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Glite Dictionary
to bum rush

to bum rush

1 9.6
To push into a place quickly and forcefully as a crowd
  • phrasal verb
  • /bʌm rʌʃ/
  • Informal
translation icon : asaltar
  • Do you remember when they bum rushed me on stage?

So, you know the police come bum rushing in.

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Examples

  • I'm gonna bum-rush in, I'm gonna say my killer line... then you come in and repeat everything I said.

    Let's Be Cops (2014)

  • The kids would bum rush him and overwhelm him.

  • And yet these federal officers wearing riot gear effectively tried to bum rush out peaceful protesters.

  • As soon as the doors opened, the crowd started to bum rush the stage in excitement.

  • During the concert, fans began to bum rush the front row to get a better view of the band.

  • When the store announced its big sale, customers bum rushed through the entrance to grab the best deals.

Synonyms

to rush
vsto bum rush
548 1.0

To move or act quickly because a situation needs it

focuses more on group or crowd attack than mere quick forceful action
to burst
vsto bum rush
115 1.9

Enter or appear suddenly with energy

adds the idea of a crowd attack and stronger force than mere sudden entry
to barge in
vsto bum rush
  • Informal
59 5.5

Enter a room or conversation suddenly and rudely without being invited

is more about a forceful group entry rather than a single rude interruption
to rush in
vsto bum rush
36 3.1

Act quickly without thinking, for example by going into a place

is specifically a sudden forceful approach often done by multiple people
to burst in
vsto bum rush
21 3.3

To enter a room suddenly and interrupt people

is stronger and more forceful, often involving a crowd or attack
to push in
vsto bum rush
  • UK
5 5.6

To join a line or enter a place without waiting your turn

involves a sudden forceful approach by many rather than skipping a queue
to burst in on
vsto bum rush
3 5.2

Go into a room or conversation suddenly and interrupt people

is usually a more forceful group entry rather than a single interruption
to bullrush through
vsto bum rush
  • UK
8.9

Move quickly through a crowd while pushing people aside

is often a sudden group attack or entry rather than a single person action
to thrust ahead
vsto bum rush
5.7

To push forward through a crowd to get ahead

is typically done suddenly by a crowd rather than just forceful forward movement

How Forceful

to storm
70 4.4
to charge
128 3.6
to bum rush
  • Informal
1 9.6
to rush
548 1.0
to enter
∞ 1.0
to approach
532 2.1

Surface Forms

bum rush infinitive
bum rushed past
bum rushed past participle
bum rushing present participle
bum rushes third person singular

Morphology

bum + rush

The verb 'rush' transparently supplies the idea of moving forcefully, but 'bum' (a vagrant or contemptible person) does not clearly signal the sense of forcing entry or a crowd attack. The overall sense 'to forcefully enter/attack, often as a crowd' is therefore only partially predictable from the parts and relies on idiomatic use, so learners who only know the constituents would likely need prior exposure.

Etymology

Bum rush may come from a simple image: a crowd forcing its way forward by pushing with their bums, their back sides, in a sudden rush through a door. That's why it now means 'to attack or move into a place suddenly and forcefully'.