give (one) the bum's rush

1. To hastily and forcefully remove someone from a place. Likened to the ejection of a vagrant (a "bum") from a place. The bartender gave us the bum's rush after Joe started drunkenly insulting him. Once I started hinting at my sister's F in Biology, she sure gave me the bum's rush out of the dining room! If you start fighting with other patrons, one of the bouncers will definitely give you the bum's rush.

2. To peremptorily or abruptly dismiss someone, due to a failed or rejected plan, idea, or performance. The board of directors gave me the bum's rush when I suggested that managers should face a pay cut alongside the other employees. I can't believe the boss gave me the bum's rush after five years on the job! Would you please seriously consider my proposal? Don't just give me the bum's rush.

give someone the bum's rush

AMERICAN, INFORMAL

If you give someone the bum's rush, you reject them or get rid of them. He has said he doesn't like journalists, but he's much too nice to give anyone the bum's rush. Note: You can also say someone gets the bum's rush. He was a TV hero last year — but he still got the bum's rush. Note: A bum is a person who has no permanent home or job, and very little money. This expression refers to a bum being thrown out of a place by force.

give someone (or get) the bum's rush

1 forcibly eject someone (or be forcibly ejected) from a place or gathering. 2 abruptly dismiss someone (or be abruptly dismissed) for a poor idea or performance. chiefly North American

1 1998 Spectator When…James Cameron wrote an uproariously funny piece about the hotel's iniquities…he was promptly given the bum's rush.

bum's rush, to give/get the

To throw someone (be thrown) out. The term, American and dating from the 1920s, comes from the practice of bartenders and bouncers throwing out customers who are drunk and unruly, unlikely to pay their bills, or otherwise considered a disturbance. The expression may also be related to another meaning of bum—backside—in that such evictions are often physical and may indeed involve a kick in the pants, or worse. In 1925 Liam O’Flaherty wrote (in The Informer), “They might give him ‘the bum’s rush,’ breaking his neck silently.”