rush
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To come upon suddenly, generally for the purpose of borrowing. To "give a man the RUSH," is to spunge upon him all day, and then borrow money at the finish, or pursue some such similar mode of procedure.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “rush” mean?
To come upon suddenly, generally for the purpose of borrowing. To "give a man the RUSH," is to spunge upon him all day, and then borrow money at the finish, or pursue some such similar mode of procedure.
Is “rush” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.