From Middle English enbuschen, from Old French enbuscier, anbuchier (verb) (whence Middle French embusche (noun)), from Old French en- + Vulgar Latin boscus (“wood”) (whence also bouquet), from Frankish *busk (“bush”), from Proto-Germanic *buskaz (“bush, heavy stick”). Compare ambuscade. The change to am- from earlier forms in en- is unexplained. More at bush.
Meanings
(countable, uncountable) The act of concealing oneself and lying in wait to attack or kill by surprise.
(countable, uncountable) An attack launched from a concealed position.
Heaven, whose high walls fear no assault or siege / Or ambush from the deep. 1667, John Milton, “Book II”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
(countable, uncountable) The concealed position or state from which a surprise attack is launched.
Therefore, why not wait in ambush for Conrad behind the door, and when he entered bring down a chair, or one of the decrepit pictures, smartly on to his head. 1922, Agatha Christie, “Chapter 17”, in The Secret Adversary:
the Georgean hills,
Whoſe tops are couered with Tartarian theeues,
That lie in ambuſh, waiting for a pray: c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene ii:
(countable, uncountable) The troops posted in a concealed place, for attacking by surprise; those who lie in wait.
And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ranne as soone as he had stretched out his hand: and they entred into the city, and tooke it, and hasted, and set the citie on fire. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Joshua 8:19:
(collective, countable, uncountable) A group of tigers.
“Having Chris Palmer part of this ambush of tigers is so exciting. He brings the experience and creative juices, but most of all, the passion and fun we all love about this job,” says Braun. 2026 July 21, Madison Hahnen, “Chris Palmer Joins Triple Tigers Records/AKANDO Music”, in Music Row:
He outwits a positive ambush of tigers who want to eat him up and take his beautiful new clothes 1973, Joan E. Cass, Books for the Under Fives, National Book League, page 6:
From Middle English enbuschen, from Old French enbuscier, anbuchier (verb) (whence Middle French embusche (noun)), from Old French en- + Vulgar Latin boscus (“wood”) (whence also bouquet), from Frankish *busk (“bush”), from Proto-Germanic *buskaz (“bush, heavy stick”). Compare ambuscade. The change to am- from earlier forms in en- is unexplained. More at bush.
Meanings
(obsolete, transitive) To station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy.
By ambuſh’d men, behind their Temple laid, / VVe have the King of Mexico betray’d. 1665 (first performance), John Dryden, The Indian Emperour, or, The Conquest of Mexico by the Spaniards. […], London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for H[enry] Herringman […], published 1667, →OCLC, Act I, scene ii, page 9:
(transitive) To attack by ambush; to waylay.
The contrast with the start was profound. In the opening 40 minutes Löw’s team had been ambushed here, the world champions run into a state of breathless trauma by a thrillingly vibrant Mexico attack. 2018 June 17, Barney Ronay, “Mexico’s Hirving Lozano stuns world champions Germany for brilliant win”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 05 Aug 2019:
ru напада́ть из заса́ды (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · it agguatare (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · mi haupapa (to station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy) · fi väijyttää (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · mn отох (to station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy) · kk тосқауыл қою (to station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy) · cmn 打埋伏 (to station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy) · sv ligga i bakhåll (to station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy) · th ดักรอ (to station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy) · ca emboscar (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · bg причаквам (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · mi haupapa (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · mi tāwhanga (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · th ซุ่มโจมตี (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · it tendere un agguato (to station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy) · pl wciągać w zasadzkę (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · fr embusquer (to station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy) · km ឡោមព័ទ្ធ (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · bg нападам от засада (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · id sergapan (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · ms sergap (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · es emboscar (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · es emboscar (to station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy) · el ενεδρεύω (to station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy) · ru устра́ивать заса́ду (to station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy) · az pusmaq (to station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy) · pl zaczaić się (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · cmn 伏擊 /伏击 (to station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy) · pl wciągnąć w zasadzkę (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · hy դարանակալել (to station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy) · pl zaczajać się (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · mi kauaeroa (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · ja 待ち伏せする (to station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy) · he אָרַב (to station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy) · ms serangan hendap (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · de einen Hinterhalt legen (to station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy) · fi väijyä (to station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy) · tl abatan (to station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy) · ca emboscar (to station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy) · mi whakamoho (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · pt emboscar (to station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy) · pl zaczajać się (to station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy) · pl zaczaić się (to station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy) · tr pusuya düşürmek (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · hu lesből támad (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · pt emboscar (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · hy դարանակալել (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · mi whakamoke (to station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy) · la impetō cum insidiā (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · ceb banhig (to station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy) · fr embusquer (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · ja 不意打ちする (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · bg устройвам засада (to station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy) · mi pehipehi (to station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy) · de aus dem Hinterhalt angreifen (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · mi whakamoke (to attack by ambush; to waylay) · it agguatare (to station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy)