gold-rush
Definition
- Noun:
- A rapid influx of people to a region where gold has been discovered: The term "gold rush" refers to a period of intense migration of prospectors and settlers to an area following the discovery of gold deposits. This often leads to a boom in population and economic activity.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The California Gold Rush of 1849 attracted thousands of fortune seekers from around the world. (A historical event where many people moved to California to find gold.)
- The discovery of gold in the Klondike sparked a gold rush in the late 1890s. (A rapid movement of people to the Klondike region for gold mining.)
Advanced Usage
- "gold rush mentality": A mindset focused on quick wealth and opportunistic behavior, often disregarding long-term consequences.
- The tech industry experienced a gold rush mentality during the dot-com bubble, with investors pouring money into any startup. (A frenzied pursuit of profit without careful evaluation.)
Variants and Related Words
- Gold rush (n): the same as "gold-rush"; often written as two words without a hyphen.
- The Australian gold rush of the 1850s led to the growth of Melbourne. (The same phenomenon of mass migration for gold.)
Synonyms
- Boom: a period of rapid economic growth, often associated with a rush of people.
- The oil boom in Texas was similar to a gold rush. (A sudden increase in activity and population.)
Related Idioms
Strike it rich: to suddenly become wealthy, especially through a discovery like gold.
- Many hoped to strike it rich during the gold rush, but few succeeded. (To find a source of great wealth.)
Pan for gold: to search for gold by washing gravel in a pan, often used metaphorically.
- Investors are panning for gold in the new cryptocurrency market. (Searching for valuable opportunities with effort.)