definitions

mush

1
[ muhsh or especially for 2–5, moo sh ]
/ mʌʃ or especially for 2–5, mʊʃ /
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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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RELATED WORDS

porridge, cereal, hominy, dough, slush, batter, pulp, mash, sentimentalism, schmaltz, mawkishness, gush, affectation, romanticism, superficiality, sentimentality, flattery, amorousness, samp, tear-jerker

Nearby words

museum piece, museumgoer, museveni, museveni, yoweri, musgrave, mush, mush area, musharraf, musher, mushhead, mushin

Origin of mush

1
1665–75, Americanism; obscurely akin to mash1

Definition for mush (2 of 2)

Origin of mush

2
1895–1900; perhaps orig. as phrasal v. mush on! < Canadian French, French marchons! let's go!; see march1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for mush

British Dictionary definitions for mush (1 of 4)

mush

1
/ (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)

mush

2
/ (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 Formsmusher, noun

Word Origin for mush

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

British Dictionary definitions for mush (3 of 4)

mush

3
/ (mʊʃ) /

noun British

a slang word for face (def. 1)

Word Origin for mush

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

British Dictionary definitions for mush (4 of 4)

mush

4
/ (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 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012