mush
1[ muhsh or, especially for 2-5, moosh ]
/ mʌʃ or, especially for 2-5, mʊʃ /
noun
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.
any thick, soft mass.
mawkish sentimentality or amorousness.
anything unpleasantly or contemptibly lacking in coherence, force, dignity, etc.: His entire argument was simply mush.
verb (used with object)
to squeeze or crush; crunch: to mush all the candy together in a sticky ball.
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Origin of mush
11665–75, Americanism; obscurely akin to mash1
Words nearby mush
museum beetle, museumgoer, museum piece, Museveni, Musgrave, mush, mush area, Musharraf, musher, mushhead, Mushin
Definition for mush (2 of 2)
Origin of mush
2First recorded in 1895–1900; perhaps originally as phrasal verb mush on!, from Canadian French, French marchons! “let's go!”; see march1
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for mush
British Dictionary definitions for mush (1 of 4)
mush1
/ (mʌʃ) /
noun
a soft pulpy mass or consistency
US a thick porridge made from corn meal
informal cloying sentimentality
radio interference in reception, esp a hissing noise
verb
(tr) to reduce (a substance) to a soft pulpy mass
Word Origin for mush
C17: from obsolete moose porridge; probably related to mash; compare Old English mōs food
British Dictionary definitions for mush (2 of 4)
mush2
/ (mʌʃ) Canadian /
interjection
an order to dogs in a sled team to start up or go faster
verb
to travel by or drive a dog sled
(intr) to travel on foot, esp with snowshoes
noun
a journey with a dogsled
Derived forms of mush
musher, nounWord Origin for mush
C19: perhaps from French marchez or marchons, imperatives of marcher to advance
British Dictionary definitions for mush (3 of 4)
Word Origin for mush
C19: from mush 1, alluding to the softness of the face
British Dictionary definitions for mush (4 of 4)
mush4
/ (mʊʃ) /
noun
British slang a familiar or contemptuous term of address
Word Origin for mush
C19: probably from Gypsy moosh a man
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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