Consider a phone.
  • We 'dial' a number, even though modern phones don't have a dial.
  • 02br 02br 00Best wishes, Clive0-
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

3 Answers
0
0H,02br
02br
00Welcome to the Forum.02br
02br
00Your suggestions sound odd. Consider a phone. We 'dial' a number, even though modern phones don't have a dial. Certain phrases just become common usage.02br
02br
00Best wishes, Clive0-
0
0
0>> “push the light on” or “pull the light on”? <<02br
02br
00I've never heard anyone ever say that before.0-
0
0
0 I've heard "push the lightswitch" and "pull the lightswitch" in the contexts you describe, and your expressions also seem to make sense in those contexts. 0-
0

Related Questions