Amush

[Michael Quinion]

A subscriber has asked about the word 'amush'. He wrote: "It was
encountered in an email I'd received, it stated, 'my mind has been
running me amush the past few days.' The person is from Yorkshire.
She had thought the word to be slang, but I cannot find it in any of
my slang books".

There are a number of reference online which suggest it is a real
word, such as this from <http://www.stp.uh.edu/vol64/92/>: "ROTC
members prepared for amush training Wednesday at MacGragor Park by
outfitting themselves in army fatigues and painting their faces".  And
in <http://www.jorsm.com/~sjtruog/spt/2001b10sneak.html> there is:
"The opener could be a possible amush in Vegas against a dangerous
UNLV team coming off a big season and bowl win".

Is this well known? And if it is, what does it mean exactly, and
where is it from?  At least two enquiring minds want to know ...


--
Michael Quinion
Editor, World Wide Words
E-mail: <editor at worldwidewords.org>
Web: <http://www.worldwidewords.org/>