mush
mush — noun
1. an unpleasant, soft, and shapeless goo that forms when something solid breaks do
an unpleasant, soft, and shapeless goo that forms when something solid breaks down, like overcooked vegetables or cereal soaked too long in milk
The carrots had been boiling for so long that they turned into a brown mush.
turn into mush for becoming shapeless
After the rain, the dirt path became a slippery mush that stuck to everyone's boots.
Lan pushed the plate away and said the rice was just flavourless mush.
The dog happily ate the mush of leftover meat and vegetables the children had left.
- solid
firm, not soft at all
文法句型
mush + of + noun phrase
turn into mush
用法筆記
Common in informal complaints about food texture. Often used in the phrase 'turn to mush' or 'turn into mush'.
常見錯誤
2. a tired or confused mental state that makes it nearly impossible to focus or get
a tired or confused mental state that makes it nearly impossible to focus or get your thoughts in order, often after long hours of study or work
After three hours of studying for the chemistry exam, Ravindra's brain turned to mush.
brain turns to mush — idiomatic phrase
The twelve-hour flight across the Pacific left Esme's mind feeling like complete mush.
Watching back-to-back video meetings made Théo feel as if his thoughts had turned to mush.
Haruto tried to do the puzzle, but his tired brain was just mush after a long day at work.
- clarity
clear, focused thinking
文法句型
one's brain + turns to mush
be (just) mush
用法筆記
Nearly always occurs in the fixed expressions 'turn to mush', 'turn into mush', or the short form 'be mush'. The subject is usually 'brain', 'mind', or 'thoughts'.
常見錯誤
3. books, films, songs, or other creative works that are too sweet and emotional in
books, films, songs, or other creative works that are too sweet and emotional in a weak or cheap way that feels fake rather than genuinely touching
Mert walked out of the cinema saying the love story was nothing but cheap mush.
informal: cheap mush for disapproving
Critics dismissed the novel as sentimental mush that no one would remember in a year.
sentimental mush — typical collocation
The singer's new album is pure mush, with sappy lyrics and no real feeling behind them.
Amihan usually avoids greeting cards because they are full of the kind of mush she cannot stand.
- sentimentality
neutral or negative; 'mush' is more dismissive and informal
- sappiness
very similar, also informal and disapproving
- drivel
focuses on the lack of quality rather than emotional excess
- grit
realistic, tough, unsentimental quality in art
文法句型
(be) mush
pure mush
sentimental mush
用法筆記
Always carries a negative or dismissive tone. Use when you want to express that something is excessively sentimental in a way you consider weak or insincere.
常見錯誤
4. a hot breakfast dish of cornmeal cooked with liquid until thick and creamy, ofte
a hot breakfast dish of cornmeal cooked with liquid until thick and creamy, often served with butter, honey, sugar, or syrup
James likes his morning mush with a spoonful of honey and some toasted nuts on top.
Haruto grew up eating warm cornmeal mush with milk and a little sugar before school.
cornmeal mush — dish name
The camp cook served a thick, steaming bowl of mush to everyone sitting around the fire.
Some families add cheese and fried onions to their mush instead of anything sweet.
文法句型
mush + with + noun phrase (toppings)
用法筆記
This sense is mainly used in the United States and Canada. In British English, a similar dish is called 'porridge' but is made with oats, not cornmeal.
常見錯誤
5. a journey across snow using a sled that is pulled by a team of dogs
a journey across snow using a sled that is pulled by a team of dogs
Amihan and her huskies completed a five-hundred-kilometre mush across the frozen river.
a + distance + mush for measurable dog-sled trip
The old musher told stories about his first long mush through the Yukon wilderness.
Sivan spent the morning preparing the sled and supplies for a three-day mush north of the village.
A successful mush depends on the strength of the lead dog and the trust between the dogs and their driver.
- dogsled run
often shorter and more routine than a mush
- sled trip
broader; does not specify dogs as the pulling force
文法句型
(go on / do) a mush
a + number + -kilometre / -mile + mush
用法筆記
This sense is specific to Arctic and sub-Arctic travel (Alaska, Canada, Siberia) and is not used in ordinary daily conversation outside those regions.
mush — verb
- mushpresent simple I / you / we / they
- mushes3rd person singular
- mushing-ing form
- mushedpast simple
1. to drive a sled pulled by dogs, steering the animals and controlling their speed
to drive a sled pulled by dogs, steering the animals and controlling their speed as they travel over frozen snow or bare ground
Ravindra learned to mush from his uncle, who had raced dog teams in Alaska for twenty years.
intransitive: learn to mush
Esme mushed the team of eight huskies across the frozen lake at sunrise.
transitive: mush + team + across
The tourists paid to mush with an experienced guide near the mountain lodge.
Mateo mushed carefully through the narrow pass to keep the sled from hitting the ice cracks.
文法句型
mush + noun phrase (dog team / sled)
mush + adverbial (across / through / over)
用法筆記
Can be used transitively (mush + a dog team / a sled) or intransitively (mush through, mush across). The command shouted to the dogs to start moving is also 'Mush!'
2. to press or crush cooked food with a fork, spoon, or kitchen tool until it becom
to press or crush cooked food with a fork, spoon, or kitchen tool until it becomes a soft, thick, lumpy paste, usually to make it easier to eat or to prepare it for another dish
Lan mushed the potatoes with butter and a splash of warm milk for a creamy side dish.
mush + [food] + with [ingredients]
The baby's food needs to be well mushed until there are no hard lumps left.
passive: be mushed
James mushed the ripe bananas with a fork before adding them to the cake batter.
Layla mushed the cooked peas through a fine sieve to make a smooth green paste for the soup.
文法句型
mush + noun phrase (food item)
mush + noun phrase + into + noun phrase
用法筆記
Similar in meaning to 'mash', but 'mush' is slightly less common and emphasises the result (a shapeless goo) rather than the action itself.
常見錯誤
3. to combine different ideas, pieces of information, sounds, or styles in a carele
to combine different ideas, pieces of information, sounds, or styles in a careless way so that they lose their separate identities and become unclear or confused
The journalist mushed together three different news stories into one confusing article.
mush together — phrasal pattern
Amihan felt the director had mushed too many ideas into a single film that no longer made sense.
When you mush several musical genres without understanding them, the result is a noisy mess.
Haruto warned his team not to mush together facts and personal opinions in the final report.
- jumble
focuses on the disorder rather than the mixing
- conflate
more formal; specifically about confusing distinct ideas
- lump together
phrasal verb, similar register and tone
- distinguish
to keep things separate and clear
- separate
to undo a confusing mix
文法句型
mush + noun phrase + together
mush + noun phrase + into + noun phrase
用法筆記
Always negative or critical. Unlike 'combine' or 'blend', which can be neutral or positive, 'mush' implies carelessness and a poor result.