Bush n.
1. A thicket, or place abounding in trees or shrubs; a wild forest.
Note: ☞ 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. --Shak.
5. Hunting The tail, or brush, of a fox.
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 Bot., a variety of bean which is low and requires no support (Phaseolus vulgaris, variety nanus). See Bean, 1.
Bush buck, or Bush goat Zool., 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 Zool., the serval. See Serval.
Bush chat Zool., a bird of the genus Pratincola, of the Thrush family.
Bush dog. Zool. See Potto.
Bush hammer. See Bushhammer in the Vocabulary.
Bush harrow Agric. See under Harrow.
Bush hog Zool., a South African wild hog (Potamochœrus Africanus); -- called also bush pig, and water hog.
Bush master Zool., a venomous snake (Lachesis mutus) of Guinea; -- called also surucucu.
Bush pea Bot., a variety of pea that needs to be bushed.
Bush shrike Zool., a bird of the genus Thamnophilus, and allied genera; -- called also batarg. Many species inhabit tropical America.
Bush tit Zool., a small bird of the genus Psaltriparus, allied to the titmouse. Psaltriparus minimus inhabits California.
bush pea
n : any of various plants of the genus Thermopsis having
trifoliate leaves and yellow or purple racemose flowers