Lush, subs. (common).—1. Drink. [Lushington = a once well-known London
brewer]. For synonyms see Drinks.
1819. Vaux, Memoirs, p. 188, s.v. Lush, beer or liquor of any kind.
1830. Sir E. B. Lytton, Paul Clifford, ch. xvi. ‘Bring the lush and
the pipes, old bloke!’ cried Ned, throwing himself on a bench; ‘we
are never at a loss for company!’
1841. Comic Almanack, 270. They are identified equally with the
lush and the literature of the land; for he is prepared to contend
that whatever has been great in literature is deducible from lush.
1841. Lever, Charles O’Malley, xx. The Bursar of Trinity shall be a
proverb for a good fellow that loveth his lush.
1843. W. T. Moncrieff, The Scamps of London, ii. 3. Dispose of your
lush, and play out your game.
1851. H. Mayhew, Lon. Lab. and Lon. Poor, i. 25. ‘Cruickshank’s
‘Bottle’ was very much admired. I heard one man say it was very
prime, and showed what lush did; but I saw the same man,’ added my
informant, ‘drunk three hours afterwards.’
1892. Hume Nisbet, Bushranger’s Sweetheart, 201. Stand me a lush
and go back again.