Mush

Mush is Standard English, probably a variation of mash, for any soft or pulpy food and is first cited in this sense from the early 19th century, although the OED gives a North American citation, dating from 1671, for a type of maize-meal porridge. Mush, pronounced moosh, is also British slang from the mid-19th century for mouth, probably of boxing or pugilism origin. Since the late 19th century, it has also been slang for a man or bloke, generally used when referring to a stranger, as in ‘hey mush!’ This usage, however, derives from the Romany moosh meaning man.