1. v. & n.
--v.
1. intr. go, move, or act precipitately or with great speed.
2 tr. move or transport with great haste (was rushed to hospital).
3 intr. (foll. by at) a move suddenly and quickly towards. b begin impetuously.
4 tr. perform or deal with hurriedly (don't rush your dinner; the bill was rushed through Parliament).
5 tr. force (a person) to act hastily.
6 tr. attack or capture by sudden assault.
7 tr. sl. overcharge (a customer).
8 tr. US pay attentions to (a person) with a view to securing acceptance of a proposal.
9 tr. pass (an obstacle) with a rapid dash.
10 intr. flow, fall, spread, or roll impetuously or fast (felt the blood rush to my face; the river rushes past).
--n.
1. an act of rushing; a violent advance or attack.
2 a period of great activity.
3 (attrib.) done with great haste or speed (a rush job).
4 a sudden migration of large numbers.
5 (foll. by on, for) a sudden strong demand for a commodity.
6 (in pl.) colloq. the first prints of a film after a period of shooting.
7 Football a a combined dash by several players with the ball. b US the act of carrying the ball.
Phrases and idioms:
rush one's fences act with undue haste. rush hour a time each day when traffic is at its heaviest.
Derivatives:
rusher n. rushingly adv.
Etymology: ME f. AF russher, OF ruser, russer: see RUSE 2. n.1 a any marsh or waterside plant of the family Juncaceae, with naked slender tapering pith-filled stems (properly leaves) formerly used for strewing floors and still used for making chair-bottoms and plaiting baskets etc. b a stem of this. c (collect.) rushes as a material.
2 archaic a thing of no value (not worth a rush).
Phrases and idioms:
rush candle a candle made by dipping the pith of a rush in tallow.
Derivatives:
rushlike adv. rushy adj.
Etymology: OE rysc, rysce, corresp. to MLG, MHG rusch