Meaning & use
rush
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Meanings
verbintransitive
To move or go somewhere very quickly, often because time is short.
Grammar: No object; direction follows: rush to the door.
Patterns
- rush to somewhere
- rush into something
- rush out of something
Passengers rushed to the gate when the flight was called.
Water rushed through the broken pipe.
I rushed out without my umbrella.
verbtransitive
To do something too quickly or make someone hurry.
Grammar: Takes an object: rush the job, rush someone.
Patterns
- rush someone
- rush something
- rush someone to somewhere
Do not rush me; I need time to decide.
Paramedics rushed the patient to the hospital.
He rushed the report and made several mistakes.
nounusually singular
A sudden quick movement, or a time of great hurry.
Grammar: Often with a: a rush of people, the morning rush.
Patterns
- a rush for something
- a rush of something
There was a rush for the exits.
We always get a rush of customers at lunch.
In the rush, I left my keys on the table.
nounusually singular
A sudden strong feeling, such as excitement or fear.
Grammar: Often followed by of: a rush of joy.
Patterns
- a rush of something
A rush of relief swept over her when she saw the results.
The roller coaster gave him a thrilling rush.
She felt a rush of anger at the unfair remark.
nouncountablebiology
A tall plant with thin hollow stems that grows in wet ground.
Grammar: Different word with the same spelling; used in the plural for the plants collectively.
Rushes grew thick along the edge of the pond.
The baskets were woven from dried rushes.
Ducks hid among the rushes.
Word forms
| third person singular | rushes |
|---|---|
| past tense | rushed |
| past participle | rushed |
| -ing form | rushing |
| plural | rushes |
Common combinations
- rush hour
- We missed the bus in the rush hour.
- rush to judgment
- Do not rush to judgment before you hear the facts.
- gold rush
- The gold rush drew thousands west.
- rush of adrenaline
- A rush of adrenaline helped him finish the race.
- rush through
- Do not rush through your homework.
Synonyms and how they differ
- hurry
- Hurry is the neutral word for moving fast, while rush suggests more pressure or even carelessness.
- dash
- Dash is a short fast run, often a brief trip.
- race
- Race suggests competing against time or others, and can be literal or figurative.
- surge
- Surge describes a strong sudden forward or upward movement of crowds, water or feelings.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: rush or russet? rush or hurry?
rush vs russet
Russet is a reddish-brown color or a type of potato; it only looks a bit like rush.
rush vs hurry
You can hurry up but you cannot rush up; with rush the phrasal form is not used.
Practice
The nurse ___ the injured child to the emergency room.
Choose one answer.
Rushed means moved quickly in an emergency. Reached would need a different object and relaxed or rested do not suit urgency.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “rush”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.