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bush¹

(bsh)

1. A low shrub with many branches.

2. A thick growth of shrubs; a thicket.

a. Land covered with dense vegetation or undergrowth.

b. Land remote from settlement: the Australian bush.

a. A shaggy mass, as of hair.

b. Vulgar Slang A growth of pubic hair.

5. A fox's tail.

a. Archaic A clump of ivy hung outside a tavern to indicate the availability of wine inside.

b. Obsolete A tavern.

v. bushed, bush·ing, bushes

v.intr.

1. To grow or branch out like a bush.

2. To extend in a bushy growth.

v.tr.

To decorate, protect, or support with bushes.

adj.

Slang Bush-league; second-rate: "Reviewers here have tended to see in him a kind of bush D.H. Lawrence" (Saturday Review).

[Middle English, partly from Old English busc, partly from Old French bois, wood (of Germanic origin), and partly of Scandinavian origin (akin to Danish busk). N., sense 3, possibly from Dutch bosch.]

bush²

(bsh)

tr.v. bushed, bush·ing, bush·es

To furnish or line with a bushing.

[From bush, bushing, possibly alteration of Dutch bus, box.]

Bush, Vannevar 1890-1974.

American electrical engineer who designed (1928) the differential analyzer, an early computer, and directed the development of new military technologies during World War II.

Bush, Laura Born 1946.

First lady of the United States (2001-2009) as the wife of President George W. Bush. She has championed education causes and women's health issues.

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Laura Bush

Bush, George Walker Born 1946.

The 43rd president of the United States (2001-2009). A former oil company executive and governor of Texas (1994-2000), Bush defeated Al Gore in the 2000 presidential election, losing the popular vote but winning a majority in the electoral college. His administration was marked by an American-led invasion of Afghanistan in response to al-Qaeda's terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001, by the Iraq War, and by federal support of failed banks and insurance companies during a large-scale credit crisis.

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George W. Bush

Bush, George Herbert Walker 1924-2018.

The 41st president of the United States (1989-1993). A former director of the Central Intelligence Agency (1976-1977) and vice president (1981-1989) under Ronald Reagan, as president he initiated the Gulf War (1991) in response to Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait.

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George H. W. Bush

Bush

(bsh), Barbara 1925-2018.

First lady of the United States (1989-1993) as the wife of President George H.W. Bush. She was active in promoting literacy.

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Barbara Bush

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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