rush

I.

v.

1) Of cattle: to charge a man.Contraction for to rush-at.

1861. T. McCombie, `Australian Sketches,' p. 122:

«When not instigated by terror, wild cattle will seldom attackthe traveller; even of those which run at him, or `rush,' as itis termed, few will really toss or gore, or even knock himdown.»

2) To attack sheep; i.e. to cause them to rush aboutor away.

1855. G. C. Mundy, `Our Antipodes,' p. 153:

«Sometimes at night this animal [the dingo] will leap into thefold amongst the timid animals [sheep] and so `rush' them – – thatis, cause them to break out and disperse through the bush.»

3) To break through a barrier (of men or materials).Contraction for to rush past or through;e.g. to rush a cordon of policemen; to rush a fence(i.e. to break-down or climb-over it).

4) To take possession of, or seize upon, either by force orbefore the appointed time. Compare Jump.

1896. Modern:

«Those who had no tickets broke through and rushed all theseats.»

«The dancers becoming very hungry did not stand on ceremony,but rushed the supper.»

5) To flood with gold-seekers.

1887. H. H. Hayter, `Christmas Adventure,' p. 3:

«The Bald Hill had just been rushed, and therefore

I decided to take up a claim.»

II.

n.

1) The hurrying off of diggersto a new field.

1861. T. McCombie, `Australian Sketches,' p. 86:

«We had a long conversation on the `rush,' as it was termed.»

1864. J. Rogers, `New Rush,' pt. i., p. 19:

«Arouse you, my comrades, for rush is the word,

Advance to the strife with a pick for a sword.»

1890. `The Argus,' June 13, p. 6, col. 2:

«Fell Timber Creek, where a new rush had set in.»

2) A place where gold is found, and to which consequentlya crowd of diggers «rush.»

1855. William Howitt, `Land, Labour and Gold; or Two Yearsin Victoria,' vol. i. p. 172:

«It is a common practice for them to mark out one or moreclaims in each new rush, so as to make sure if it turn outwell. But only one claim at a time is legal and tenable.This practice is called shepherding.»

1875. `Spectator' (Melbourne), May 22, p. 34, col. 1:

«The Palmer River rush is a perfect swindle.»

1875. Wood and Lapham, `Waiting for Mail,' p. 34:

«Off we set to the Dunstan rush, just broken out.»

1880. G. Sutherland, `Tales of Goldfields,' p. 92:

«Morinish, was a worked-out rush close to Rockhampton, wherethe first attempt at gold-digging had been made in Queensland.»

3) A stampede of cattle.

1881. A. C. Grant, `Bush Life in Queensland,' vol. ii. p. 102:

«A confused whirl of dark forms swept before him, and the camp,so full of life a minute ago, is desolate. It was `a rush,' astampede.»