button pusher
nounEtymology In the provoker sense, by a metaphor in which the recipient's emotions can be manipulated on command as if prompted by literal control buttons. Thus also tangentially comparable with a puppet master who is pulling the strings to manipulate puppets.
1
Idiomatic Someone who pushes someone else's buttons: someone who goads, annoys, provokes, etc.
- Near-synonyms: gadfly, goader, provocateur, provoker
- When you're dealing with Tom, you need to keep in mind that he can be a button pusher sometimes. Stay cool, and don't reinforce that behavior.
2
Business, Manufacturing Derogatory, Mildly, Often A low-skilled or unskilled worker: someone from whom one can expect little or nothing more than rote pushing of buttons (not showing, for example, critical thinking, insight, or leadership).
- Bill has been working here for 4 years and is looking for ways to upskill. He says he doesn't want to be a button pusher forever.
- Related terms
- push-button