Rush \Rush\, n. [OE. rusche, rische, resche, AS. risce, akin to
   LG. rusk, risch, D. & G. rusch; all probably fr. L. ruscum
   butcher's broom; akin to Goth. raus reed, G. rohr.]
   1. (Bot.) A name given to many aquatic or marsh-growing
      endogenous plants with soft, slender stems, as the species
      of Juncus and Scirpus.
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   Note: Some species are used in bottoming chairs and plaiting
         mats, and the pith is used in some places for wicks to
         lamps and rushlights.
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   2. The merest trifle; a straw.
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            John Bull's friendship is not worth a rush.
                                                  --Arbuthnot.
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   Bog rush. See under Bog.

   Club rush, any rush of the genus Scirpus.

   Flowering rush. See under Flowering.

   Nut rush
      (a) Any plant of the genus Scleria, rushlike plants with
          hard nutlike fruits.
      (b) A name for several species of Cyperus having
          tuberous roots.

   Rush broom, an Australian leguminous plant (Viminaria
      denudata), having long, slender branches. Also, the
      Spanish broom. See under Spanish.

   Rush candle, See under Candle.

   Rush grass, any grass of the genus Vilfa, grasses with
      wiry stems and one-flowered spikelets.

   Rush toad (Zool.), the natterjack.

   Scouring rush. (Bot.) Same as Dutch rush, under Dutch.
      

   Spike rush, any rushlike plant of the genus Eleocharis,
      in which the flowers grow in dense spikes.

   Sweet rush, a sweet-scented grass of Arabia, etc.
      (Andropogon schoenanthus), used in Oriental medical
      practice.

   Wood rush, any plant of the genus Luzula, which differs
      in some technical characters from Juncus.
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Nut \Nut\ (n[u^]t), n. [OE. nute, note, AS. hnutu; akin to D.
   noot, G. nuss, OHG. nuz, Icel. hnot, Sw. n["o]t, Dan.
   n["o]d.]
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   1. (Bot.) The fruit of certain trees and shrubs (as of the
      almond, walnut, hickory, beech, filbert, etc.), consisting
      of a hard and indehiscent shell inclosing a kernel.
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   2. A perforated block (usually a small piece of metal),
      provided with an internal or female screw thread, used on
      a bolt, or screw, for tightening or holding something, or
      for transmitting motion. See Illust. of 1st Bolt.
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   3. The tumbler of a gunlock. --Knight.
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   4. (Naut.) A projection on each side of the shank of an
      anchor, to secure the stock in place.
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   5. pl. Testicles. [vulgar slang]
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   Check nut, Jam nut, Lock nut, a nut which is screwed up
      tightly against another nut on the same bolt or screw, in
      order to prevent accidental unscrewing of the first nut.
      

   Nut buoy. See under Buoy.

   Nut coal, screened coal of a size smaller than stove coal
      and larger than pea coal; -- called also chestnut coal.
      

   Nut crab (Zool.), any leucosoid crab of the genus Ebalia
      as, Ebalia tuberosa of Europe.

   Nut grass (Bot.), See nut grass in the vocabulary.

   Nut lock, a device, as a metal plate bent up at the
      corners, to prevent a nut from becoming unscrewed, as by
      jarring.

   Nut pine. (Bot.) See under Pine.

   Nut rush (Bot.), a genus of cyperaceous plants (Scleria)
      having a hard bony achene. Several species are found in
      the United States and many more in tropical regions.

   Nut tree, a tree that bears nuts.

   Nut weevil (Zool.), any species of weevils of the genus
      Balaninus and other allied genera, which in the larval
      state live in nuts.
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