Ambush Definition

ămbo͝osh
ambushed, ambushes
noun
ambushes
A sudden attack made from a concealed position.
American Heritage
A deployment of persons in hiding to make a surprise attack.
Webster's New World
Those hiding in order to attack by surprise.
The captain stationed an ambush near the harbor.
American Heritage
The persons in hiding.
Webster's New World
The hiding place used for such an attack.
American Heritage
verb
ambushed, ambushes
To attack from a concealed position.
American Heritage
To hide in ambush.
Webster's New World
To attack from ambush.
Webster's New World
To station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy.
Wiktionary
To attack by ambush; to waylay.
Wiktionary
Synonyms:

Other Word Forms of Ambush

Noun

Singular:
ambush
Plural:
ambushes

Origin of Ambush

  • From Old French embusche (noun), embushier, embuissier (verb), from Old French em- + Vulgar Latin boscus, bosca, boscum (“wood”), from Frankish *boscu, *busk (“bush”), from Proto-Germanic *busk- (“bush, heavy stick”). Compare ambuscade. The change to am- from earlier forms in en- is unexplained. More at bush.

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English embushen to place in concealment among bushes, lay in wait from Old French embuschier from Frankish boscu bush, woods

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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