bush

[ boosh ]

/ bʊʃ /

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noun

a low plant with many branches that arise from or near the ground.

a small cluster of shrubs appearing as a single plant.

something resembling or suggesting this, as a thick, shaggy head of hair.

Also called bush lot .Canadian. a small, wooded lot, especially a farm lot with trees left standing to provide firewood, fence posts, etc.

the tail of a fox; brush.

Geography. a stretch of uncultivated land covered with mixed plant growth, bushy vegetation, trees, etc.

a large uncleared area thickly covered with mixed plant growth, trees, etc., as a jungle.

a large, sparsely populated area most of which is uncleared, as areas of Australia and Alaska.

a tree branch hung as a sign before a tavern or vintner's shop.

any tavern sign.

Slang: Vulgar. pubic hair.

Archaic. a wineshop.

verb (used without object)

to be or become bushy; branch or spread as or like a bush.

verb (used with object)

to cover, protect, support, or mark with a bush or bushes.

adjective

bush-league.

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Idioms about bush

beat around / about the bush, to avoid coming to the point; delay in approaching a subject directly: Stop beating around the bush and tell me what you want.

beat the bushes, to scout or search for persons or things far and wide: beating the bushes for engineers.

go bush, Australian.

to flee or escape into the bush.
Slang. to become wild.

Origin of bush

First recorded before 1000; Middle English busshe, Old English busc (in placenames); cognate with Dutch bos “wood,” German Busch, Old Norse buskr “bush”

OTHER WORDS FROM bush

bushless, adjectivebushlike, adjective

Words nearby bush

busboy, busby, Busch, busera, busgirl, bush, bush baby, bush ballad, bush-bash, bushbashing, bush bean

Other definitions for bush (2 of 4)

bush²

[ boosh ]

/ bʊʃ /

noun

a lining of metal or the like set into an orifice to guard against wearing by friction, erosion, etc.

bushing (def. 2).

verb (used with object)

to furnish with a bush; line with metal.

Origin of bush

First recorded in 1560–70; from Middle Dutch bussche; see also box¹

Other definitions for bush (3 of 4)

Bush

[ boosh ]

/ bʊʃ /

noun

Barbara Barbara Pierce, 1925–2018, U.S. First Lady 1989–93 (wife of George H. W. Bush and mother of George W. Bush).

George (Herbert Walker), 1924–2018, U.S. politician: vice president 1981–89; 41st president of the United States 1989–93.

George W(alker), born 1946, U.S. businessman and politician: governor of Texas 1994–2001; 43rd president of the United States 2001–09 (son of George H. W. Bush).

Laura Laura Lane Welch, born 1946, U.S. First Lady 2001–09 (wife of George W. Bush).

Van·ne·var

[vuh-nee-vahr, -ver], /vəˈni vɑr, -vər/, 1890–1974, U.S. electrical engineer: education and research administrator.

Other definitions for bush (4 of 4)

bush.

abbreviation

bushel; bushels.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use bush in a sentence

Bush and Renz have been working together for about a dozen years, producing social justice–driven advertising, short films, and music videos, which means they were very used to collaborating by the time they made the movie.
‘Antebellum’ tackles the past head on in an effort to ‘move forward’|radmarya|September 17, 2020|Fortune
Bush and Renz are both excited to see how the world receives their movie.
‘Antebellum’ explores truths of our ugly past|Brian T. Carney|September 16, 2020|Washington Blade
Even though President Obama and President Bush campaigned on bi-partisanship and bringing people together, they failed.
America’s Hidden Duopoly (Ep. 356 Rebroadcast)|Stephen J. Dubner|September 3, 2020|Freakonomics
Likewise, in 1988, Bush ultimately won the nomination, but not before coming in third in the Iowa caucuses and having some tense debates with Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole.
Biden Had To Fight For The Presidential Nomination. But Most VPs Have To.|Julia Azari|August 20, 2020|FiveThirtyEight

