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gush
/ɡʌʃ/
pour out suddenly
Water gushed from the broken pipe.
Water poured out suddenly from the broken pipe.
neutral
to flow out suddenly and forcefully in large amounts
Blood gushed from the wound.
Blood poured out suddenly from the wound.
The crowd gushed out of the stadium after the game.
The crowd poured out suddenly from the stadium.
Often used for liquids or crowds moving quickly.
informal
to express admiration or praise enthusiastically
She gushed about her new puppy.
She spoke enthusiastically about her new puppy.
The critics gushed over the film.
The critics praised the film enthusiastically.
Common in reviews, social media, or casual conversation.
Collocations
Pro Tip
Avoid overusing 'gush' for praise
While 'gush' can mean enthusiastic praise, it often implies excessive or insincere admiration. Use 'rave' or 'praise' for more neutral contexts.
Gold Rule
Physical vs. emotional use
Use 'gush' for liquids or crowds when describing sudden, forceful movement. For praise, it implies enthusiastic but potentially exaggerated admiration.
Word Origin
Late Middle English (originally in the sense 'to rush or fall suddenly'): probably imitative; compare with obsolete gush 'a rushing stream'.
Usage Notes
As a verb, 'gush' can describe both physical flow and enthusiastic speech. The noun form is less common but refers to a sudden outpouring (e.g., 'a gush of blood').
English Dictionary