push (someone's) buttons

to do exactly the right thing to get people to act the way you want.

He was an extremely good speaker and knew just how to push an audience's buttons to keep them interested.

Usage notes: also used in the form know what buttons to push:

People in your own family know exactly what buttons to push to upset you.

Related vocabulary: yank someone's chain

• bring to the table
• bring to your knees
• bring up short
• bring up the rear
• bring up to date
• bring up to scratch
• bring up with a start
• bring you to its knees
• bring you to knees
• bring you to your knees
• broad brush strokes
• broad church
• broaden horizons
• broaden someone's horizons
• broad strokes
• Bronx cheer
• brown-bag
• brown-bagging
• brown-nose
• brush aside
• brush aside someone
• brush aside something
• brush off
• brush off someone
• brush off something