flush

Noun (1)

flush (plural flushes)

1. A group of birds that have suddenly started up from undergrowth, trees, etc.
   • As when a Faulcon hath with nimble flight / Flowne at a flush of Ducks foreby the brooke […].1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book V, Canto II”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC

Verb (1)

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 dogs flushed the deer from the woods.

   Synonyms:

   drive, flush out, scare up

2. (intransitive) To take suddenly to flight, especially from cover.
   • A covey of quail flushed from the undergrowth.
   • But then as little VVrens but nevvly fledge, / […] / His fellovv noting his agilitie, / Thinkes he as vvell may venter as the other, / So fluſhing from one ſpray vnto another, / Gets to the top, and then enbold'ned flies, / Vnto an height paſt ken of humane eyes: […]1613, William Browne, “The Fourth Song”, in Britannia’s Pastorals. [The First Booke], London: […] Geo[rge] Norton, […], →OCLC, page 83

Adjective

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.
   • In 1952, Fawcett Books was flush with the unprecedented success of Women's Barracks.2001, Susan Stryker, Queer Pulp, page 54
3. Full of vigor; fresh; glowing; bright.
   • With all his crimes broad blown, as flush as May.c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac...
4. Affluent; abounding; well furnished or supplied; hence, liberal; prodigal.
   • [H]e vvas not fluſh in Ready [i.e., ready money], either to go to Lavv or clear old Debts, neither could he find good Bail: […]1712, Humphry Polesworth [pseudonym; John Arbuthnot], “A Copy of Bull and Frog’s Letter to Lord Strutt”, in Law is a Bottomless-Pit. […], London: […] John Morphew, […], →OCLC, page 8

Adverb

flush (not comparable)

1. Suddenly and completely.
   • I landed flush on the couch.

Noun (2)

flush (countable and uncountable, plural flushes)

1. A sudden flowing; a rush which fills or overflows, as of water for cleansing purposes.
   • in manner of a wave or flush1691, John Ray, The Wisdom of God Manifested in the Works of the Creation. […], London: […] Samuel Smith, […], →OCLC
2. Particularly, such a cleansing of a toilet.
3. The process of clearing the contents of a buffer or cache.
4. A suffusion of the face with blood, as from fear, shame, modesty, or intensity of feeling of any kind; a blush; a glow.
   • When I would kiss thy hand, / The flush of anger'd shame / O'erflows thy calmer glances, / And o'er black brows drops down / A sudden-curved frown: […]1830 June, Alfred Tennyson, “Madeline”, in Poems. […], volume I, London: Edward Moxon, […], published 1842, →OCLC, page 18
5. Any tinge of red color 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
   • Benefit’s cult product Benetint is the lip stain most widely associated with Popsicle lips. Its watery tint gives just the slightest hint of flush, befitting of lips (and nipples — Benetint’s original use was to tint the nipples of burlesque dancers).2014 July 22, Kathleen Hou, “How to Get Summery, Popsicle-Stained Lips”, in The Cut, New York, N.Y.: Vox Media, →OCLC, archived from the original on 14 Nov 2018
6. A sudden flood or rush of feeling; a thrill of excitement, animation, etc.
   • a flush of joy
7. A line of poles or obstacles that a skier must weave between.

Verb (2)

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.

   Synonyms:

   sluice

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.
   • She turned, laughing at the surprise, and flushing with pleasure.1872, “The Argosy. Edited by Mrs. Henry Wood. Volume XIV. July to December, 1872”, in Google, London, page 60

   Synonyms:

   blush, crimson

4. (transitive) To cause to blush.
   • Nor flush with shame the passing virgin's cheek.[1716], [John] Gay, “(please specify the page)”, in Trivia: Or, The Art of Walking the Streets of London, London: […] Bernard Lintott, […], →OCLC
   • Sudden a thought came like a full-blown rose, / Flushing his brow, [...]1819, John Keats, “The Eve of St. Agnes”, in Lamia, Isabella, the Eve of St. Agnes, and Other Poems, London: […] [Thomas Davison] for Taylor and Hessey, […], published 1820, →OCLC, stanza XVI, page 91
5. To cause to be full; to flood; to overflow; to overwhelm with water.
   • to flush the meadows
6. (transitive) To excite, inflame.
   • such things as can only feed his pride and flush his ambition1692–1717, Robert South, “Against Long Extemporary Prayers”, in Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London
   • Chill depths of the spirit are flushed to a fever,
     The nightmare silence is broken. We are not lost.1941, Theodore Roethke, “Prognosis”, in Open House, New York, N.Y.: Alfred A[braham] Knopf, →OCLC; republished in The Collected Poems of Theodore Roethke, London: Faber and Faber […], 1968, →OCLC...
7. (intransitive) To be cleansed by being flooded with generous quantities of water.
   • There must be somebody home: I just heard the toilet flushing.
8. (transitive) To clear (a buffer or cache) of its contents.
9. (transitive) To write (the data) to primary storage, clearing it from the buffer or cache.
   • flush to disk
10. To flow and spread suddenly; to rush.
    • Blood flushes into the face.
    • the flushing noise of many waters1545, John Bale, The Image of Both Churches
11. To show red; to shine suddenly; to glow.
    • In her cheek, distemper flushing glowed.1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished...
12. To fill in (joints); to point the level; to make them flush.

Noun (3)

IPA/flʌʃ/

flush (plural flushes)

1. A groundwater-fed marsh or peaty mire (which may be acidic or basic, nutrient-rich or poor); (originally especially Scotland and Northern England) a (marshy) pool or seep, as in a field.
   • For this point onwards the land slopes gently until it becomes quite low lying, that is, tends to become a "flush" or bog.1917, Transactions and Proceedings of the Botanical Society of Edinburgh, page 131
   • The reason for a "green gair" or flush is the outflow of a spring, and a regular line of these springs may often be traced along a valley slope.1918, The Scottish Journal of Agriculture, volumes 1-2, page 263

Noun (4)

flush (plural flushes)

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