give the bum's rush

Variant of bum

bum definition

☆ bum (bum)

noun

  1. a vagrant, hobo, tramp, or beggar; specif., a shabby, often drunken derelict
  2. any shiftless or irresponsible person, loafer, idler, etc.
  3. a devotee, as of golf or skiing, who devotes so much time to the sport as to disrupt family life, career, etc.
  4. an incompetent person, esp. an athlete

Etymology: < bummer, prob. < Ger bummler, loafer, habitually tardy person < bummeln, to go slowly, waste time

intransitive verb bummed, bumming bum′·ming

  1. to live as a bum or vagrant
  2. to live by begging or sponging on people

transitive verb

Slang to get by begging or sponging; cadge to bum a cigarette

adjective bummer bum′·mer, bummest bum′·mest

  1. poor in quality bum cooking
  2. false, erroneous, or invalid a bum steer, a bum rap
  3. lame or ailing a bum leg
bum Idioms

bum someone out

☆
Slang to upset, distress, annoy, depress, bore, etc. someone

give (or get) the bum's rush

Slang to eject (or be ejected) forcibly

on the bum

Informal
  1. living as a vagrant
  2. out of repair; broken

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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