Revised 2018
zebra rushnoun
Factsheet
What does the noun zebra rush mean?
There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun zebra rush. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.
Where does the noun zebra rush come from?
Earliest known use
1880s
The earliest known use of the noun zebra rush is in the 1880s.
OED's earliest evidence for zebra rush is from 1882, in the Garden.
Nearby entries
- zebra mule, n.1841–
- zebra mussel, n.1866–
- zebrano, n.1908–
- zebra opossum, n.1808–
- zebra parakeet, n.1856–
- zebra plant, n.1826–
- zebra poison, n.1871–74
- zebra print, n. & adj.1932–
- zebra rhomb, n.1770–1844
- zebra rock, n.1895–
- zebra rush, n.1882–
- zebra shark, n.1804–
- zebra skin, n.1774–
- zebra spider, n.1806–
- zebra suit, n.1853–
- zebra swallowtail, n.1855–
- zebra wolf, n.1808–
- zebrawood, n.1768–
- zebra woodpecker, n.1884–
- zebrina, n.1846–
- zebrine, adj.a1810–
Meaning & use
- 1882–The ornamental cultivar 'Zebrinus' of the rush Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani, which has green stems with white or yellowish bands.
- 1882
The Eulalia although very beautiful..is still surpassed by the Zebra Rush.
Garden 2 September 203/1 - 1917
A New Zealand flax..cast a bright reflection upon the lake, and the zebra-rush lifted striped sheaves beneath it.
E. Phillpotts, Nursery ii. 15 - 2015
There's always the zebra rush whose vertical quills are boldly ringed with white.
Sunday Express (Nexis) 5 July (Magazine)
the world plants particular plants plants and herbs a grass or grasses reedy or aquatic grasses [nouns] rush and related plants- rushOld English–Any of numerous marsh or waterside plants characterized chiefly by stiff, pithy, or hollow stems, esp. any of those constituting the monocotyledon…
- sharp rushOld English–In names of plants. (a) With reference to the pointed or prickly nature of their foliage, as sharp-bind n. Obsolete = sharp smilax n. sharp cedar n.…
- dumble1325–A rush or reed. Cf. bumble, n.⁴
- junk?a1425–1779A rush or reed.
- candle-rushc1440–1686The common rush, formerly used for making rush lights.
- seave?c1450–A rush; also, a rushlight.
- rush1562–With distinguishing word. Any of numerous plants of the genus Juncus or the family Juncaceae.
- sea-rush1562–A species of Juncus (see rush, n.¹ 2b). Also †sea-rush grass.
- camel's-straw1578–An old name for the Common Rush (Juncus conglomeratus and effusus).
- mat-rush1578–Any of several rushlike plants used to make matting; esp. (a) the common clubrush, Schoenoplectus lacustris (now rare) †(b) marram grass, Ammophil…
- hard rush1582–Any of several rushes having relatively hard stems, (now) spec. Juncus inflexus of Europe, having coarse greyish stems.
- sprot1595–Any of various coarse grasses or rushes; esp. jointleaf rush, Juncus articulatus, which is native to Eurasia and North America; occasionally in plural…
- frog grass1597–a. A succulent herbaceous plant of the genus Salicornia; also called glasswort (now historical and rare); †b. toad grass, Juncus bufonius (obsolete…
- matweed1597–Any of various grasses growing in mats or used for matting; esp. (a) (more fully hooded matweed) a Spanish grass, Lygeum spartum, used like esparto…
- rush grass1597–Any of several grasses having a rush-like appearance, esp. (North American) one belonging to the genus Sporobolus; also with distinguishing word.
- sprata1600–Any of various coarse grasses or rushes; esp. jointleaf rush, Juncus articulatus, which is native to Eurasia and North America. Also: a stalk or…
- spart1614–Any of various coarse rushes or grasses. Also more fully spart grass.
- bumble1633–Rushes or reeds, perhaps Schoenoplectus lacustris (family Cyperaceae), esp. when used to make the seats of chairs.
- aglet-headed1640–Designating any of several spike-rushes (genus Eleocharis, family Cyperaceae) having a flowering head resembling a catkin; esp. (in later use…
- toad-grass1640–= toad-rush, n.
- soft rush1649–A relatively soft-stemmed rush, Juncus effusus (family Juncaceae), widely distributed in temperate areas of Europe, Asia, and the Americas, and…
- moss-rush1670–The heath rush or goose-corn, Juncus squarrosus.
- thresha1689–A rush (the marshland or waterside plant: see rush, n.¹ 1a). Now rare.
- spreta1700–Any of various coarse grasses or rushes; esp. jointleaf rush, Juncus articulatus, which is native to Eurasia and North America. Also: a stalk or…
- bog rush1760–Schœnus nigricans; also U.S., a plant of the genus Juncus.
- black grassa1763–Chiefly North American. A kind of rush, Juncus gerardii, found in salt marshes in North America and parts of Europe, formerly cut and dried for use…
- goose-corn1762–a. A kind of rush (Juncus squarrosus): b. = goose-grass, n. 4.
- toad-rush1776–Juncus bufonius.
- wood-rush1776–Any plant of the genus Luzula, comprising grass-like herbs allied to the rushes, with clusters of chaffy brown flowers.
- field rush1777–Any of several rushes, chiefly of north temperate regions, which grow as weeds of grassland; esp. = field woodrush, n.
- stool-bent1777–(See quot. 1777).
- scrub-grass1811–(See quots.).
- field woodrush1824–A European woodrush, Luzula campestris, commonly found as a weed of grassland; cf. field rush, n.
- beak-rush1830–attributive and in other combinations, as beak-mouth, beak-nose (see I.5), beak-rush, beak-sedge (see quot.); also the adjectives beak-bearing, beak-l…
- salt-weed1836–a. The Toad-rush, Juncus bufonius; b. U.S. a plant of the genus Hedeoma.
- wiwi1840–A New Zealand rush used to make an outer covering for the roof and walls of a house.
- thread rush1861–Juncus filiformis.
- three-leaved rush1861–Having three leaves, or leaves consisting each of three leaflets; trifoliate. three-leaved grass n. an old name for clover; in quot. 1634 apparently…
- zebra rush1882–The ornamental cultivar 'Zebrinus' of the rush Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani, which has green stems with white or yellowish bands.
- kill-cow1898–A kind of spike-rush: see quot. 1898.