bush
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /bʊʃ/
ipa: /bʉʃ/
rhymes: -ʊʃ
Forms: form: bushes
Etymology: From Middle English bush, from Old English busċ, *bysċ (“copse, grove, scrub”, in placenames), from Proto-West Germanic *busk, from Proto-Germanic *buskaz (“bush, thicket”), probably from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- (“to grow”). Doublet of bosque.
Cognates
Cognate with Saterland Frisian Busk (“bush”), West Frisian bosk (“forest”), Dutch bos, bosch (“forest, wood”), German Busch (“bush, shrub; small forest, grove”), Luxembourgish Bësch (“forest, wood”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk busk (“bush, shrub”), Icelandic buski (“bush, shrub”), Swedish buske (“bush, shrub”), Persian بیشه (bêša/biše, “woods”). Latin and Romance forms (Latin boscus, Occitan bòsc, French bois, bûche and buisson, Italian bosco and boscaglia, Spanish bosque, Portuguese bosque) derive from the Germanic.
Compare typologically Russian за́росли (zárosli) (akin to расти́ (rastí)). Also compare Russian быльё (bylʹjó) (distantly cognate via *bʰuH-).
Senses: examples: text: I stumbled along through the young pines and huckleberry bushes. Pretty soon I struck into a sort of path that, I cal'lated, might lead to the road I was hunting for. It twisted and turned, and, the first thing I knew, made a sudden bend around a bunch of bayberry scrub and opened out into a big clear space like a lawn.
ref: 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter I, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC, page 18:
topics: agriculture
business
horticulture
lifestyle
synonyms: shrub
glosses: A woody plant distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and lower height, being usually less than six metres tall; a horticultural rather than strictly botanical category.
examples: text: bushes to support pea vines
glosses: A shrub cut off, or a shrublike branch of a tree.
examples: text: If it be true, that good wine needs no buſh, 'tis true, that a good play needes no Epilogue.
ref: c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iv], page 207, column 2:
text: "Well," replied Lady Mary, "who is to know where good wine is sold, unless you hang out the bush."
ref: 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “Chapter IV. The Fête.”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 31:
glosses: A shrub or branch, properly, a branch of ivy (sacred to Bacchus), hung out at vintners' doors, or as a tavern sign; hence, a tavern sign, and symbolically, the tavern itself.
examples: text: As he ſtood on one ſide for a minute or ſo, unbuttoning his waſte-coat, and breeches, her fat brawny thighs hung down, and the whole greaſy landſkip lay fairly open to my view: a wide open-mouth’d gap, overſhaded with a grizzly buſh, ſeemed held out like a beggar’s wallet for its’ proviſion.
ref: 1749, [John Cleland], “[Letter the First]”, in Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure [Fanny Hill], volume I, London: […] [Thomas Parker] for G. Fenton [i.e., Fenton and Ralph Griffiths] […], →OCLC, page 65:
english: Fanny Hill
translation: Fanny Hill
text: I rub her bush with my cheek and my chin, tickle her bonne-bouche with my tongue.
ref: 1941, Henry Miller, Under the Roofs of Paris (Opus Pistorum), New York: Grove Press, published 1983, page 27:
text: But no, the little pool of semen was there, proof positive, with droplets caught hanging in her bush.
ref: 1982, Lawrence Durrell, Constance (Avignon Quintet), Faber & Faber, published 2004, page 787:
text: I push my seed in her bush for life / It's gonna work because I'm pushing it right
ref: 2002, “The Seed (2.0)”, in Phrenology, performed by The Roots:
text: I think on Saturday I'm gonna find out if red-haired girls have a red bush!
ref: 2025 September 3, “Wok Is Dead”, in South Park, season 27, episode 4, spoken by Butters:
synonyms: word: bush
word: carpet
word: floss
word: fluff
word: forest
word: fur
word: fuzz
word: grass
word: growth
word: grove
word: lettuce
word: maidenhair
word: mound
word: muffin
word: nest
word: netherhair
word: pubes
word: rug
word: short and curlies
word: short hairs
word: shrubs
word: snatch
word: stuff
word: thatch
glosses: A person's pubic hair, especially a woman's.
topics: hobbies
hunting
lifestyle
glosses: The tail, or brush, of a fox.
