Ambush

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: am=bush

CIDE DICTIONARY

Ambush, n. [F. embûche, fr. the verb. See Ambush, v. t.].

•  A disposition or arrangement of troops for attacking an enemy unexpectedly from a concealed station. Hence: Unseen peril; a device to entrap; a snare.  [1913 Webster]

  "Heaven, whose high walls fear no assault or siege
  Or ambush from the deep."  [1913 Webster]
•  A concealed station, where troops or enemies lie in wait to attack by surprise.  [1913 Webster]

  "Bold in close ambush, base in open field."  [1913 Webster]
•  The troops posted in a concealed place, for attacking by surprise; liers in wait.  [1913 Webster]

  "The ambush arose quickly out of their place."  [1913 Webster]

To lay an ambush, to post a force in ambush.

Ambush, v. t. [OE. enbussen, enbushen, OF. embushier, embuissier, F. embûcher, embusquer, fr. LL. imboscare; in + LL. boscus, buscus, a wood; akin to G. bush, E. bush. See Ambuscade, Bush.].

•  To station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy.  [1913 Webster]

  "By ambushed men behind their temple laid,
  We have the king of Mexico betrayed."  [1913 Webster]
•  To attack by ambush; to waylay.  [1913 Webster]

Ambush, v. i. 

 To lie in wait, for the purpose of attacking by surprise; to lurk.  [1913 Webster]
"Nor saw the snake that ambushed for his prey."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Ambush, n. & v.
--n.
1 a surprise attack by persons (e.g. troops) in a concealed position.
2 a the concealment of troops etc. to make such an attack. b the place where they are concealed. c the troops etc. concealed.
--v.tr.
1 attack by means of an ambush.
2 lie in wait for.

Etymology

ME f. OF embusche, embuschier, f. a Rmc form = 'put in a wood': rel. to BUSH(1)

THESAURUS

Ambush

ambuscade, ambushment, assail, assault, astonish, attack, blind, blitz, booby trap, bushwhack, catch off-guard, catch unawares, come at, come down on, come from behind, come upon unexpectedly, cover, crack down on, descend on, descend upon, do the unexpected, drop in on, ensnare, entrap, fall on, fall upon, gang up on, go at, go for, harry, have at, hideout, hit, hit like lightning, intercept, jump, land on, lay at, lay for, lay hands on, lay into, lay wait for, lie in ambush, lie in wait, light into, lure, lurk, lurking hole, mug, pitch into, pounce upon, pound, pull up short, retreat, sail into, set on, set upon, shadowing, snare, spring a surprise, spring upon, stalking-horse, strike, surprise, surveillance, swoop down on, take by surprise, take short, take the offensive, take unawares, trap, wade into, waylay

ROGET THESAURUS

Ambush

Pitfall

N pitfall, rocks, reefs, coral reef, sunken rocks, snags, sands, quicksands, syrt, syrtis, Goodwin sands, sandy foundation, slippery ground, breakers, shoals, shallows, bank, shelf, flat, lee shore, ironbound coast, rock ahead, breakers ahead, precipice, maelstrom, volcano, ambush, pitfall, trapdoor, trap, sword of Damocles, wolf at the door, snake in the grass, death in the pot, latency, ugly customer, dangerous person, le chat qui dort, firebrand, hornet's nest, latet anquis in herba, proximus ardet Ucalegon.

Ambush

N ambush, camouflage, mimicry, hiding place, secret place, secret drawer, recess, hold, holes and corners, closet, crypt, adytum, abditory, oubliette, ambush, ambuscade, stalking horse, lurking hole, lurking place, secret path, back stairs, retreat, screen, cover, shade, blinker, veil, curtain, blind, cloak, cloud, mask, visor, vizor, disguise, masquerade dress, domino, pitfall, trap, camouflaged, hidden, concealed, aux aguets, ambush, camouflage, mimicry, hiding place, secret place, secret drawer, recess, hold, holes and corners, closet, crypt, adytum, abditory, oubliette, ambush, ambuscade, stalking horse, lurking hole, lurking place, secret path, back stairs, retreat, screen, cover, shade, blinker, veil, curtain, blind, cloak, cloud, mask, visor, vizor, disguise, masquerade dress, domino, pitfall, trap, camouflaged, hidden, concealed, aux aguets.

VB blend in, blend into the background, lie in ambush, lie in wait for, lurk, set a trap for, ambuscade, ambush, camouflage.

Deception

N deception, falseness, untruth, imposition, imposture, fraud, deceit, guile, fraudulence, fraudulency, covin, knavery, misrepresentation, bluff, straw-bail, straw bid, spoof, delusion, gullery, juggling, jugglery, slight of hand, legerdemain, prestigiation, prestidigitation, magic, conjuring, conjuration, hocus-pocus, escamoterie, jockeyship, trickery, coggery, chicanery, supercherie, cozenage, circumvention, ingannation, collusion, treachery, practical joke, trick, cheat, wile, blind, feint, plant, bubble, fetch, catch, chicane, juggle, reach, hocus, bite, card sharping, stacked deck, loaded dice, quick shuffle, double dealing, dealing seconds, dealing from the bottom of the deck, artful dodge, swindle, tricks upon travelers, stratagem, confidence trick, fake, hoax, theft, ballot-box stuffing, barney, brace game, bunko game, drop game, gum game, panel game, shell game, thimblerig, skin game, snare, trap, pitfall, decoy, gin, springe, springle, noose, hoot, bait, decoy-duck, tub to the whale, baited trap, guet-a-pens, cobweb, net, meshes, toils, mouse trap, birdlime, dionaea, Venus's flytrap, ambush, trapdoor, sliding panel, false bottom, spring-net, spring net, spring gun, mask, masked battery, mine, flytrap, green goods, panel house, Cornish hug, wolf in sheep's clothing, disguise, disguisement, false colors, masquerade, mummery, borrowed plumes, pattes de velours, mockery, copy, counterfeit, sham, make- believe, forgery, fraud, lie, a delusion a mockery and a snare, hollow mockery, whited sepulcher, painted sepulcher, tinsel, paste, junk jewelry, costume jewelry, false jewelry, synthetic jewels, scagliola, ormolu, German silver, albata, paktong, white metal, Britannia metal, paint, veneer, jerry building, man of straw, illusion, ignis fatuus, mirage, deceived, deceiving, cunning, prestigious, prestigiatory, deceptive, deceptious, deceitful, covinous, delusive, delusory, illusive, illusory, elusive, insidious, ad captandum vulgus, untrue, mock, sham, make-believe, counterfeit, snide, pseudo, spurious, supposititious, so-called, pretended, feigned, trumped up, bogus, scamped, fraudulent, tricky, factitious bastard, surreptitious, illegitimate, contraband, adulterated, sophisticated, unsound, rotten at the core, colorable, disguised, meretricious, tinsel, pinchbeck, plated, catchpenny, Brummagem, artificial, synthetic, ersatz, simulated, under false colors, under the garb of, under cover of, over the left, keep the word of promise to the ear and break it t, fronti nulla fides, ah that deceit should steal such gentle shapes, a quicksand of deceit, decipimur specie recti, falsi crimen, fraus est celare fraudem, lupus in fabula, so smooth, he daubed his vice with show of virtue.