Use gush when liquid or gas comes out with force, especially from an opening, wound, pipe, or natural source.
Use gush when liquid or gas comes out with force, especially from an opening, wound, pipe, or natural source.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| Water gush from the pipe. | Water gushes from the pipe. |
| Blood gushed his nose. | Blood gushed from his nose. |
| The tap gushed slowly all night. | The tap trickled all night. |
| Rain gushed in the sky. | Rain poured from the sky. |
Use gush for praise or delight that spills out eagerly and may sound overdone.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| She gushed for the film all evening. | She gushed about the film all evening. |
| Fans gushed the singer after the concert. | Fans gushed over the singer after the concert. |
| He gushed that the meal was awful. | He complained that the meal was awful. |
| They gush about the baby yesterday. | They gushed about the baby yesterday. |
Use gush as a noun for the burst itself, usually with of before the substance.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| A gush water flooded the floor. | A gush of water flooded the floor. |
| The pipe made a gush. | The pipe released a gush of water. |
| A gush of dust covered the shelf. | A cloud of dust covered the shelf. |
| We heard a gush of silence. | We heard a sudden silence. |
Use gush for the outpouring of admiration, often when the tone is emotional or overexcited.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| The report gave a gush of exact facts. | The report gave exact facts. |
| His gush criticized the plan. | His criticism attacked the plan. |
| The speech contained a gush to the sponsor. | The speech contained a gush of praise for the sponsor. |
| Her gush about the delay was angry. | Her complaint about the delay was angry. |
Use gush when the flow or feeling is abundant and forceful, not for a slow leak or calm approval.
Using gush for any flow is too broad, since the word implies sudden force or an eager overflow of feeling.
From Middle English guschen and related forms, probably imitative of rushing or gurgling liquid, with possible Middle Dutch or Old Norse influence.
What does gush mean?
Gush means to flow out suddenly and forcefully, or to express praise and feeling with eager intensity.
Is gush a verb or a noun?
Gush is both. It can name the action of flowing or praising, and it can name the sudden outflow or burst of praise.
What is the past tense of gush?
The past tense and past participle are gushed.
Can gush describe emotions?
Yes. It often describes praise, affection, or excitement that feels strong and hard to hold back.
What preposition follows gush?
For praise, gush about and gush over are common. For physical flow, gush from and gush out of are common.
Where does gush come from?
It comes from Middle English forms such as guschen, probably shaped by the sound of rushing liquid.