Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - rush

(rushes, rushing, rushed) Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. 1. If you rush somewhere, you go there quickly. A schoolgirl rushed into a burning flat to save a man’s life... I’ve got to rush. Got a meeting in a few minutes... Shop staff rushed to get help. VERB: V prep/adv, V, V to-inf 2. If people rush to do something, they do it as soon as they can, because they are very eager to do it. Russian banks rushed to buy as many dollars as they could... VERB: V to-inf 3. A rush is a situation in which you need to go somewhere or do something very quickly. The men left in a rush... It was all rather a rush... N-SING 4. If there is a rush for something, many people suddenly try to get it or do it. Record stores are expecting a huge rush for the single. N-SING: usu N for n 5. The rush is a period of time when many people go somewhere or do something. The shop’s opening coincided with the Christmas rush... N-SING: the N, oft supp N 6. If you rush something, you do it in a hurry, often too quickly and without much care. You can’t rush a search... Instead of rushing at life, I wanted something more meaningful. VERB: V n, V at n • rushed The report had all the hallmarks of a rushed job. ADJ 7. If you rush someone or something to a place, you take them there quickly. We got an ambulance and rushed her to hospital... We’ll rush it round today if possible. VERB: V n prep, V n with adv 8. If you rush into something or are rushed into it, you do it without thinking about it for long enough. He will not rush into any decisions... They had rushed in without adequate appreciation of the task... Ministers won’t be rushed into a response... Don’t rush him or he’ll become confused. VERB: V into n, V in, be V-ed into n, V n • rushed At no time did I feel rushed or under pressure. ADJ: usu v-link ADJ 9. If you rush something or someone, you move quickly and forcefully at them, often in order to attack them. They rushed the entrance and forced their way in... Tom came rushing at him from another direction. VERB: V n, V at n 10. If air or liquid rushes somewhere, it flows there suddenly and quickly. Water rushes out of huge tunnels... VERB: V prep/adv • Rush is also a noun. A rush of air on my face woke me. N-COUNT: usu sing, with supp 11. If you experience a rush of a feeling, you suddenly experience it very strongly. A rush of pure affection swept over him... N-COUNT: usu sing, with supp 12. If you are rushed off your feet, you are extremely busy. (INFORMAL) We used to be rushed off our feet at lunchtimes. PHRASE: usu v-link PHR