Word: rush Part of Speech: verb Etymology: Perhaps from Middle English ruschen, russchen (“to rush, startle, make a loud rushing noise”), from Old English hrysċan (“to jolt, startle”), from Proto-West Germanic *hurskijan, from Proto-Germanic *hurskijaną (“to startle, drive”), from *hurskaz (“fast, rapid, quick”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱers- (“to run, hurry”). Cognate with Old High German hursken (“to hurry, speed, incite, accelerate”), Old English horsċ (“quick, quick-witted, clever”), Old Frisian rosk, rosch (“quick, rapid, sudden”). etymology note An alternative etymology traces rush via Middle English ruschen (“to rush”) from Old English *rūscian (“to rush”) from Proto-Germanic *rūskōną (“to rush, storm, be fierce, be cruel”), a variant (with formative k) of Proto-Germanic *rūsōną (“to be cruel, storm, rush”) from Proto-Indo-European *(o)rewə- (“to drive, move, agitate”), making it akin to Old High German rosc, rosci (“quick”), Middle Low German rûschen (“to rush”), Middle High German rūschen, riuschen (“to rush”) (German rauschen (“to rush”)), North Frisian ruse (“to rush”), Middle Dutch ruuscen (“to make haste”), Middle Dutch rūsen (“to rush”) (Dutch ruisen (“to rush”)), Danish ruse (“to rush”), Swedish rusa (“to rush”). Compare Middle High German rūsch (“a charge, rush”). Influenced by Middle English russhen (“to force back”) from Anglo-Norman russher, russer from Old French ruser, rëuser. Alternatively, according to the OED, perhaps an adaptation of Anglo-Norman russher, russer (“to force back, down, out of place, by violent impact", "to pull out or drag off violently or hastily”), from Old French re(h)usser, ruser (although the connection of the forms with single -s- and double -ss- is dubious; also adopted in English ruse; French ruser (“to retreat, drive back”)), from an assumed Vulgar Latin *refūsāre and Latin refundō (“I cause to flow back”), although connection to the same Germanic root is also possible. More at rouse. Pronunciation: /ɹʌʃ/, /ɹʊʃ/ 1. To hurry; to perform a task with great haste, often not properly or without thinking carefully. Labels: intransitive, transitive Example: rush one's dinner; rush off an email response Example: Most of the Himalayan rivers have been relatively untouched by dams near their sources. Now the two great Asian powers, India and China, are rushing to harness them as they cut through some of the world's deepest valleys. 2. To flow or move forward rapidly or noisily. Labels: intransitive Example: armies rush to battle; waters rush down a precipice. Example: For with ſuch puiſſance and impetuous maine / Thoſe Champions broke on them, that forſt the fly, / Like ſcattered Sheepe, whenas the Shepherds ſwaine / A Lyon and a Tigre doth eſpye, / With greedy pace forth ruſhing from the foreſt nye. 3. To dribble rapidly. Labels: intransitive 4. To run directly at another player in order to block or disrupt play. Labels: intransitive, transitive 5. To cause to move or act with unusual haste. Labels: transitive Example: Don't rush your client or he may withdraw. 6. To make a swift or sudden attack. Labels: intransitive 7. To swiftly attack without warning. Labels: transitive Example: A detachment of cavalrymen rushed the enemy's position. 8. To attack (an opponent) with a large swarm of units. Labels: slang, transitive 9. To transport or carry quickly. Labels: transitive Example: The shuttle rushes passengers from the station to the airport. Example: The harvest is now in full swing in the Great Plains and efforts are being made to rush the grain from the fields to the country elevators and then to the large terminals, such as Kansas City, Houston, Galveston and New Orleans. 10. To roquet an object ball to a particular location on the lawn. Labels: intransitive, transitive 11. To attempt to join a fraternity or sorority, often involving a hazing or initiation process. Labels: intransitive, transitive 12. To recite (a lesson) or pass (an examination) without an error. Labels: US, dated, slang 13. To play at a faster tempo than one is supposed to or than the other musicians one is playing with, or to inadvertently gradually increase tempo while one is playing. Labels: intransitive