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Glite Dictionary
to bullrush through

to bullrush through

8.9
Move quickly through a crowd while pushing people aside
  • phrasal verb
  • UK
translation icon : abrirse paso
  • When the doors finally opened, excited customers bullrushed through to claim the best seats.

Examples

  • The fans had to bullrush through the security gate to catch the beginning of the concert.

  • We watched as the protesters tried to bullrush through the police barricade.

  • Don't bullrush through the line!

  • Can you bullrush through the crowd for me?

  • The fans had to bullrush through the security gate to catch the beginning of the concert.

  • We watched as the protesters tried to bullrush through the police barricade.

  • When the doors finally opened, excited customers bullrushed through to claim the best seats.

Synonyms

to bull
vsto bullrush through
  • Informal
7 8.1

To push through a crowd or barrier using force

adds speed and suddenness to the same forceful physical action
to push forward
vsto bullrush through
6 3.6

To move ahead by pushing people or things out of the way

moves faster and more headlong through crowds rather than just pushing forward
to push one's way through
vsto bullrush through
4 3.9

Move forward by getting past people or things blocking the way

adds quick, powerful movement through crowds rather than steady passage
to bum rush
vsto bullrush through
  • Informal
1 9.6

To push into a place quickly and forcefully as a crowd

focuses more on quick, forceful movement through people rather than attack
to plough one's way through
vsto bullrush through
  • UK
1 7.4

To move forward with difficulty through people or things with effort

is quicker and more forceful rather than slow, effortful progress
to bull through
vsto bullrush through
  • Informal
1 8.1

To push something through when others strongly oppose it

is a physical, fast movement through crowds rather than metaphorical insistence
to push one's way past
vsto bullrush through
  • Informal
5.6

Move forward through a crowd by forcing people aside with your body

implies a faster, more direct surge through a crowd
to thrust ahead
vsto bullrush through
5.7

To push forward through a crowd to get ahead

emphasizes quicker, headlong motion through crowded spaces

Antonyms

to stand still
75 1.0

Stay upright in one place without moving

How Forceful

to barge
  • Informal
42 6.0
to bullrush through
  • UK
8.9
squeeze
4 3.0
to slip through
  • Informal
58 4.2

Surface Forms

bullrush through infinitive
bullrushed through past
bullrushed through past participle
bullrushing through present participle
bullrushes through third person singular

Morphology

bullrush + through

The verb is transparently built from 'bull' + 'rush' so a learner who knows those words can infer a sense of rushing with the force of a bull and 'through' indicates moving across/into something. However, the animal-metaphor intensifies meaning in a non-standard particle-verb pattern and the specific sense of pushing others aside is somewhat metaphorical and not fully predictable, so it is only partially transparent to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Bullrush through probably comes from the picture of a bull suddenly rushing through a fence or crowd and pushing everything aside. So, it now means 'to force your way quickly through a crowd or barrier'.