flush

[ fluhsh ]

/ flʌʃ /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: flush / flushed / flushing on Thesaurus.com

noun

a blush; rosy glow: a flush of embarrassment on his face.

a rushing or overspreading flow, as of water.

a sudden rise of emotion or excitement: a flush of anger.

glowing freshness or vigor: the flush of youth.

hot flush. hot flash.

a cleansing preparation that acts by flushing: an oil flush for the car's engine.

verb (used with object)

to redden; cause to blush or glow: Winter air flushed the children's cheeks.

to flood or spray thoroughly with water, as for cleansing purposes: They flushed the wall with water and then scrubbed it down.

to wash out (a sewer, toilet, etc.) by a sudden rush of water.

Metallurgy.

to remove slag from (a blast furnace).
to spray (a coke oven) to cool the gases generated and wash away the ammonia and tars distilled.

to animate or excite; inflame: flushed with success.

verb (used without object)

to blush; redden.

to flow with a rush; flow and spread suddenly.

to operate by flushing; undergo flushing: The toilet won't flush.

OTHER WORDS FOR flush

3 access, rush, flood, impulse, thrill.

See synonyms for flush on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of flush

First recorded in 1540–50; perhaps extended senses of flush³; compare sound sequences and meanings of blush, gush, flash

OTHER WORDS FROM flush

flush·a·ble, adjectiveflusher, nounflush·ing·ly, adverbflushness, noun

Words nearby flush

fluoxetine hydrochloride, fluphenazine, flurazepam, flurried, flurry, flush, flush-decked, flush girt, Flushing, flush left, flushometer

Other definitions for flush (2 of 4)

flush²

[ fluhsh ]

/ flʌʃ /

adjective

even or level, as with a surface; forming the same plane: The bottom of the window is flush with the floor.

having direct contact; being right next to; immediately adjacent; contiguous: The table was flush against the wall.

well-supplied, as with money; affluent; prosperous: He was feeling flush on payday.

abundant or plentiful, as money.

having a ruddy or reddish color; blushing.

full of vigor; lusty.

full to overflowing.

Printing. even or level with the right margin (flush right ) or the left margin (flush left ) of the type page; without an indention.

adverb

on the same level; in a straight line; without a change of plane: to be made flush with the top of the table.

in direct contact; squarely: It was set flush against the edge.

verb (used with object)

to make flush or even.

to improve the nutrition of (a ewe) to bring on optimum physiological conditions for breeding.

verb (used without object)

to send out shoots, as plants in spring.

noun

a fresh growth, as of shoots and leaves.

Origin of flush

First recorded in 1540–50; perhaps all sense developments of flush¹

OTHER WORDS FROM flush

flush·ness, noun

Other definitions for flush (3 of 4)

flush³

[ fluhsh ]

/ flʌʃ /

verb (used with object)

to drive (a game bird or other animal) from cover and cause to fly off or spring forth suddenly; rouse: to flush a woodcock;to flush a bear from a thicket.

to force (a person) out of hiding: The troops have flushed the rebels from their bases.

verb (used without object)

to fly off or spring forth suddenly from a hiding place; come out of hiding.

noun

a flushed bird or other animal, or a group of them.

the act of driving or forcing an animal or person from a hiding place.

Origin of flush

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English flusshen, first attested as past participle fluste, fliste; of uncertain origin

Other definitions for flush (4 of 4)

flush⁴

[ fluhsh ]

/ flʌʃ /

Cards.

adjective

consisting entirely of cards of one suit: a flush hand.

noun

a hand or set of cards all of one suit.Compare royal flush, straight flush.

Pinochle. a meld of ace, king, queen, jack, and ten of the trump suit.Compare marriage (def. 9), royal marriage.

Origin of flush

⁴

First recorded in 1520–30; compare French (obsolete) flus, variant of flux “flow, flush” (compare phrase run of cards), from Latin fluxus “a flowing”; see flux

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use flush in a sentence

Instead of flushing waste, the system would filter, clean and recycle waste on site.
Climate-friendly farming and Science Moms|Lyndsey Layton|February 2, 2021|Washington Post
Celery juice is extremely detoxifying, as it flushes out old toxins and poisons that have built up over time.
The Benefits Of Drinking Celery Juice|Charli Penn|February 2, 2021|Essence.com
One is by turning on the heating system, which takes in fresh air from outside, and opening windows through which it can be flushed out.
How to reduce the risk of covid-19 airborne transmission inside a car||January 31, 2021|Washington Post
People read these facts that I flush out of the record, their eyes bug out, and I think that demonstrates how little we know about these kind of ugly corners of America.
The Trailer: Seven questions for the new political year|David Weigel|January 21, 2021|Washington Post

