Bushwhack Meaning and Origin, Old West Slang Idiom

A bushwhack is an ambush or surprise attack. To bushwhack someone means to lie in wait for them in a hidden place and then ambush them by jumping out and attacking them. This term is especially applied to attacking an unarmed person or group. Bushwhack could also mean to prowl or sneak through the bushes and engage in guerilla warfare. It could also refer to a war deserter who becomes a predatory criminal or robber. A bushwhacker is someone who attacks in this manner but bushwhacker was also applied to a greenhorn or what we would call a newbie or novice: someone new to the job, inexperienced, and perhaps naive. To be bushwhacked could also mean to be exhausted, worn out, or very drunk.