the.com/pushover
A person whose spine doubles as a welcome mat.
means Someone easily persuaded, defeated, or taken advantage of because they offer little resistance.
from Straightforward compound logic from push + over — literally someone or something so weak or unsteady it topples at the slightest shove. The physical image came first (a flimsy object or weak opponent easily knocked down), and by the early 20th century it had slid into figurative use for an easy mark — in sports, an opponent you'll beat with no effort, and in life, a person too soft-hearted or weak-willed to say no.
- origin
- Literally meant something easy to knock over
- social cost
- Kindness mistaken for weakness invites more requests
- fix
- One firm no recalibrates everyone's expectations fast
- not synonym
- Nice and pushover differ by one boundary