Origin and history of bushwhacker

"many-stemmed woody plant," from Old English bysc (found in place names), from West Germanic *busk "bush, thicket" (source also of Old Saxon and Old High German busc, Dutch bosch, bos, German Busch). Influenced by or combined with Old French (busche "firewood") and Medieval Latin busca (source also of Italian bosco, Spanish bosque, French bois), both of which probably are from Germanic (compare Boise).

In the British American colonies, applied from 1650s to the uncleared districts. In South Africa, "country," as opposed to town (1780); probably from Dutch bosch in the same sense. As "branch of a tree hung out as a tavern-sign," 1530s; hence the proverb "good wine needs no bush." The meaning "pubic hair" (especially of a woman) is from 1745.

To beat the bushes (mid-15c.) is a way to rouse birds so that they fly into the net which others are holding, which originally was the same thing as beating around the bush (see beat (v.)).

"strike sharply, give a heavy blow to," 1719, colloquial, probably of imitative origin. The noun, "vigorous stroke, as with a stick" is from 1737. The word in out of whack (1885) is perhaps the slang meaning "share, just portion" (1785), which may be from the notion of the blow that divides, or the rap of the auctioneer's hammer.

To have (or take) a whack at something "make an attempt" is by 1820 (with have), 1845 (with take). Wack or whack "crazy person," 1938, is probably a back-formation from wacky, which probably comes from the blow-on-the-head verb. Related: Whacked; whacking. Whacked as "tired exhausted" is by 1919; whacked out "crazy," especially from drugs or drink, is by 1969.

Wack, whack in the slang sense of "unappealing; crazy," hence "worthless, stupid" is by 1986, apparently popularized by an anti-drug slogan crack is wack.