Green’s Dictionary of Slang

used of a person who enjoys drinking.

1848		Sam Sly 9 Dec. 3/2: It is not true that lushing Jem W—r, of the Min—s, is about to take the teetotal pledge once more. Jem says that he has broken it nine times, so it is of no use for him to try to break off his bad habits.
1859		‘Hundred Stretches Hence’ in Matsell Vocabulum 124: And where the fence and snoozing-ken, / With all the prigs and lushing men.
1873		J. Greenwood In Strange Company 7: A lushing, fightin’ sort of a woman, who wuss worse than a scalded cat to them about her when the drink was in her.