subs. and verb. (common).—Generic for violence. Whence (1) as subs. (old) = robbery with violence: distinguished from a RAMP (q.v.), which might refer to the ‘lifting’ of a single article, whereas THE RUSH involves CLEANING OUT (q.v.); hence (2) any swindle; and, as verb. = to rob, to cheat, to extort (e.g., ‘I RUSHED the old girl for a quid’): also THE RUSH-DODGE, and TO GIVE ONE THE RUSH (PARKER, GROSE, VAUX). Into modern colloquial usage RUSH enters largely: as subs. = (1) extreme urgency of affairs; (2) a great demand, a RUN (q.v.); (3) a stampede of horses or cattle; (4) a mellay; (5) in American schools = (a) a gabbled or brilliant recitation, and (b) a very successful ‘pass’; (6) a forward’s work at football: whence a SCRIMMAGE (q.v.), or play in which the ball is forced. As verb. = (1) to hurry, to force (or advance) a matter with undue haste; (2) to go for an opponent blindly: chiefly pugilists’; (3) to charge or attack wildly; and (4) at football = (a) to force a ball, (b) to secure a goal by forcing. Also TO DO A RUSH (racing) = to back a SAFE-’UN (q.v.), and (among bookmakers’ touts) TO BET FLASH (q.v.), to induce business, TO BONNET (q.v.). Whence RUSHER = (1) a cheat, a thief (spec. a thief working a house insufficiently guarded); (2) a man of sensational energy, as a ranting divine, a bawling politician, a reckless punter, a wild-hitting pugilist; and (3) a forward good at running ball in hand or forcing the play (football). Also, TO ROAM ON THE RUSH (racing) = to swerve from the straight at the spurt for the finish; ON (or WITH) A RUSH = with spirit, energetically; ON THE RUSH = on the run, hard at it; TO RUSH THE SEASON = to anticipate social and other functions; TO DO A RUSH UP THE STRAIGHT (the FRILLS, or PETTICOATS) = to possess without further ado a yielding woman: see GROPE; TO RUSH A BILL (parliamentary) = to put a bill through, (a) without debate, or (b) by closuring the Opposition.
1595. SHAKESPEARE, Romeo and Juliet, iii. 3, 25.
| The kind prince, | |
| Taking thy part, hath RUSH’D aside the law. |
1825. T. JONES, The True Bottom’d Boxer [The Universal Songster, ii. 96]. For taking and giving, for sparring and rushing it. Ibid. With chancery suiting, and sparring and rushing.
18[?]. Brunonian [BARTLETT]. A RUSH is a glib recitation, but to be a DEAD RUSH it must be flawless, polished, and sparkling like a Koh-i-noor.
1849. Yale Literary Magazine, Nov., xv. 411, ‘Editor’s Table.’ It was purchased by the man … who ‘really did not look’ at the lesson on which he ‘RUSHED.’
1871. DE VERE, Americanisms, 171. The miner in California and Nevada has been known, in times of a RUSH, to speak of a place where he could stand leaning against a stout post, as his diggings for the night.
1872. Daily Telegraph, 9 Feb. The place was RUSHED—an expressive word, which signifies that the diggers swarmed to the spot in such crowds as to render merely foolish any resistance which an owner might be inclined to make. Ibid. (1874), 4 Aug. A number of bills are RUSHED through Parliament. Ibid. (1883), 22 May, 2, 3. The sore point of intrigue and bribery too well known by those familiar with the RUSHING of private bills through the American Senate as existing in that Assembly.
1881. A. C. GRANT, Bush-Life in Queensland, ii. 132. A confused whirl of dark forms swept before him, and the camp, so full of life a minute ago, is desolate. It was ‘a RUSH,’ a stampede.
1885. Punch, 24 Jan., 42, ‘Wait Till the Clouds Roll by!’
| But, in affairs of empire, | |
| Have you been fogged—or RUSHED? |
1887. PAYN, Glow-worm Tales, 123. That a fraud had been committed on us was certain, and a fraud of a very clumsy kind…. He had ‘RUSHED us,’ as the phrase goes.
1888. BOLDREWOOD, Robbery under Arms, xxiii. I’ve known cases where a single bushranger was RUSHED by a couple of determined men. Ibid., xxiii. It’s no use trying the RUSH DODGE with them.
1888. BESANT, Fifty Years Ago, 137. Peeresses … occupied every seat, and even RUSHED the reporters’ gallery.
1889. Illustrated Bits, 13 July, 3. A girl of sixteen who receives calls from admirers, is commonly considered to be RUSHING THE SEASON. She is precocious and the reverse of passée.
1889. Licensed Victuallers’ Gazette, 4 Jan. Ain’t that the swine of a snob that RUSHED me at Battersea?
1890. Nineteenth Century, xxvi. 854. There was a slight boom in the mining market, and a bit of a RUSH on American rails.
1892. KIPLING, Barrack-Room Ballads, ‘Fuzzy-Wuzzy.’ An ’appy day with Fuzzy ON THE RUSH.
1892. HUME NISBET, The Bushranger’s Sweetheart, 96. “Jim always meant business wherever he went,” she said confidently, “and we should be sure to hear of that RUSH if he had taken it up.”
18[?]. North American Review [Century]. Hazing, RUSHING, secret societies, society imitations and badges … are unknown at Oxford and Cambridge.
18[?]. Scientific American [Century]. In RUSHING, as well as in following or heading off … the front lines get the most shocks.
1897. KENNARD, The Girl in the Brown Habit, x. She’s a RUSHER, and just the animal to stick her forefeet into a drain like this, especially when she got excited.
1901. Daily Telegraph, 9 Nov., 7, 2. At the next lecture the Swami made a dead RUSH to get those present to join.
1362. LANGLAND, Piers Plowman, 2421.
| And yet yeve ye me nevere | |
| The worthe of a RISSHE. |
c. 1440. Generydes [E.E.T.S.], l. 1680. Of all his payne he wold not sett a RISSH.
c. 1540. Doctour Doubble Ale, 279. By them I set not a RYSH.
1591. J. LYLY, Sappho and Phaon, ii. 4. But bee not pinned alwayes on her sleeves; strangers have greene RUSHES, when daily guests are not worth a RUSH.
1593. SHAKESPEARE, Comedy of Errors, iv. 3. A RUSH, a hair, a drop of blood, a pin, a nut, a cherry-stone.
1719. D’URFEY, Wit and Mirth; or Pills to Purge Melancholy, iii. 9.
| But the Fool for his labour deserves NOT A RUSH, | |
| For grafting a Thistle upon a Rose Bush. |
1767. STERNE, Tristram Shandy, ix. 17. I would not, my good people! give a RUSH for your judgment.
