A useful English lesson - What does the word 'rush' mean? Learn English with Misterduncan

Here is a word that looks simple and unimportant.

However, it is in fact a word that can be used in some very dramatic ways.

The word is ‘Rush’.

As a noun, the word rush relates to any plant of a certain type that often grows in wet places,

and typically has grass-like cylindrical leaves and small green or brown flowers.

Many species of rush are used to make baskets.

Something of little value can be described as a rush.

The phrase... ‘not worth a rush’ relates to the lack of value or worthlessness of something.

As a verb, the word ‘rush’ has many meanings and forms of expression.

To need to perform or accomplish something with speed can be defined by saying that the person doing it will rush.

In this sense, the person will need to do the task at great speed.

They must do it in haste.

To have a limited amount of time in which to do something will often require the person doing it to rush,

To hurry from one place to another at great speed is rush.

You might rush whilst getting ready in the morning before leaving the house for work.

You rush your breakfast.

You rush for the bus.

You rush up the stairs of your office building before the boss arrives.

To transfer or carry something at great speed is rush.

You might have to rush someone to hospital if they are seriously ill.

The rapid movement or appearance of something can be expressed as rush, ‘a rush of water’, ‘a rush of blood’.

The movement is rapid and dramatic.

A period of time when there is a lot of activity can be described as the rush period or the rush hour.

You might be rushing around a certain place, such as a supermarket.

You only have a short period of time in which to do something.

You rush. You must rush.

You are rushing through.

You rush the task. To attack suddenly and violently is rush.

“The soldiers will rush the enemy at sunrise”.

Once again as a noun we can express ‘rush’ as the state of being in a hurry.

You are in a rush.

The exuberant feeling of doing something exciting can be described as a rush.

The thrill of doing something or achieving a goal might be described as a rush.

“What a rush.”

“Skiing down the mountain slope was a real rush.” (feel a rush)

You can get a rush of blood to the head during a moment of panic or excitement.

A thing that must be made in a constrained period of time can be described as a ‘rush job’.

You only have a short time in which to make that thing, so it will have to be a rush job.

So, to recap, words such as rush, hurry, dash, speed...

imply swiftness of movement.

‘Rush’ implies haste....

and sometimes violence in motion, through some distance.

To... rush to the store.

‘Hurry’ suggests a sense of strain or agitation.

A breathless rushing to get to a definite place by a certain time to hurry to an appointment.

‘Dash’ implies ‘impetuosity’ or spirited, swift movement for a short distance.

To dash to the neighbour's house.

‘Speed’ means to go fast, usually by means of some type of transportation, and with some smoothness of motion.

To... speed to a nearby city.

In general terms, ‘rush’ implies speed, an action done with time constraints.

The need to do something as fast as possible.