Etymology of "mosh"?

[Barnhart]

For what it's worth, the first dictionary treatment of _mosh_ (v.i.,
n.), _mosher_, _moshing_, and _mosh pit_ appears in The Barnhart
Dictionary Companion (Vol. 8.3, 1993).  The form _moshing_ appears to
be the first in print (1987) followed shortly by the others.  Under
_moshing_ the following etymology appears:

1987. Semantic shift (specialization): _moshing_ [from _mosh_ (OEDs,
v., 1848) a dialectal variant of _mush_ (OED., v.2, 1781) "to
pulverize," ultimately an onomatopoetic variant of _mash_ (OED, v1. 2,
a1250) "to crush, pound, or smash to pulp"].

Regards,
David

David K. Barnhart, Editor
The Barnhart Dictionary Companion [quarterly]
barnhart at highlands.com
www.highlands.com/Lexik

"Necessity obliges us to neologize."
Thomas Jefferson-August 16, 1813