flush

• IPA^(key): /ˈflʌʃ/
• Rhymes: -ʌʃ

From Middle English flusshen, fluschen, of uncertain origin. Perhaps related to Middle English flasshen, flasschen, flaschen, see flash; or a Middle English blend of flowen (“to flow”) +‎ guschen (“to gush”). Compare with German flutschen.

flush (plural flushes)

1. A group of birds that have suddenly started up from undergrowth, trees etc.
   • 1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, V.2:

     As when a Faulcon hath with nimble flight / Flowne at a flush of Ducks foreby the brooke […].

flush (third-person singular simple present flushes, present participle flushing, simple past and past participle flushed)

1. (transitive) To cause to take flight from concealment.

   The hunters flushed the tiger from the canebrake.

2. (intransitive) To take suddenly to flight, especially from cover.

   A covey of quail flushed from the undergrowth.

   • (Can we date this quote?) W. Browne

     flushing from one spray unto another

Same as Etymology 3, according to the American Heritage Dictionary.

flush (comparative flusher, superlative flushest)

1. Smooth, even, aligned; not sticking out.

   Sand down the excess until it is flush with the surface.

2. Wealthy or well off.

   He just got a bonus so he's flush today.

3. (typography) Short for flush left and right; a body of text aligned with both its left and right margins.
4. Full of vigour; fresh; glowing; bright.
   • (Can we date this quote?) William Shakespeare

     With all his crimes broad blown, as flush as May.

5. Affluent; abounding; well furnished or suppled; hence, liberal; prodigal.
   • (Can we date this quote?) Arbuthnot

     Lord Strut was not very flush in ready.

• (typography): double-clean, flush left and right, forced, forced justified, force justified, justified

• flush left, flush right, flush left and right

Probably from Etymology 1 according to the American Heritage Dictionary.

flush (plural flushes)

1. A sudden flowing; a rush which fills or overflows, as of water for cleansing purposes.
   • (Can we date this quote?) Ray

     in manner of a wave or flush

2. Particularly, such a cleansing of a toilet.
3. A suffusion of the face with blood, as from fear, shame, modesty, or intensity of feeling of any kind; a blush; a glow.
   • (Can we date this quote?) Tennyson

     the flush of angered shame

4. Any tinge of red colour like that produced on the cheeks by a sudden rush of blood.

   the flush on the side of a peach; the flush on the clouds at sunset

5. A sudden flood or rush of feeling; a thrill of excitement, animation, etc.

   a flush of joy

flush (third-person singular simple present flushes, present participle flushing, simple past and past participle flushed)

1. (transitive) To cleanse by flooding with generous quantities of a fluid.

   Flush the injury with plenty of water.

2. (transitive) Particularly, to cleanse a toilet by introducing a large amount of water.
3. (intransitive) To become suffused with reddish color due to embarrassment, excitement, overheating, or other systemic disturbance, to blush.

   The damsel flushed at the scoundrel's suggestion.

4. (transitive) To cause to blush.
   • (Can we date this quote?) John Gay

     Nor flush with shame the passing virgin's cheek.

   • (Can we date this quote?) Keats

     Sudden a thought came like a full-blown rose, / Flushing his brow.

   • 1925, Fruit of the Flower, by Countee Cullen

     "Who plants a seed begets a bud, -- Extract of that same root; -- Why marvel at the hectic blood -- That flushes this wild fruit?"

5. To cause to be full; to flood; to overflow; to overwhelm with water.

   to flush the meadows

6. (transitive) To excite, inflame.
   • (Can we date this quote?) South

     such things as can only feed his pride and flush his ambition

7. (intransitive, of a toilet) To be cleansed by being flooded with generous quantities of water.

   There must be somebody home: I just heard the toilet flushing.

8. (transitive, computing) To clear (a buffer) of its contents.
9. To flow and spread suddenly; to rush.

   Blood flushes into the face.

   • (Can we date this quote?) Boyle

     the flushing noise of many waters

10. To show red; to shine suddenly; to glow.
    • (Can we date this quote?) Milton

      In her cheek, distemper flushing glowed.

11. (masonry) To fill in (joints); to point the level; to make them flush.
12. (mining, intransitive) To operate a placer mine, where the continuous supply of water is insufficient, by holding back the water, and releasing it periodically in a flood.
13. (mining) To fill underground spaces, especially in coal mines, with material carried by water, which, after drainage, constitutes a compact mass.

In sense “turn red with embarrassment”, blush is more common. More finely, in indicating the actual change, blush is usual – “He blushed with embarrassment” – but in indicating state, flushed is also common – “He was flushed with excitement”.

• (turn red with embarrassment): blush

Probably from Middle French flus (“flow”), cognate with flux.

flush (plural flushes)

1. (poker) A hand consisting of all cards with the same suit.

From English.

• IPA^(key): /flœʃ/

flush m (plural flushs)

1. (poker) flush
2. (anglicism) flush (reddening of the face)
3. (anglicism, IT) emptying of the cache

• (poker): couleur

• flusher

flush m (plural flushes)

1. (poker) flush (hand consisting of all cards with the same suit)