Head vs. Pusher — What's the Difference?
By Maham Liaqat & Urooj Arif — Updated on May 2, 2024
A 'head' typically refers to the top part or leader of something, whereas a 'pusher' is someone or something that drives, propels, or urges forward.
Difference Between Head and Pusher
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
In terms of function, the term 'head' often signifies leadership or the main component of a system, playing a pivotal role in decision-making or functionality. In contrast, a 'pusher' is generally involved in the action of moving something along, focusing more on the mechanics of motion rather than on command or oversight.
When considering tools or machines, 'head' refers to the business end of a device, such as the head of a hammer which impacts nails. On the other hand, a 'pusher' in a mechanical context refers to a component designed to exert force, like the pusher of a snowplow that moves snow aside.
In social or operational contexts, 'head' might denote the person in charge, such as the head of a department, whose responsibilities include overseeing operations and setting strategies. Meanwhile, 'pusher' can sometimes refer to a person who pushes others to act, often with a negative connotation, as in drug pusher or someone aggressively selling something.
From an anatomical perspective, the 'head' refers to the uppermost part of the body, containing the brain and the primary sensory organs. There is no direct anatomical counterpart for 'pusher,' but metaphorically, it could relate to any part of the body exerting force, like hands or feet during specific tasks.
Regarding influence and impact, a 'head' typically has a broader, more strategic influence, shaping overall direction and policy. Conversely, a 'pusher' has a more focused impact, directly influencing immediate physical changes or movements.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Top part or leader of something
Someone/something that propels or urges forward
Function
Leadership, decision-making, main component
Propulsion, movement, force exertion
Example Tools
Hammer head, head of a drum
Snowplow pusher, button pusher
Social Role
Head of department, team leader
Drug pusher, influencer in negative context
Anatomical
Top part of the human body, containing the brain
Metaphorical: parts exerting force like hands
Compare with Definitions
Head
Topmost part of a body, especially the human skull containing the brain.
He bumped his head on the door frame.
Pusher
Informal term for someone who aggressively promotes or sells something.
He’s a pusher of the latest diet fads.
Head
Main or foremost in position, rank, or importance.
The head item on the list is our top priority.
Pusher
A device or blade designed to push material or objects.
The snow pusher cleared the driveway efficiently.
Head
The head is the part of an organism which usually includes the ears, brain, forehead, cheeks, chin, eyes, nose, and mouth, each of which aid in various sensory functions such as sight, hearing, smell, and taste, respectively. Some very simple animals may not have a head, but many bilaterally symmetric forms do, regardless of size.
Pusher
Someone who sells illegal drugs.
The police arrested a known drug pusher in the neighborhood.
Head
The upper part of the human body, or the front or upper part of the body of an animal, typically separated from the rest of the body by a neck, and containing the brain, mouth, and sense organs.
Pusher
A person who sells illegal drugs
An underworld of thugs, drug pushers, and thieves
Head
A thing resembling a head either in form or in relation to a whole.
Pusher
A person or thing that pushes something
The checkout trolley pushers
Head
The front, forward, or upper part or end of something.
Pusher
One that pushes
A pusher of boundaries.
Head
A person in charge of something; a director or leader
The head of the Dutch Catholic Church
Pusher
(Slang) One who sells drugs illegally.
Head
A person considered as a numerical unit
They paid fifty pounds a head
Pusher
Someone or something that pushes.
Head
A component in an audio, video, or information system by which information is transferred from an electrical signal to the recording medium, or vice versa.
Pusher
A person employed to push passengers onto trains at busy times, so they can depart on schedule.
Head
A body of water kept at a particular height in order to provide a supply at sufficient pressure
An 8 m head of water in the shafts
Pusher
(military slang) A girl or woman.
Head
A toilet on a ship or boat
They were cleaning out the heads
Pusher
(colloquial) A drug dealer.
Head
The word that governs all the other words in a phrase in which it is used, having the same grammatical function as the whole phrase.
Pusher
(aeronautics) An aircraft with the propeller behind the fuselage.
Head
A superficial deposit of rock fragments, formed at the edge of an ice sheet by repeated freezing and thawing and then moved downhill.
Pusher
A device that one pushes in order to transport a baby while on foot, such as a stroller or pram (as opposed to a carrier such as a front or back pack).
Head
A group of pheasants
It is easy to get up a head of pheasants with the aid of good keepers
Pusher
(tennis) A defensive player who does not attempt to hit winners, instead playing slower shots into the opponent's court.
