Note: This was the original sense of the word, as in the
Dutch bosch, a wood, and was so used by Chaucer. In
this sense it is extensively used in the British
colonies, especially at the Cape of Good Hope, and also
in Australia and Canada; as, to live or settle in the
bush.
2. A shrub; esp., a shrub with branches rising from or near
the root; a thick shrub or a cluster of shrubs.
To bind a bush of thorns among sweet-smelling
flowers. --Gascoigne.
3. A shrub cut off, or a shrublike branch of a tree; as,
bushes to support pea vines.
4. A shrub or branch, properly, a branch of ivy (as sacred to
Bacchus), hung out at vintners' doors, or as a tavern
sign; hence, a tavern sign, and symbolically, the tavern
itself.
If it be true that good wine needs no bush, 't is
true that a good play needs no epilogue. --Shak.
5. (Hunting) The tail, or brush, of a fox.
{To beat about the bush}, to approach anything in a
round-about manner, instead of coming directly to it; -- a
metaphor taken from hunting.
{Bush bean} (Bot.), a variety of bean which is low and
requires no support ({Phaseolus vulgaris}, variety
{nanus}). See {Bean}, 1.
{Bush buck}, or {Bush goat} (Zo["o]l.), a beautiful South
African antelope ({Tragelaphus sylvaticus}); -- so called
because found mainly in wooden localities. The name is
also applied to other species.
{Bush cat} (Zo["o]l.), the serval. See {Serval}.
{Bush chat} (Zo["o]l.), a bird of the genus {Pratincola}, of
the Thrush family.
{Bush dog}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Potto}.
{Bush hammer}. See {Bushhammer} in the Vocabulary.
{Bush harrow} (Agric.) See under {Harrow}.
{Bush hog} (Zo["o]l.), a South African wild hog
({Potamoch[oe]rus Africanus}); -- called also {bush pig},
and {water hog}.
{Bush master} (Zo["o]l.), a venomous snake ({Lachesis mutus})
of Guinea; -- called also {surucucu}.
{Bush pea} (Bot.), a variety of pea that needs to be bushed.
{Bush shrike} (Zo["o]l.), a bird of the genus {Thamnophilus},
and allied genera; -- called also {batarg}. Many species
inhabit tropical America.
{Bush tit} (Zo["o]l.), a small bird of the genus
{Psaltriparus}, allied to the titmouse. {P. minimus}
inhabits California.