B2 verb Neutral

bush

/bʊʃ/

To grow or branch out in a thick, spreading manner resembling a shrub; in technical contexts, it refers to the process of lining a mechanical hole with a metal sleeve or bushing.

Examples

3 of 5
1

The tomato plants will bush out significantly if you pinch the top stems early in the season.

The tomato plants will grow thicker and spread more if you remove the top parts early in the year.

2

The horticulturalist recommended specific pruning techniques to encourage the hedge to bush for better privacy.

The gardening expert suggested cutting methods to help the hedge grow denser to provide better screening.

3

I'm absolutely bushed after that three-hour meeting with the legal team.

I am extremely exhausted following that long meeting with the lawyers.

Word Family

Noun
bush
Verb
bush
Adverb
bushily
Adjective
bushy
Related
bushing
💡

Memory Tip

Visualize a 'bush' in a garden—it grows wide, not just tall. To 'bush out' is to follow that shape.

Quick Quiz

If we prune the base of the plant, it will likely ______ out and fill the empty space in the garden.

Correct!

The correct answer is: bush

Examples

1

The tomato plants will bush out significantly if you pinch the top stems early in the season.

everyday

The tomato plants will grow thicker and spread more if you remove the top parts early in the year.

2

The horticulturalist recommended specific pruning techniques to encourage the hedge to bush for better privacy.

formal

The gardening expert suggested cutting methods to help the hedge grow denser to provide better screening.

3

I'm absolutely bushed after that three-hour meeting with the legal team.

informal

I am extremely exhausted following that long meeting with the lawyers.

4

Under controlled laboratory conditions, the specimen was observed to bush rather than grow vertically.

academic

In the lab, the plant was seen to grow outward in a thick way instead of growing tall.

5

The firm plans to bush its operations across the region to establish a more localized presence.

business

The company intends to spread its business activities throughout the area to be closer to local customers.

Word Family

Noun
bush
Verb
bush
Adverb
bushily
Adjective
bushy
Related
bushing

Common Collocations

bush out to grow wide and thick
completely bushed entirely exhausted or tired out
bush a bearing to fit a metal sleeve into a machine part
tendency to bush a natural inclination to grow in a spreading manner
allow to bush to let a plant grow without restricting its width

Common Phrases

to be bushed

to be very tired

bush out

to expand or spread like a shrub

beat around the bush

to avoid talking about the main topic (usually noun usage)

Often Confused With

bush vs brush

'Brush' refers to a sweeping motion or cleaning, while 'bush' refers to spreading growth or fitting a mechanical sleeve.

📝

Usage Notes

In academic or scientific writing, 'bush' describes the growth habit of flora. In general conversation, the past participle 'bushed' is very common to express fatigue.

⚠️

Common Mistakes

Learners often use 'brush out' when they mean 'bush out' to describe a plant getting thicker.

💡

Memory Tip

Visualize a 'bush' in a garden—it grows wide, not just tall. To 'bush out' is to follow that shape.

📖

Word Origin

Derived from Middle English 'bussh', from Proto-Germanic 'buskaz', meaning a thicket or forest.

Grammar Patterns

often used with the particle 'out' (intransitive) used as a passive participle 'bushed' to mean tired transitive in mechanical engineering contexts
🌍

Cultural Context

The phrase 'bushed' as tired originates from the idea of someone being lost or exhausted in the wild Australian or Canadian 'bush'.

Quick Quiz

If we prune the base of the plant, it will likely ______ out and fill the empty space in the garden.

Correct!

The correct answer is: bush

Related Phrases

Related Words

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intradurite

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C1

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demanable

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intermalery

C1

Relating to the intricate internal structure or the complex layered mechanisms of a system, organization, or abstract concept. It describes elements that are essential to the inner workings but are often hidden from external view.

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