bush
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 5The 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.
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.
I'm absolutely bushed after that three-hour meeting with the legal team.
I am extremely exhausted following that long meeting with the lawyers.
Synonyms
Word Family
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
The tomato plants will bush out significantly if you pinch the top stems early in the season.
everydayThe tomato plants will grow thicker and spread more if you remove the top parts early in the year.
The horticulturalist recommended specific pruning techniques to encourage the hedge to bush for better privacy.
formalThe gardening expert suggested cutting methods to help the hedge grow denser to provide better screening.
I'm absolutely bushed after that three-hour meeting with the legal team.
informalI am extremely exhausted following that long meeting with the lawyers.
Under controlled laboratory conditions, the specimen was observed to bush rather than grow vertically.
academicIn the lab, the plant was seen to grow outward in a thick way instead of growing tall.
The firm plans to bush its operations across the region to establish a more localized presence.
businessThe company intends to spread its business activities throughout the area to be closer to local customers.
Synonyms
Word Family
Common Collocations
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
'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
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 Grammar Rules
Related Phrases
Related Vocabulary
Vegetation refers to all the plants and trees that grow in a...
foliageFoliage refers to the leaves of a plant or tree, considered...
shrubA shrub is a small to medium-sized woody plant that stays lo...
scrubA scrub is the act of cleaning something by rubbing it hard...
undergrowthUndergrowth refers to the small plants, bushes, and shrubs t...
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