rush

1 /rVS/ verb

1 MOVE QUICKLY (intransitive always + adv/prep) to move very quickly, especially because you need to be somewhere very soon

(+ out/past/through/along etc): We rushed home to find out what had happened to Julie. | One of the pipes burst and water came rushing out.

2 DO STH QUICKLY (I, T) to do something too quickly, especially so that you do not have time to do it carefully or well: There's plenty of time - we don't need to rush. | rush sth: You shouldn't rush this sort of work.

3 rush to do sth to do something eagerly and without delay: Fans rushed to buy tickets as soon as they went on sale.

4 TAKE/SEND URGENTLY (transitive always + adv/prep) to take or send something somewhere very quickly, especially because of an unexpected problem: The Red Cross rushed medical supplies to the war zone. | rush sb somewhere: Dan was rushed to the hospital with serious head injuries.

5 MAKE SB HURRY (T) to try to make someone do something more quickly than they want to: I'm sorry to rush you, but we need a decision by Friday. | rush sb into doing sth: Don't let them rush you into signing the contract.

6 ATTACK (T) to attack someone suddenly and in a group: They rushed the guard and stole his keys.

7 AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES AmE

a) (T) to give parties for students, have meetings etc, in order to decide whether to let them join a fraternity or sorority (=type of club)

b) (I, T) to go through the process of trying to be accepted into these clubs

8 AMERICAN FOOTBALL (I, T) to carry the ball forward

—see also: rushed rush about/around phrasal verb (I) to try to do a lot of things in a short period of time: I was rushing around all morning trying to get everything ready for the trip. rush into sth phrasal verb (T) spoken to get involved in something without taking enough time to think carefully about it: rush into things spoken: He's asked me to marry him, but I don't want to rush into things. rush sth out phrasal verb (T) to make a new product, book etc available for sale very quickly rush sth through phrasal verb (T) to deal with official or government business, more quickly than usual: The legislation was rushed through parliament. 2 noun

1 FAST MOVEMENT (singular) a sudden fast movement of things or people: Someone shouted `fire!', and there was a rush towards the door. | in a rush: her words came out in a rush | a sudden rush of wind

2 HURRY (singular, uncountable) a situation in which you need to hurry: There's always such a rush to get things done. | there's no rush spoken (=there is no need to hurry): There's no rush. We don't have to leave till 10.30. | do sth in a rush (=do something quickly, especially so that it is not done well): It all seems to have been decided in such a rush. | be in a rush: I'm sorry, I can't talk now - I'm in kind of a rush.

3 BUSY PERIOD the rush the time in the day, month, year etc when a place or group of people are particularly busy: The café is quiet until the lunchtime rush begins. | the Christmas rush

—see also: rush hour

4 PEOPLE WANTING STH (singular) a situation in which a lot of people suddenly try to do or get something

(+ on): a rush on swimsuits in the hot weather | rush to do sth: There was a big rush to get tickets for the football game. —see also: gold rush

5 PLANT (C) a type of tall grass that grows in water, often used for making baskets, mats etc

6 FEELING

a) (C) informal a strong, usually pleasant feeling that you get from taking a drug or from doing something exciting: Playing in front of a packed house was a real rush.

b) rush of excitement/panic etc a sudden very strong feeling of excitement etc: I felt a rush of excitement as she walked through the door.

7 FILM rushes (plural) the first prints of a film before it has been edited (edit (1)); daily 3 (3) AmE

8 AMERICAN STUDENTS (singular) AmE the time when students in American universities who want to join a fraternity or sorority (=type of club) go to a lot of parties: rush week | a rush party