What is the origin of the idiom bum rush?

Answer 1

In the 1890-1900s, many saloons had a "free lunch" for customers- Sandwiches, pickles, boiled eggs, etc. to encourage them to stay and buy drinks. Sometimes a penniless man (a bum in the term of the day) might slip in to the saloon to grab a bite of the "free lunch"- without buying drinks. If the bartender spotted him, he was about to get the "Bum's Rush"- out of the door and into the street.

Answer 2

The idiom "bum rush" is believed to have originated in American slang in the 1960s. It combines the word "bum," meaning a vagrant or homeless person, with "rush," indicating a sudden movement or attack. The phrase is often used to describe a group of people forcefully pushing or overwhelming someone or something. Its origins likely stem from the counterculture movements of the time, where confrontations and clashes were common.