Bush (bush) , noun
[Old English bosch, busch, buysch, bosk, busk; akin to Dutch bosch, Old High German busc, German busch, Icelandic būskr, būski, Danish busk, Swedish buske, and also to Late Latin boscus, buscus, Pr. bosc, Italian bosco, Sp. & Portuguese bosque, French bois, Old French bos. Whether the Late Latin or German form is the original is uncertain; if the Late Latin, it is perh. from the same source as English box a case. Compare Ambush, Boscage, Bouquet, Box a case.]
1.
A thicket, or place abounding in trees or shrubs; a wild forest.
This was the original sense of the word, as in the Dutch bosch, a wood, and was so used by Chaucer. In this sense it is extensively used in the British colonies, especially at the Cape of Good Hope, and also in Australia and Canada; as, to live or settle in the bush.
2.
A shrub; esp., a shrub with branches rising from or near the root; a thick shrub or a cluster of shrubs.
To bind a bush of thorns among sweet-smelling flowers. — Gascoigne
3.
A shrub cut off, or a shrublike branch of a tree; as, bushes to support pea vines.
4.
A shrub or branch, properly, a branch of ivy (as sacred to Bacchus), hung out at vintners' doors, or as a tavern sign; hence, a tavern sign, and symbolically, the tavern itself.
If it be true that good wine needs no bush, 't is true that a good play needs no epilogue. — Shakespeare
5.
(Hunting) The tail, or brush, of a fox.
Collocations (13)
To beat about the bush , to approach anything in a round-about manner, instead of coming directly to it; -- a metaphor taken from hunting.
Bush bean (Botany) , a variety of bean which is low and requires no support (Phaseolus vulgaris, variety nanus). See Bean, 1. Bush buck or Bush goat (Zoology) , a beautiful South African antelope (Tragelaphus sylvaticus); -- so called because found mainly in wooden localities. The name is also applied to other species.
Bush cat (Zoology) , the serval. See Serval. Bush chat (Zoology) , a bird of the genus Pratincola, of the Thrush family.
Bush dog (Zoology) , See Potto. Bush harrow (Agriculture) , See under Harrow. Bush hog (Zoology) , a South African wild hog (Potamochorus Africanus); -- called also bush pig, and water hog.
Bush master (Zoology) , a venomous snake (Lachesis mutus) of Guinea; -- called also surucucu.
Bush pea (Botany) , a variety of pea that needs to be bushed.
Bush shrike (Zoology) , a bird of the genus Thamnophilus, and allied genera; -- called also batarg. Many species inhabit tropical America.
Bush tit (Zoology) , a small bird of the genus Psaltriparus, allied to the titmouse. Psaltriparus minimus inhabits California.