lush

¹

[ luhsh ]

adjective

, lush·er, lush·est.

1. (of vegetation, plants, grasses, etc.) luxuriant; succulent; tender and juicy.

   Synonyms: fresh, luxurious

   Antonyms: stale

2. characterized by luxuriant vegetation:

   a lush valley.

3. characterized by luxuriousness, opulence, etc.:

   the lush surroundings of his home.

lush

²

[ luhsh ]

noun

1. Disparaging and Offensive. a habitual drinker of alcohol who is frequently intoxicated.

   Synonyms: sot, drunkard

2. intoxicating liquor.

verb (used without object)

1. to drink liquor.

verb (used with object)

1. to drink (liquor).

lush

¹

/ lʌʃ /

noun

1. a heavy drinker, esp an alcoholic
2. alcoholic drink

verb

1. to drink (alcohol) to excess

lush

²

/ lʌʃ /

adjective

1. (of vegetation) abounding in lavish growth
2. (esp of fruits) succulent and fleshy
3. luxurious, elaborate, or opulent

Derived Forms

• ˈlushly, adverb
• ˈlushness, noun

Other Words From

• lushly adverb
• lushness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of lush¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English lusch “slack”; of disputed origin; perhaps cognate with Old English lysu “bad,” lēas “lax,” Middle Low German lasch “slack,” Old Norse lǫskr “weak,” Gothic lasiws “weak”; alternatively, perhaps from Old French lasche “cowardly, loose,” adjective derivative of laschier “to loosen,” from Late Latin laxicāre, derivative of laxāre; relax ( def )

Origin of lush²

First recorded in 1780–90; perhaps facetious application of lush ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of lush¹

C19: origin unknown

Origin of lush²

C15: probably from Old French lasche lax, lazy, from Latin laxus loose; perhaps related to Old English lǣc, Old Norse lakr weak, German lasch loose

Example Sentences

Others, sometimes next door, were almost entirely unaffected — some still with lush green lawns.

From Los Angeles Times

We listened in rapt, reverential awe, cozied by Vienna’s velvet strings, velvet winds and velvet brass woven together in a perfect tapestry of lush sonic textures and instrumental colors.

From Los Angeles Times

For nearly a quarter-century, voters in Clallam County, Wash. — a lush green dot in the far corner of the country — have gone with the winner in 11 straight presidential elections.

From Los Angeles Times

Her slow-burning rendition of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim’s “West Side Story” ballad — “my all-time favorite,” Jones told The Times in 2018 — is six minutes of lush orchestral jazz in which Franklin sounds as untethered as she ever did.

From Los Angeles Times

We’ve put together a lush array of coffee-table books covering at least some of those interests, making your year-end gifting as easy as a trip to your favorite bookstore.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• abundant
• dense
• green
• lavish
• luscious
• luxuriant
• luxurious
• opulent
• ornate
• overgrown
• plush
• rich
• sensuous
• sumptuous
• verdant