The Supreme Court eventually intervened to let stand a preliminary count that awarded Bush the state.
Here’s what could happen to stock markets if the Trump-Biden election results are contested|Anne Sraders|August 18, 2020|Fortune
“The institution of marraige [sic] is under attack in our society and it needs to be strengthened,” Bush wrote.
Jeb Bush’s Unseen Anti-Gay Marriage Emails|Jackie Kucinich|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Meanwhile, in Florida, Bush was flooded with questions about whether gay marriage could possibly come to the Sunshine State.
Jeb Bush’s Unseen Anti-Gay Marriage Emails|Jackie Kucinich|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
A few days later, Bush replied, “We will uphold the law in Florida.”
Jeb Bush’s Unseen Anti-Gay Marriage Emails|Jackie Kucinich|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Think back to the Bush-Kerry race of 2004, the Thrilla in Vanilla.
Jeb Bush’s Unseen Anti-Gay Marriage Emails|Jackie Kucinich|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
To those who agreed with him, Bush pledged that the law against same-sex marriage would remain intact.
Jeb Bush’s Unseen Anti-Gay Marriage Emails|Jackie Kucinich|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
I saw every crook in the fence, every rut in the road, every bush and tree long before we came to it.
The Soldier of the Valley|Nelson Lloyd
Not having completed the loading of his gun, Tom hastily rode behind a dense bush, and concealed himself as well as he could.
Hunting the Lions|R.M. Ballantyne
About an hour after resuming their walk, the major went off in hot pursuit of an enormous bee, which he saw humming round a bush.
Hunting the Lions|R.M. Ballantyne
Squinty heard one man cry, and then the comical little pig dodged under a bush, and kept on running.
Squinty the Comical Pig|Richard Barnum
The hairy animal, with the long tail, came straight for the bush behind which Squinty was hiding, and crawled through.
Squinty the Comical Pig|Richard Barnum

British Dictionary definitions for bush (1 of 3)

bush¹

/ (bʊʃ) /

noun

a dense woody plant, smaller than a tree, with many branches arising from the lower part of the stem; shrub

a dense cluster of such shrubs; thicket

something resembling a bush, esp in densitya bush of hair

the bush an uncultivated or sparsely settled area, esp in Africa, Australia, New Zealand, or Canada: usually covered with trees or shrubs, varying from open shrubby country to dense rainforest
(as modifier)bush flies

Canadian an area of land on a farm on which timber is grown and cutAlso called: bush lot, woodlot

a forested area; woodland

the bush informal the countryside, as opposed to the cityout in the bush

a fox's tail; brush

obsolete

a bunch of ivy hung as a vintner's sign in front of a tavern
any tavern sign

beat about the bush to avoid the point at issue; prevaricate

adjective

Australian and NZ informal rough-and-ready

Western African informal ignorant or stupid, esp as considered typical of unwesternized rustic life

US and Canadian informal unprofessional, unpolished, or second-rate

go bush informal, Australian and NZ

to abandon city amenities and live rough
to run wild

verb

(intr) to grow thick and bushy

(tr) to cover, decorate, support, etc, with bushes

bush it (tr) Australian to camp out in the bush

Word Origin for bush

C13: of Germanic origin; compare Old Norse buski, Old High German busc, Middle Dutch bosch; related to Old French bosc wood, Italian bosco

British Dictionary definitions for bush (2 of 3)

bush²

/ (bʊʃ) /

noun

Also called (esp US and Canadian): bushing a thin metal sleeve or tubular lining serving as a bearing or guide

verb

to fit a bush to (a casing, bearing, etc)

Word Origin for bush

C15: from Middle Dutch busse box, bush; related to German Büchse tin, Swedish hjulbōssa wheel-box, Late Latin buxis box 1

British Dictionary definitions for bush (3 of 3)

Bush

/ (bʊʃ) /

noun

George . born 1924, US Republican politician; vice president of the US (1981–89): 41st president of the US (1989–93)

his son, George W (alker). born 1946, US Republican politician; 43rd president of the US (2001–09)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with bush

bush

see beat around the bush; beat the bushes for; bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

bush

Idioms about bush

Origin of bush

OTHER WORDS FROM bush

Words nearby bush

Other definitions for bush (2 of 4)

Origin of bush

Other definitions for bush (3 of 4)

Other definitions for bush (4 of 4)

Words related to bush

How to use bush in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for bush (1 of 3)

Word Origin for bush

British Dictionary definitions for bush (2 of 3)

Word Origin for bush

British Dictionary definitions for bush (3 of 3)

Other Idioms and Phrases with bush