The phrase “push the boat out” means to spend a lot of money on celebrating something, or to do something in a very special or extravagant way.

It comes from an old nautical tradition of throwing a party before setting sail.

Some examples of how it is used in sentences are:

• They decided to push the boat out and book a luxury cruise for their anniversary.

• He pushed the boat out for his birthday and invited all his friends to a fancy restaurant.

• She doesn’t usually buy expensive clothes, but she pushed the boat out for the interview.

• He hadn’t seen his family for a long time, so he pushed the boat out and flew home for Christmas.

• She wanted to impress her guests, so she pushed the boat out and cooked a three-course meal.