What does dushing mean?
Dushing is a chiefly British verb meaning to push or shove, usually with some force and often in a hurried or crowded situation. The word can describe people jostling one another, forcing a route through a crowd, or pushing something roughly aside. Its strongest contextual associations are physical commotion, impatience, and informality rather than careful or deliberate action. Because dushing is regional and relatively uncommon in contemporary standard English, it is more likely to be encountered in older British writing, dialect, or speech than in formal modern prose. The -ing form, dushings, is used when the action is treated as a noun, as in “there was much pushing and dushings at the entrance.” The related forms dush and dusher survive mainly in dialect usage.
verbDushing means pushing or shoving, especially in a rough or hurried way. It is chiefly a regional British usage and is now uncommon in standard English.
- To push or shove, especially in a rough or hurried way.
"Children were dushing each other aside as they reached the front of the queue."
"He was dushing through the crowd to reach his friends."
"Stop dushing me toward the edge of the platform."
Dushing captures the forceful, untidy movement of a crowded queue or scrum.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dushing
Dushing comes from the regional British verb dush, a variant related in form to push. The -ing form dushing was used both for the action of pushing and, in some contexts, for instances of jostling or shoving. The vocabulary is therefore most securely associated with dialectal and older British English rather than a formal literary tradition.
Related word forms
How dushing is actually used
The word is chiefly associated with regional or non-standard British English and sounds old-fashioned. It should not be confused with dashing or gushing.
Easily confused with dushing
Dushing means pushing or shoving, whereas dashing means moving quickly or, adjectivally, stylishly lively.
Dushing refers to pushing or shoving, while gushing usually means flowing out in a sudden stream.