rush

RUSH/ɹʌʃ/

Verbrushes, rushing, rushed

Noun pluralrushes

28 meanings of rush

Practice

1
hurry throughverbtransitive or intransitive
To hurry and do something very fast, sometimes too fast to do it well.
Like gulping your food so fast you forget to taste it.
Don't rush your homework or you'll make silly mistakes.
We had to rush to catch the early train.
UsageSay don't rush into it, or don't rush your work.
Similarhurry, hasten, race, scramble
Oppositedawdle
2
hurried timenouncountable
A hurry, when you feel you need to do everything very fast.
Like trying to get everyone out the door when you're already late.
In the morning rush, she forgot her keys on the table.
There's no rush, so take your time with it.
UsageSay I'm in a rush when you must hurry.
Similarbustle, hustle, scramble, hurry, haste
Oppositelull
3
pour fastverbintransitive
To move or flow forward very fast, often with a lot of noise.
Like water roaring out of a fire hose.
Floodwaters rush down the canyon every spring.
The wind rushed through the trees all night long.
UsageSay water rushed down the hill.
Similarsurge, race, pour, stream, gush
Note
4
influxnouncountable
A sudden, strong rise or increase in something.
Like a wave that suddenly grows bigger before it hits the shore.
There was a rush of orders right before the holidays.
After the news story, there was a rush of interest in the old book.
UsageSay a rush of orders or a rush of new business.
Similarsurge
Oppositelull
5
hasty (work)adjective
Done very fast because there isn't enough time, and often not done well.
Like a school project you start the night before it's due.
She paid extra for a rush order on the birthday cake.
It was a rush job, so the paint looks uneven.
UsageSay a rush job or rush delivery.
Similarexpress, urgent, hurried, hasty
Oppositestandard
Note
6
take somewhere fastverbtransitive
To take someone or something somewhere very fast.
Like getting someone to the doctor as fast as you possibly can.
Paramedics rushed the patient to the hospital.
They rush fresh fish to the market every morning.
UsageSay they rushed him to a doctor.
Similarrace, speed, hurry, whisk, dispatch
7
make hurryverbtransitive
To make someone do something faster than they want to.
Like pushing a slow friend to walk faster than they want to.
Please don't rush me while I'm trying to think.
Their boss rushed them through the whole project.
UsageSay Don't rush me.
Similarhurry, hustle, push, pressure, press
8
thrillnouncountable
A quick, strong feeling of excitement or pleasure.
Like the burst of happiness you feel right after winning a game.
She felt a rush of joy when she opened the gift.
Riding the roller coaster gave him a real rush.
UsageSay it gave me a rush.
Similarthrill, buzz, high, kick, jolt
Note
9
forward surgenouncountable
A sudden, fast movement or flow of people, water, air, or other things.
Like everyone jumping up at once when the show ends.
There was a rush toward the exit when the alarm rang.
The crowd made a sudden rush for the doors.
UsageSay a rush of air, or make a rush for the door.
Similarsurge, dash, stampede, charge, flood
Note
10
run atverbtransitive
To run at a person or place suddenly in order to attack it.
Like charging forward all together the moment a whistle blows.
The troops rushed at the gates before sunrise.
The prisoners planned to rush the guard and grab his keys.
Similarstorm, charge
Note
11
pressure (football)nouncountable
The act of running straight at another player to block them.
Like the charge a player makes to tackle the one holding the ball.
The quarterback dodged the rush and threw a long pass.
A strong rush from the defense forced a quick throw.
UsageSay a rush on the quarterback.
Similarcharge
Note

Less common meanings

12
reednouncountable
A tall grass-like plant growing near water. Its stems are dried and woven into baskets, mats and chair seats.
Like tall grass that grows where the ground stays wet.
A clump of rushes grew along the edge of the pond.
She cut a single rush from the marsh.
13
go after passerverbtransitive or intransitive
To run straight at another player to block or stop them.
Like running straight at someone to stop them from throwing a ball.
He rushed the passer and forced a fumble.
Defenders rush whenever they expect a pass.
UsageSay they rushed the kicker.
Similarcharge, pressure, blitz
14
recruiting seasonnoununcountable
A set time when fraternities and sororities look for and choose new members.
Like tryouts for a sports team, but for joining a club.
She signed up for rush during her first week at college.
Fraternities on campus hold rush during the first week of school.
UsageSay during rush, with no the.
Similarrecruitment
Note
15
apply to joinverbtransitive or intransitive
To try to join a student club called a fraternity or sorority.
Like trying out for a team you hope will pick you.
She decided to rush a sorority in her second year.
He spent the whole week rushing, hoping to get a bid.
Note
16
head-on attacknouncountable
A sudden, strong attack by a group of people.
Like a team of players all charging forward at the same moment.
The soldiers made a rush at the enemy's wall.
The enemy made a rush at our trench just before dawn.
UsageSay they made a rush on the fort.
Similarcharge, assault, attack, onslaught
Note
17
noundatedcountable
In American football, a player on the line who pushes forward to tackle or block.
Similarrusher
Note
18
joining studentnouncountable
A student who is trying to join a fraternity or sorority.
Like someone trying out for a team, hoping to be picked.
Each rush met the sorority sisters at the welcome party.
The older members showed the rushes around the house.
Similarrecruit, prospect, rushee
Note
19
speed up (music)verbintransitive
To play music faster than you should, or to speed up by mistake while playing.
Like walking faster and faster without noticing.
The drummer tends to rush when he gets nervous.
Try not to rush during the fast section.
UsageTo rush is to play too fast; to drag is too slow.
Similarhurry
Oppositedrag
Note
20
early attack (games)nouncountable
In video games, a fast attack early in a game, made before the other player can build defenses.
Like sending a big crowd to push through a door all at once.
In the strategy game, her early rush wiped out my base before I built any walls.
In this strategy game, a cheap early rush can win before the enemy builds defenses.
Note
21
attack early (games)verbslangtransitive
To attack another player very early in a game, before they are ready.
Like a crowd pushing forward all together to break through.
They rushed the enemy base before it could build defenses.
You can rush your opponent in the first few minutes.
Similarswarm, overrun, overwhelm
Note
22
noundatedUScountable
A perfect, error-free recitation of a lesson in class.
Note
23
verbdated
In soccer, to move the ball forward quickly with fast little kicks.
24
nounarchaic
A tiny, worthless thing of no real value.
[W]hat occaſion haſt thou to give up Eccleſdoun-Caſtle to John Bull? his Friendſhip is not vvorth a Ruſh, give it me and I'll make it vvorth the vvhile.
1712, Humphry Polesworth [pseudonym; John Arbuthnot], “The Rest of Nic’s Fetches to Keep John out of Ecclesdoun-Castle”
25
noun
A dried plant stem used as the wick of a simple candle or lamp.
26
noun
In croquet, a shot that knocks the target ball to a planned spot on the grass.
27
verb
In croquet, to hit the target ball so it goes to a chosen spot on the grass.
28
verbdatedUS
To say a school lesson or do a test perfectly.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of rush apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1–11, 13–22

This word may come from an Old English word that meant to jolt or startle, linked to words meaning fast or quick. Another account traces it to an old Germanic word for storming ahead, with some influence from a French word meaning to force back.

Meaning 12

This name for a marsh plant comes from Old English rysċ, and may be linked to a Latin word for butcher's broom.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

The plant name rush descends from Old English rysċ. en.wiktionary.org
The plant name may be linked to Latin rūscum, meaning butcher's broom. en.wiktionary.org