English Reference
Noun

rush

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US /ˈɹəʃ/ UK /ɹˈʌʃ/ rush Computing Military Music

n.a sudden, strong feeling of excitement or energy. It can also mean a situation where you have to move or act very quickly because you are in a hurry.

n.a sudden surge of intense physiological or emotional sensation; alternatively, a period of hurried activity or rapid movement. Often associated with the immediate effects of a stimulant or a high-pressure situation.


SIMPLE

I felt a sudden rush of adrenaline during the race.

CONTEXTUAL

There is always a huge rush of customers just before the shop closes for the weekend.

COMPLEX

The initial rush of success can be intoxicating, but it often masks the underlying structural challenges that a new business must eventually face to survive.

Usage

Commonly used in the singular with an indefinite article ('a rush') when describing a feeling or a busy period.

Pitfall
I am in rushI am in a rush

When used to mean being in a hurry, the noun is countable and requires the indefinite article 'a'.

The goalkeeper sits on the turf and signals for the physio, the other players rush to the technical area for a team talk.

BBC News· 14 Aug 2026

Why rush to the answer when there are 40 more years of questions ahead?

The Guardian· 10 Aug 2026

* As an English surname, from the noun rush (“waterside plant, plant in marshes”). * Also as an English surname, from the archaic noun rush (“beehive”), from French ruche. * As an Irish surname, from Ó Ruis (literally “descendant of Ros”), a name from ros (“wood”). Sometimes also translated from Ó Luachra due to confusion with luachair (“rushes”), see Loughrey. * Also as an Irish surname, translated/Anglicized from Ó Fuada (literally “descendant of Fuada”), compare Foody, from the noun fuad (“haste”). * As a German surname, Americanized from Rüsch, Ruesch, Rusch.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin German -
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Common
Updated