Head
Chief; principal
The head waiter
Pusher
A tolkach.
Head
Be in the leading position on
The St George's Day procession was headed by the mayor
Pusher
(rail) banker
Head
Give a title or caption to
An article headed ‘The Protection of Human Life’
Pusher
A device in a coke oven for levelling the coal, traditionally operated by a pusherman.
Head
Move in a specified direction
He was heading for the exit
We were headed in the wrong direction
Pusher
One who, or that which, pushes.
Head
Shoot or pass (the ball) with the head
A corner kick that Moody headed into the net
Pusher
One who sells illegal drugs, esp. one who tries to convince others to use such drugs.
Head
Lop off the upper part or branches of (a plant or tree)
The willow is headed every three or four years
Pusher
A second engine attached to the rear of a train to provide extra power for climbing steep grades.
Head
(of a lettuce or cabbage) form a head.
Pusher
One who intrudes or pushes himself forward
Head
The uppermost or forwardmost part of the body of a vertebrate, containing the brain and the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and jaws.
Pusher
An unlicensed dealer in illegal drugs
Head
The analogous part of an invertebrate organism.
Pusher
Someone who pushes
Head
The length or height of such a part
The horse lost by a head. She is two heads taller than he is.
Pusher
A sandal attached to the foot by a thong over the toes
Head
The seat of the faculty of reason; intelligence, intellect, or mind
I did the figuring in my head.
Pusher
A small vehicle with four wheels in which a baby or child is pushed around
Head
Mental ability or aptitude
She has a good head for mathematics.
Pusher
Part of a mechanism that pushes another part into motion.
The button pusher in the device is stuck.
Head
Freedom of choice or action
Give the child his head and see how well he solves the problems.
Pusher
A person who pushes something physically.
The pusher at the factory moves boxes onto the conveyor belt.
Head
A habitual drug user. Often used in combination
A dopehead.
Head
An enthusiast. Often used in combination
A chilihead.
Head
A person considered foolish or contemptible. Often used in combination
A chowderhead.
Head
A portrait or representation of a person's head.
Head
Often heads (used with a sing. verb) The side of a coin having the principal design, often the profile of a political leader's head.
Head
(Informal) A headache
Had a bad head early this morning.
Head
An individual; a person
Charged five dollars a head.
Head
Pl. head A single animal
20 head of cattle.
Head
A person who leads, rules, or is in charge; a leader, chief, or director
The head of the corporation.
Head
A headmaster or headmistress.
Head
The foremost or leading position
Marched at the head of the parade.
Head
A headwaiter.
Head
The difference in depth of a liquid at two given points.
Head
The measure of pressure at the lower point expressed in terms of this difference.
Head
The pressure exerted by a liquid or gas
A head of steam.
Head
The liquid or gas exerting the pressure.
Head
The froth or foam that rises to the top in pouring an effervescent liquid, such as beer.
Head
The tip of an abscess, boil, or pimple, in which pus forms.
Head
A turning point; a crisis
Bring matters to a head.
Head
A projection, weight, or fixture at the end of an elongated object
The head of a pin.
A head of land overlooking the harbor.
Head
The working end of a tool or implement
The head of a hammer.
Head
The looped part at the end a lacrosse stick, to which the webbing is attached.
Head
The part of an explosive device that carries the explosive; a warhead.
Head
The part of a stringed instrument where the strings are wound; a tuning head.
Head
A tuning machine.
Head
The rounded proximal end of a long bone
The head of the femur.
Head
The end of a muscle that is attached to the less movable part of the skeleton.
Head
An attachment to or part of a machine that holds or contains the operative device.
Head
The magnetic head of a tape recorder or VCR.
Head
The device in a magnetic disk or tape drive that enables it to read data from and write data to the disk or tape.
Head
A rounded compact mass, as of leaves or buds
A head of cabbage.
Head
(Botany) A flower head.
Head
The uppermost part; the top
Place the appropriate name at the head of each column.
Head
The end considered the most important
Sat at the head of the table.
Head
Either end of an object, such as a drum, whose two ends are interchangeable.
Head
The forward part of a vessel.
Head
The top part or upper edge of a sail.
Head
A toilet, especially on a ship.
Head
A passage or gallery in a coal mine.
Head
The top of a book or page.
Head
A headline or heading.
Head
A distinct topic or category
Under the head of recent Spanish history.
Head
Headway; progress.
Head
(Linguistics) The word determining the grammatical category of a constituent, often establishing relations of concord or agreement (such as subject-verb agreement) with other constituents.