Derived terms: sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: ale-bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: antelope bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: apple bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: basket bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: beat about the bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: beat around the bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: beauty bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bellyache bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bitou bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bitterbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: blanket bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: brittlebush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: broom bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: broombush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: broom-bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bubby bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: burning bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: burrobrush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush apple
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush baby
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush ballad
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush balladry
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush-balladry
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush banana
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush bar
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush-basher
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bushbird
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bushboy
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush brown
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bushbuck
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: Bushbury
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bushcamp
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush candle
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bushcat
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bushchat
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush clover
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush cow
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush cricket
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bushcricket
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush-cricket
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush dog
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: busher
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bushfighter
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bushfighting
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush fly
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush frog
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bushful
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush goat
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush hammer
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush-hen
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: Bush Hill Park
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush hog
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush honeysuckle
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush jacket
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush jasmine
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush knife
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bushlark
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush lemon
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bushless
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bushlet
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bushlike
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush lily
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bushly
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush medicine
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush-metal
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush muhly
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: Bush Negro
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush out
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush pee
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush pole
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bushrope
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush rose
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bushrue
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush rum
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush salute
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush-shrike
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush shrike
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush sickness
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush song
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush sunflower
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush taxi
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush thick-knee
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bushtit
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush tomato
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bushtop
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush track
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush trimmer
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush turkey
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush typhus
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bushveld
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush vetch
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush violet
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bush wee
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: Bushwick
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bushwillow
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: bushy
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: butterfly bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: buttonbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: cancer bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: candle bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: caper bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: Chanukah bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: Christmas bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: coffee bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: common hop bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: cone-bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: cone bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: coralbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: coyote bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: creambush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: creosote bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: Cutbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: devil-in-a-bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: devil-in-the-bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: diaper bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: dusky bush tanager
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: elderbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: elephant bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: emu bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: eyelash bush viper
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: fern bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: fever bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: find a friendly bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: fit-bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: flannelbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: flaxbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: fork-tailed bush katydid
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: gallbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: gentry bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: glory bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: groundsel bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: Hanukah bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: Hanukkah bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: hemp bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: highbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: hobble-bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: hobblebush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: Hollybush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: honeybush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: hopbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: Hottentot's poison bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: indigo bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: inkbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: iodine bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: ivory bush coral
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: jack-in-the-bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: Japanese bush warbler
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: jewbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: juniper bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: juniper bush katydid
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: kapok bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: lanolin bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: little bush moa
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: lowbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: macaw bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: maybush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: Mexican bush sage
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: milkbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: mintbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: nannybush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: needlebush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: needle bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: nitre bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: Nutbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: octopus bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: pale-footed bush warbler
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: paperbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: pearl bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: pepperbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: potato bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: rebush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: redbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: river-bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: rosebush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: round-headed bush clover
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: rufous bush chat
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: rufous bush robin
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: saddle-backed bush cricket
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: saltbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: shadbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: shadow-vinnie bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: Shepherd's Bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: silverbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: skunkbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: sloebush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: sloe bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: sloe-bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: smokebush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: smoke bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: snowball bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: snowbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: soldierbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: sourbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: spearbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: spicebush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: squawbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: staggerbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: stately bush brown
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: steeplebush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: stinkbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: stop two gaps with one bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: strawberry bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: stringbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: sugarbush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: tea bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: tie bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: turkey bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: typical bush warbler
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: unbushlike
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: whortle bush
sense: Terms derived from bush (Etymology 1)
word: wishbone bush
Related terms: ambush
bouquet