[Idiom] push someone down...

[caesar1983]

- By way of example, I have a friend who studied history at university, because his parents pushed him down that route, but he didn't get good results because that wasn't what he was interested in.

"to push someone down that route"...
1) is it an idiomatic expression?
2) does it mean to force someone to do something?
3) is it correct to say "to push someone down to do something" instead of using "that route"?
4) can you please suggest more common expressions to replace the one in bold?

Thank you all

 

[SoothingDave]

It's two ideas. They pushed him = they forcefully demanded that he do what they wanted.

Down that route = along that path, in that direction.

 

[caesar1983]

Thank you. Can you suggest more expressions to mean this in order to widen my vocabulary, please?
If I said, "they put him up to studying history", could it have the same meaning to a native?

 

[Rover_KE]

No.

 

[caesar1983]

No.

so?

 

[bhaisahab]

so?

So, no, it doesn't have the same meaning.

 

[caesar1983]

could you please explain the difference in meaning? otherwise I think that the too easy answer "no" is not very clear for a person who is not a mother-tongue.

 

[Rover_KE]

Could you please explain the difference in meaning? Otherwise I think that the too easy answer "no" is not very clear for a person who is not a [STRIKE]mother-tongue[/STRIKE] native speaker.

In reply to your question 'If I said, "they put him up to studying history", could it have the same meaning to a native?' I said 'no', because a native speaker would not say that.

 

[emsr2d2]

If you put someone up to doing something, you dare them/challenge them to do it.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Thank you. Can you suggest more expressions to mean this in order to widen my vocabulary, please?
If I said, "they put him up to studying history", could it have the same meaning to a native?

You could say "they pushed him into studying history", "they made him study history", "they insisted that he study history", "they forced him to study history", etc.

 

[5jj]

c I think that the too easy answer "no" is not very clear for a person who is not a mother-tongue.

A short 'yes/no' answer to a question is not too easy if it is the appropriate answer. If you want more information, you can always post a follow-up question.