Head
Vulgar Slang Oral sex.
Head
Of, relating to, or intended for the head. Often used in combination
Headshaking.
Headwrap.
Head
Foremost in rank or importance
The head librarian.
Head
Placed at the top or the front
The head name on the list.
Head
(Slang) Of, relating to, or for drugs or drug users.
Head
To be in charge of; lead
The minister headed the committee.
Head
To be in the first or foremost position of
Collins heads the list of job candidates.
Head
To aim, point, or turn in a certain direction
Headed the team of horses up the hill.
Head
To remove the head or top of.
Head
(Sports) To hit (a soccer ball) in the air with one's head.
Head
To provide with a head
Head each column with a number.
Headed the flagpole with a golden ball.
Head
To proceed or go in a certain direction
Head for town.
Head
To form a head, as lettuce or cabbage.
Head
To originate, as a stream or river; rise.
Head
(countable) The part of the body of an animal or human which contains the brain, mouth, and main sense organs.
Be careful when you pet that dog on the head; it may bite.
Head
(people) To do with heads.
Head
(animals) To do with heads.
Head
(countable) The topmost, foremost, or leading part.
What does it say at the head of the page?
Head
The end of a table.
Head
(countable) The principal operative part of a machine or tool.
Head
The foam that forms on top of beer or other carbonated beverages.
Pour me a fresh beer; this one has no head.
He never learned how to pour a glass of beer so it didn't have too much head.
Head
(engineering) The end cap of a cylindrically-shaped pressure vessel.
Head
(coopering) The end cap of a cask or other barrel.
Head
(geology) The uppermost part of a valley.
Head
Deposits near the top of a geological succession.
Head
(journalism) headline
Head
(medicine) The end of an abscess where pus collects.
Head
(music) The headstock of a guitar.
Head
(nautical) A leading component.
Head
(British) A headland.
Head
A leader or expert.
Head
The place of honour, or of command; the most important or foremost position; the front.
Head
(metonymy) Leader; chief; mastermind.
I'd like to speak to the head of the department.
Police arrested the head of the gang in a raid last night.
Head
(metonymy) A headmaster or headmistress.
I was called into the head's office to discuss my behaviour.
Head
A person with an extensive knowledge of hip hop.
Only true heads know this.
Head
A significant or important part.
Head
A beginning or end, a protuberance.
Head
A component.
Head
Headway; progress.
We are having a difficult time making head against this wind.
Head
Topic; subject.
We will consider performance issues under the head of future improvements.
Head
Denouement; crisis.
These isses are going to come to a head today.
Head
(fluid dynamics) Pressure and energy.
Head
A buildup of fluid pressure, often quantified as pressure head.
Let the engine build up a good head of steam.
How much head do you have at the Glens Falls feeder dam?
Head
The difference in elevation between two points in a column of fluid, and the resulting pressure of the fluid at the lower point.
Head
More generally, energy in a mass of fluid divided by its weight.
Head
Fellatio or cunnilingus; oral sex.
She gave great head.
Head
(slang) The glans penis.
Head
A heavy or habitual user of illicit drugs.
Head
(obsolete) Power; armed force.
Head
Of, relating to, or intended for the head.
Head
Foremost in rank or importance.
The head cook
Head
Placed at the top or the front.
Head
Coming from in front.
Head sea
Head wind
Head
(transitive) To be in command of. (See also head up.)
Who heads the board of trustees?
To head an army, an expedition, or a riot
Head
(transitive) To come at the beginning or front of; to commence.
A group of clowns headed the procession.
The most important items headed the list.
Head
(transitive) To strike with the head; as in soccer, to head the ball
Head
(intransitive) To move in a specified direction.
We are going to head up North for our holiday.
We will head off tomorrow.
Next holiday we will head out West, or head to Chicago.
Right now I need to head into town to do some shopping.
I'm fed up working for a boss. I'm going to head out on my own, set up my own business.
Where does the train head to?
Head
(fishing) To remove the head from a fish.
The salmon are first headed and then scaled.
Head
(intransitive) To originate; to spring; to have its course, as a river.
Head
(intransitive) To form a head.
This kind of cabbage heads early.
Head
(transitive) To form a head to; to fit or furnish with a head.
To head a nail
Head
(transitive) To cut off the top of; to lop off.
To head trees
Head
To behead; to decapitate.
Head
To go in front of.
To head a drove of cattle
To head a person
Head
To get in the front of, so as to hinder or stop; to oppose.
