mush

¹

[muhsh, moosh]

noun

1. meal, especially cornmeal, boiled in water or milk until it forms a thick, soft mass, or until it is stiff enough to mold into a loaf for slicing and frying.

2. any thick, soft mass.

3. mawkish sentimentality or amorousness.

4. anything unpleasantly or contemptibly lacking in coherence, force, dignity, etc..

   His entire argument was simply mush.

verb (used with object)

1. to squeeze or crush; compress.

   to mush all the candy together in a sticky ball.

   Synonyms: smush, mash

mush

²

[muhsh]

verb (used without object)

1. to go or travel, especially over snow with a dog team and sled.

verb (used with object)

1. to drive or spur on (sled dogs or a sled drawn by dogs).

interjection

1. go! (used as an order to start or speed up a dog team)

noun

1. a trip or journey, especially across snow and ice with a dog team.

mush

¹

/ mʌʃ /

noun

1. a soft pulpy mass or consistency

2. a thick porridge made from corn meal

3. informal,  cloying sentimentality

4. radio interference in reception, esp a hissing noise

verb

1. (tr) to reduce (a substance) to a soft pulpy mass

mush

²

/ mʌʃ /

interjection

1. an order to dogs in a sled team to start up or go faster

verb

1. to travel by or drive a dog sled

2. (intr) to travel on foot, esp with snowshoes

noun

1. a journey with a dogsled

mush

³

/ mʊʃ /

noun

1. a slang word for face

mush

⁴

/ mʊʃ /

noun

1. slang,  a familiar or contemptuous term of address

Other Word Forms

• musher noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of mush¹

An Americanism dating back to 1665–75; obscurely related to mash ¹

Origin of mush²

First recorded in 1860–65; perhaps originally as phrasal verb mush on!, from Canadian French, French marchons! “let's go!”; march ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of mush¹

C17: from obsolete moose porridge; probably related to _mash ; compare Old English mōs food

Origin of mush²

C19: perhaps from French marchez or marchons, imperatives of marcher to advance

Origin of mush³

C19: from _mush ¹ , alluding to the softness of the face

Origin of mush⁴

C19: probably from Gypsy moosh a man

Example Sentences

"If I had not had that… well, 40 years – it can turn your brain to mush," he said.

Read more on BBC

Some affordable housing advocates have urged lawmakers to be cautious in mushing the various bureaucracies together.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

It has supplanted its straightforward commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, as Cornell expressed it in 2020, with a steamy helping of corporate-speak mush.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“Sounds really silly, but tinned fish mushed on crackers is really good,” Rich said.

Read more on Salon

Even though Michelle’s hair was longer, everybody just sort of mushed us together in this blob of the sea.

Read more on Los Angeles Times