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lush2

[luhsh]Slang.
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noun
  1. drunkard; alcoholic; sot.
  2. intoxicating liquor.
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verb (used without object)
  1. to drink liquor.
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verb (used with object)
  1. to drink (liquor).
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Origin of lush2

First recorded in 1780–90; perhaps facetious application of lush1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

alcoholicspongelushinebriateboozersotbumdrinkerdrunkardhobocarouserguzzlerdipsomaniacsousewinodrunktoperbacchanalsoaktippler

Examples from the Web for lushes

Historical Examples

  • He just lushes till he remembers he's married, and then he makes for home and does me up.

    The Trimmed Lamp

    O. Henry

British Dictionary definitions for lushes

lush1

adjective
  1. (of vegetation) abounding in lavish growth
  2. (esp of fruits) succulent and fleshy
  3. luxurious, elaborate, or opulent
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Derived Formslushly, adverblushness, noun

Word Origin

C15: probably from Old French lasche lax, lazy, from Latin laxus loose; perhaps related to Old English lǣc, Old Norse lakr weak, German lasch loose

lush2

noun
  1. a heavy drinker, esp an alcoholic
  2. alcoholic drink
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verb
  1. US and Canadian to drink (alcohol) to excess
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Word Origin

C19: origin unknown
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

Word Origin and History for lushes

lush

adj.

mid-15c., "lax, flaccid, soft, tender," from Old French lasche "soft, succulent," from laschier "loosen," from Late Latin laxicare "become shaky," related to Latin laxare "loosen," from laxus "loose" (see lax). Sense of "luxuriant in growth" is first attested c.1600, in Shakespeare. Applied to colors since 1744. Related: Lushly; lushness.

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lush

n.

"drunkard," 1890, from earlier (1790) slang meaning "liquor" (especially in phrase lush ken "alehouse"); perhaps a humorous use of lush (adj.) or from Romany or Shelta (tinkers' jargon).

LUSHEY. Drunk. The rolling kiddeys had a spree, and got bloody lushey; the dashing lads went on a party of pleasure, and got very drunk. ["Dictionary of Buckish Slang, University Wit, and Pickpocket Eloquence," London, 1811]
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper