flush

[ fluhsh ]

/ flʌʃ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR flush 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.

Nearby words

Origin of flush

1540–50; perhaps extended senses of flush³; compare similar phonesthemic elements and meanings of blush, gush, flash

SYNONYMS FOR flush

3. access, rush, flood, impulse, thrill.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR flush ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formsflush·a·ble, adjectiveflush·er, nounflush·ing·ly, adverbflush·ness, noun

flush

[ 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

Related formsflush·ness, noun

flush

[ fluhsh ]

/ flʌʃ /

Hunting.

verb (used with object)

to rouse and cause to start up or fly off: to flush a woodcock.

verb (used without object)

to fly out or start up suddenly.

noun

a flushed bird or flock of birds.

Origin of flush

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

flush

⁴

[ 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

1520–30; compare French (obsolete) flus, variant of flux flow, flush (compare phrase run of cards) < Latin fluxus flux

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for flush

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
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
We want to see where it goes, and just flush it out a little more.
GOP Plans Months of Bergdahl Drama on Capitol Hill|Tim Mak|June 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The goal was not for the Burmese to capture him, but simply to flush him out.
How China Used Drones to Capture a Notorious Burmese Drug Lord|Brendon Hong|April 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Each one of his great claws was cut off flush with his flesh.
Michael, Brother of Jerry|Jack London
"I didn't think you would play this trick on me, Muky," he said, a flush of embarrassment gathering in his brown face.
The Wolf Hunters|James Oliver Curwood
The mere mention of these cherished plans brought a flush to his dark cheeks, and caused him to sit more proudly erect.
Oldfield|Nancy Huston Banks
"I did not love Luc—then," she answered, a flush going over her face.
The Lane That Had No Turning, Complete|Gilbert Parker
A thrill shot through her heart as she did so, and a flush suffused her cheeks.
The Long Patrol|H. A. Cody

British Dictionary definitions for flush

flush

/ (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 Formsflusher, noun

Word Origin for flush

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

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 Formsflushness, noun

Word Origin for flush

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

verb

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

Word Origin for flush

C13 flusshen, perhaps of imitative origin

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

Word Origin and History for flush

flush

"fly up suddenly," c.1300, perhaps imitative of the sound of beating wings, or related to flash via its variant flushe. Probably not connected to Old French flux, source of flush (n.).

Transitive meaning "to cause to fly, start" is first attested mid-15c. The sense of "spurt, rush out suddenly, flow with force" (1540s) is probably the same word, with the connecting notion being "sudden movement," but its senses seem more to fit the older ones of flash (now all transferred to this word except in flash flood). Meaning "cleanse a drain, etc., with a rush of water" is from 1789. The noun sense of "sudden redness in the face" (1620s) probably belongs here, too. The verb in this sense is from 1660s. "A very puzzling word" [Weekley]. Related: Flushed; flushing.

flush

adj.

1550s, "perfect, faultless;" c.1600, "abundant; plentifully supplied (with money, etc.)," perhaps from flush (v.) through the notion of a river running full, hence level with its banks. Meaning "even, level" is from 1620s.

"hand of cards all of one suit," 1520s, perhaps from Middle French flus (15c.), from Old French flux "a flowing," with the sense of "a run" (of cards), from Latin fluxus "flux," from fluere "to flow" (see fluent). The form in English probably was influenced by flush (v.).

Medicine definitions for flush

flush

[ flŭsh ]

v.

To turn red, as from fever, heat, or strong emotion; blush.

To clean, rinse, or empty with a rapid flow of a liquid, especially water.

n.

An act of cleansing or rinsing with a flow of water.

A reddening of the skin, as with fever, emotion, or exertion.

A brief sensation of heat over all or part of the body.

adj.

Having surfaces in the same plane; even.

flush

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

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Origin of flush

flush

adjective

adverb

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

Origin of flush

flush

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

Origin of flush

flush

adjective

noun

Origin of flush

Examples from the Web for flush

flush

verb

noun

adjective

Word Origin for flush

adjective (usually postpositive)

adverb

verb (tr)

noun

Word Origin for flush

verb

Word Origin for flush

noun

Word Origin for flush

flush

flush

flush

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adj.