landrush

land +‎ rush

landrush (plural landrushes)

1. A historical event in which previously restricted land of the United States was opened for homesteading on a first-come-first-served basis.
   • 1967, Roger G Kennedy, Minnesota Houses:

     It never knew a boom and was relatively untouched by the great landrush of the 1850's.

   • 2000, Susan Hayward, Cinema Studies:

     The landrush to all intents and purposes made the cowboy defunct.

2. (figuratively) Any scramble for limited resources.
   • 2001, United States Congress, ICANN, New GTLDS, and the Protection of Intellectual Property:

     In the event that an applicant obtains the domain name in question through the Landrush process described below, the service will be activated...

• Ruhlands