arch. Forms: α. 4 enbusse-, enbuschy-, enbuchy-, anbuschy-, 4–6 enbusche-, enbusshe-, 5 enbussh-, embusche-, 5–6 embusshe., enbusch-, enbush-, 6 embush-, ambushe-, 6– ambushment. Also β. (refash. after L. in-, im-, 5 inbusshe-, 5–6 imbusshe-, 6 imbushment. γ. (Weakened) 4 abusse-, abuche-, abuchy-, 4–6 abusshe-, 5–6 abusch-, abushment. δ. Aphetic, 4 busse-, buche-, buchy-, 4–6 busshe-, 5–6 busch-, bushment. [a. OFr. embuschement (med.L. imboscāmentum), n. of action f. embuscher: see AMBUSH v. and -MENT. As late as 1600 accented ambu·shment, though e·mbushment is found in Sc. in 1513. In ME. the atonic en-, treated as OE. an-, was phonetically reduced to ă-, and then allowed to fall away: en-bu·shment, ăn-bu·shment, ă-bu·shment, bu·shment. The uncontracted word was often Latinized as imbushment after the Renascence, but finally assimilated to AMBUSH.]
1. A disposition or arrangement of troops in a wood or other place of concealment so as to fall on an enemy by surprise; the trap so constructed; ambush, ambuscade.
α. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron., 187. Ne man ne hors suld go þorgh þat enbussement.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, VIII. 45. Thai maid enbuschement all the nycht.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 812. Of þys anbuschymenȝ þan brek out; Bruyllant … & Sortybrant … with hure rout. Ibid., 2989. Þe Saraȝynȝ at arst brek out; þat were on þe enbuchyment.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Melibeus, 354. Counterwayte embusshementz and alle espiaille.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, I. xi. Syre Kay came oute of an enbusshement.
1485. Caxton, Paris & Vienne, 5. The embusshement that was layed for them.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, XI. x. 67. Ly at wate in quyet enbuschment.
c. 1530. Ld. Berners, Arthur Lyt. Bryt. (1814), 493. The Frensshe men lepte out from theyr enbusshementes.
1542. Piteous Tr., in Harl. Misc. (Malh.), I. 239. Falling amonge theyr embushmentes.
1577. Hanmer, Eccl. Hist. (1619), 30. Whence he might make an ambushment upon Jerusalem.
1582. N. T. (Rhem.), Acts xxiii. 30. Embushments that they had prepared against him.
1591. Harington, Orl. Fur., XXXVI. v. While in ambushment close they lay on land.
1597. Daniel, Civ. Wars, VII. lxxxvi. Where round enclos’d by ambushments fore-laid.
1676. I. Mather, K. Philip’s War (1862), 166. He hath as it were set Ambushments against the Enemy.
1803. W. S. Rose, Amadis de Gaul, 93.
| Then from his ambushment shall Abyes rush, | |
| And with fresh force their breathless squadrons crush. |
β. c. 1450. Merlin, xv. 234. Comen all fressh of here inbusshement.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froissart, I. ccxi. 254. Capitaynes of this imbusshement.
γ. [See also ABUSHMENT.]
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron., 242. Leulyn in a wod a bussement he held.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 798. Y leuede ȝond on a buchyment. Ibid., 4340. Ȝe mote leue with ȝoure power On a-buchement … In a wode þat ys þer faste by.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour, lxx. 92. She hadde hidde in a busshement for hym.
1557. Arthur (Copland), V. vi. Lefte in a busshement.
1612. Monipennie, in Misc. Scot., I. 94. [He] was inclosed with an abushment.
δ. [See also BUSHMENT. Early instances confound abushment and a bushment.]
1375. Barbour, Bruce, VI. 415. Quhill thai Fer by thar buschement war all past.
1387. Trevisa, Higden, Rolls Ser. IV. 73. Þe consuls of Rome sette busshementes for hym.
c. 1430. Syr Generides (1865), 64. The king was passed by his bushment.
1553. Brende, Q. Curtius, III. 18. For feare the enemyes should lye there in busshement.
1870. Morris, Earth. Par., I. I. 54. The barbarous folk … from bushments on us broke.
† 2. The troops so concealed; a force that actually is, has been, or is about to be placed in ambush. Obs.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 208. Thembushements to-breken alle And him beclipt on every side.
c. 1440. Morte Arth., 1407. Thane þe embuschement of Bretons brake owte at ones.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Engl., II. (1520), 11/1. Then came Corin with the busshement.
1548. Hall, Chron., 197. He with an Imbusshement of Englishemen laye in a Valley nye to the Fortresse.
1580. Sidney, Arcadia (1622), 328. An ambushment broken forth from the houses behinde them.
a. 1581. Campion, Hist. Irel., II. i. 63. Then stept out an ambushment of the Irish.
† 3. A company of soldiers secretly deployed; a surprise party. Obs.
1387. Trevisa, Higden, Rolls Ser. VI. 251. He was assailled wiþ busshemente of Gaskyns.
1549. Latimer, 7 Serm. (1869), 184. Judas … was prouydyng among the byshoppes and preistes, to come with an imbushment of Iewes to take our sauiour Iesus Christ.
1655. Gouge, Comm. Heb., 105. Of Souldiers there useth to be a Van-guard, main Battalio, Reer, right and left Wings, and Ambushments.
† 4. fig. Devices to entrap, or take by surprise. Obs.
1579. Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 346/2. All subtilties and ambushments that the diuell layeth against vs.
1580. (title) A Detection of damnable driftes practised by three Witches … Set forthe to discouer the Ambushements of Sathan, whereby he would surprise vs.
1641. Milton, Animadv. (1851), 185. The close ambushment of worst errors.
