It. bosco, Fr. bois), which also was borrowed from W.Gmc. In British colonies, applied to the uncleared districts, hence "country," as opposed to town (1780); probably from Du. bosch, in the same sense, since it seems to appear first in former Du. colonies. Meaning "pubic hair" (especially of a woman) is from 1745. To beat the bushes (mid-15c.) is a way to rouse birds so that they fly into the net which others are holding, which originally was the same thing as beating around the bush (see
beat).
bushing"metal sleeve fitted into a machine or hole," 1839, from gerundive of bush "metal lining of the axle hole of a wheel or touch hole of a gun" (1560s), from M.Du. busse "box" (cognate with the second element in
blunderbuss).