The market is flush with options — and so, in theory, are the lower rungs of the 40-man roster.
Jon Lester’s reasonable contract leaves the Nationals room to address their remaining needs|Jesse Dougherty|January 20, 2021|Washington Post
He was in the bathroom, perhaps trying to flush some pot down the toilet, when a cop burst in.
‘I Can’t Breathe!’ ‘I Can’t Breathe!’ A Moral Indictment of Cop Culture|Michael Daly|December 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There is, for example, the Seinfeld episode where Jerry, feeling flush with cash, buys his parents a Caddy.
Nationalism on Four Wheels|Clive Irving|October 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Perhaps reflective of his ability to get information, X-2 gave Schwend the codename FLUSH.
On the Trail of Nazi Counterfeiters|Dr. Kevin C. Ruffner|September 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The conservative ranks are so flush with outsiders and fringe groups that they end up tripping over one another.
Is Big Money Politics an Overblown Evil?|David Freedlander|August 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Where now the outdoor café tables are, right there, buses used to pull up and flush their air-brakes.
Don Carpenter Was a Novelist Both Lacerating and Forgiving|Louis B. Jones|July 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Marchioness observed a brilliant flush shoot over the face of her auditor, as he bowed his head to her last words.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
With a flush mounting to his cheeks, and his brows drawn together in perplexity, Garnache surveyed him.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
This gallantry surprised her ever so little, for a faint flush came into her cheek and the shadow of a smile into her eyes.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
Everything looked bright on earth, and in the heavens, in the early flush of that lovely June morning.
The World Before Them|Susanna Moodie
Lady Hartledon understood the implication; she felt nettled, and a flush rose to her face.
Elster's Folly|Mrs. Henry Wood

British Dictionary definitions for flush (1 of 4)

flush¹

/ (flʌʃ) /

verb

to blush or cause to blush

to flow or flood or cause to flow or flood with or as if with water

to glow or shine or cause to glow or shine with a rosy colour

to send a volume of water quickly through (a pipe, channel, etc) or into (a toilet) for the purpose of cleansing, emptying, etc

to cause (soluble substances in the soil) to be washed towards the surface, as by the action of underground springs, or (of such substances) to be washed towards the soil surface

(tr; usually passive) to excite or elate

noun

a rosy colour, esp in the cheeks; blush

a sudden flow or gush, as of water

a feeling of excitement or elationthe flush of success

early bloom; freshnessthe flush of youth

redness of the skin, esp of the face, as from the effects of a fever, alcohol, etc

ecology an area of boggy land fed by ground water

adjective

having a ruddy or heightened colour

Derived forms of flush

flusher, noun

Word Origin for flush

C16 (in the sense: to gush forth): perhaps from flush ³

British Dictionary definitions for flush (2 of 4)

flush²

/ (flʌʃ) /

adjective (usually postpositive)

level or even with another surface

directly adjacent; continuous

informal having plenty of money

informal abundant or plentiful, as money

full of vigour

full to the brim or to the point of overflowing

printing having an even margin, right or left, with no indentations

(of a blow) accurately delivered

(of a vessel) having no superstructure built above the flat level of the deck

adverb

so as to be level or even

directly or squarely

verb (tr)

to cause (surfaces) to be on the same level or in the same plane

to enrich the diet of (an ewe) during the breeding season

noun

a period of fresh growth of leaves, shoots, etc

Derived forms of flush

flushness, noun

Word Origin for flush

C18: probably from flush 1 (in the sense: spring out)

British Dictionary definitions for flush (3 of 4)

flush³

/ (flʌʃ) /

verb

(tr) to rouse (game, wild creatures, etc) and put to flight

Word Origin for flush

C13 flusshen, perhaps of imitative origin

British Dictionary definitions for flush (4 of 4)

flush⁴

/ (flʌʃ) /

noun

(in poker and similar games) a hand containing only one suit

Word Origin for flush

C16: from Old French flus, from Latin fluxus flux

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

flush

OTHER WORDS FOR flush

Origin of flush

OTHER WORDS FROM flush

Words nearby flush

Other definitions for flush (2 of 4)

Origin of flush

OTHER WORDS FROM flush

Other definitions for flush (3 of 4)

Origin of flush

Other definitions for flush (4 of 4)

Origin of flush

Words related to flush

How to use flush in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for flush (1 of 4)

Derived forms of flush

Word Origin for flush

British Dictionary definitions for flush (2 of 4)

Derived forms of flush

Word Origin for flush

British Dictionary definitions for flush (3 of 4)

Word Origin for flush

British Dictionary definitions for flush (4 of 4)

Word Origin for flush