The wind headed the ship and made progress difficult.
Head
(by extension) To check or restrain.
Head
To set on the head.
To head a cask
Head
The anterior or superior part of an animal, containing the brain, or chief ganglia of the nervous system, the mouth, and in the higher animals, the chief sensory organs; poll; cephalon.
Head
The uppermost, foremost, or most important part of an inanimate object; such a part as may be considered to resemble the head of an animal; often, also, the larger, thicker, or heavier part or extremity, in distinction from the smaller or thinner part, or from the point or edge; as, the head of a cane, a nail, a spear, an ax, a mast, a sail, a ship; that which covers and closes the top or the end of a hollow vessel; as, the head of a cask or a steam boiler.
Head
The place where the head should go; as, the head of a bed, of a grave, etc.; the head of a carriage, that is, the hood which covers the head.
Head
The most prominent or important member of any organized body; the chief; the leader; as, the head of a college, a school, a church, a state, and the like.
The heads of the chief sects of philosophy.
Your head I him appoint.
Head
The place or honor, or of command; the most important or foremost position; the front; as, the head of the table; the head of a column of soldiers.
An army of fourscore thousand troops, with the duke of Marlborough at the head of them.
Head
Each one among many; an individual; - often used in a plural sense; as, a thousand head of cattle.
It there be six millions of people, there are about four acres for every head.
Head
The seat of the intellect; the brain; the understanding; the mental faculties; as, a good head, that is, a good mind; it never entered his head, it did not occur to him; of his own head, of his own thought or will.
Men who had lost both head and heart.
Head
The source, fountain, spring, or beginning, as of a stream or river; as, the head of the Nile; hence, the altitude of the source, or the height of the surface, as of water, above a given place, as above an orifice at which it issues, and the pressure resulting from the height or from motion; sometimes also, the quantity in reserve; as, a mill or reservoir has a good head of water, or ten feet head; also, that part of a gulf or bay most remote from the outlet or the sea.
Head
A headland; a promontory; as, Gay Head.
Head
A separate part, or topic, of a discourse; a theme to be expanded; a subdivision; as, the heads of a sermon.
Head
Culminating point or crisis; hence, strength; force; height.
Ere foul sin, gathering head, shall break into corruption.
The indisposition which has long hung upon me, is at last grown to such a head, that it must quickly make an end of me or of itself.
Head
Power; armed force.
My lord, my lord, the French have gathered head.
Head
A headdress; a covering of the head; as, a laced head; a head of hair.
Head
An ear of wheat, barley, or of one of the other small cereals.
Head
A dense cluster of flowers, as in clover, daisies, thistles; a capitulum.
Head
The antlers of a deer.
Head
A rounded mass of foam which rises on a pot of beer or other effervescing liquor.
Head
Tiles laid at the eaves of a house.
Head
Principal; chief; leading; first; as, the head master of a school; the head man of a tribe; a head chorister; a head cook.
Head
To be at the head of; to put one's self at the head of; to lead; to direct; to act as leader to; as, to head an army, an expedition, or a riot.
Head
To form a head to; to fit or furnish with a head; as, to head a nail.
Head
To behead; to decapitate.
Head
To cut off the top of; to lop off; as, to head trees.
Head
To go in front of; to get in the front of, so as to hinder or stop; to oppose; hence, to check or restrain; as, to head a drove of cattle; to head a person; the wind heads a ship.
Head
To set on the head; as, to head a cask.
Head
To originate; to spring; to have its source, as a river.
A broad river, that heads in the great Blue Ridge.
Head
To go or point in a certain direction; to tend; as, how does the ship head?
Head
To form a head; as, this kind of cabbage heads early.
Head
The upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains;
He stuck his head out the window
Head
A single domestic animal;
200 head of cattle
Head
That which is responsible for one's thoughts and feelings; the seat of the faculty of reason;
His mind wandered
I couldn't get his words out of my head
Head
A person who is in charge;
The head of the whole operation
Head
The front of a military formation or procession;
The head of the column advanced boldly
They were at the head of the attack
Head
The pressure exerted by a fluid;
A head of steam
Head
The top of something;
The head of the stairs
The head of the page
The head of the list
Head
The source of water from which a stream arises;
They tracked him back toward the head of the stream
Head
(grammar) the word in a grammatical constituent that plays the same grammatical role as the whole constituent
Head
The tip of an abscess (where the pus accumulates)
Head
The length or height based on the size of a human or animal head;
He is two heads taller than his little sister
His horse won by a head
Head
A dense clusters of flowers or foliage;
A head of cauliflower
A head of lettuce
Head
The educator who has executive authority for a school;
She sent unruly pupils to see the principal
Head
An individual person;
Tickets are $5 per head
Head
A user of (usually soft) drugs;
The office was full of secret heads
Head
A rounded compact mass;
The head of a comet
Head
The foam or froth that accumulates at the top when you pour an effervescent liquid into a container;
The beer had a large head of foam
Head
The part in the front or nearest the viewer;
He was in the forefront
He was at the head of the column
Head
A difficult juncture;
A pretty pass
Matters came to a head yesterday
Head
Forward movement;
The ship made little headway against the gale
Head
A V-shaped mark at one end of an arrow pointer;
The point of the arrow was due north
Head
The subject matter at issue;
The question of disease merits serious discussion
Under the head of minor Roman poets
Head
A line of text serving to indicate what the passage below it is about;
The heading seemed to have little to do with the text
Head
The rounded end of a bone that bits into a rounded cavity in another bone to form a joint;
The head of the humerus
Head
That part of a skeletal muscle that is away from the bone that it moves
Head
(computer science) a tiny electromagnetic coil and metal pole used to write and read magnetic patterns on a disk
Head
(usually plural) an obverse side of a coin that bears the representation of a person's head;
Call heads or tails!
Head
The striking part of a tool;
The head of the hammer
Head
(nautical) a toilet on board a boat or ship
Head
A projection out from one end;
The head of the nail
A pinhead is the head of a pin
Head
A membrane that is stretched taut over a drum
Head
Oral-genital stimulation;
They say he gives good head
Head
To go or travel towards;
Where is she heading
We were headed for the mountains
Head
Be in charge of;
Who is heading this project?
Head
Travel in front of; go in advance of others;
The procession was headed by John
Head
Be the first or leading member of (a group) and excel;
This student heads the class
Head
Direct the course; determine the direction of travelling
Head
Take its rise;
These rivers head from a mountain range in the Himalayas
Head
Be in the front of or on top of;
The list was headed by the name of the president
Head
Form a head or come or grow to a head;
The wheat headed early this year
Head
Remove the head of;
Head the fish
Head
Leader or chief of an organization or group.
She is the head of our new project team.
Head
The front or leading position in a movement or progress.
They were at the head of the march.
Head
Source or origin of a stream or river.
They camped near the head of the river.
Common Curiosities
What differentiates a head from a pusher in an organizational context?
A head leads and makes decisions, whereas a pusher might aggressively promote or implement policies.
How do heads influence strategy?
Heads set directions and policies that shape the overall goals of organizations.
What are common examples of heads in various contexts?
Common examples include the head of a department, the head of a nail, and the headwaters of a river.
What skills are essential for someone in a head role?
Leadership, strategic thinking, decision-making, and interpersonal skills are crucial for someone in a head role.
Can the term 'pusher' have a positive connotation?
Yes, in mechanical and operational contexts where pushing is essential for function, like in machinery.
Can pushers be part of a tool or device?
Yes, in tools and devices, pushers refer to components like plungers or blades that drive or move other parts.
In what scenario could a head and a pusher work together?
In a company, the head of a project might set the strategy while the pushers (salespeople) implement aggressive sales tactics.
Is the head always a part of a living organism?
No, 'head' can also refer to the business end of tools or machines.
How does the role of a head differ in small vs. large organizations?
In small organizations, heads often wear multiple hats and are more hands-on, while in large organizations, they are more focused on strategic oversight.
How do cultural differences influence the roles of heads and pushers?
Cultural differences can influence the perception of authority and the aggressiveness of sales tactics, affecting how heads and pushers operate and are received in different regions.
Are there any industries where the term 'pusher' is predominantly used?
'Pusher' is commonly used in industries like pharmaceuticals (negatively as in drug pusher) and sales.
How is the effectiveness of a head measured in a corporate environment?
Effectiveness is typically measured by the success of their strategic decisions and the performance of their team or department.
What are the ethical considerations for a pusher in sales?
Ethical considerations include honesty, transparency, and respect for the customer’s needs and decisions.
What impact do pushers have on team dynamics?
Pushers can drive team efforts and motivate progress, but if too aggressive, they might also create stress or resentment.
Can a person be both a head and a pusher?
Yes, especially in smaller organizations or startups, a person might need to lead strategically as well as push for tactical execution.
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Maham LiaqatCo-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.