flush

English

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ˈflʌʃ/
  • Audio (UK)(file)
  • Rhymes: -ʌʃ

Etymology 1

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.

Noun

flush (plural flushes)

  1. A group of birds that have suddenly started up from undergrowth, trees, etc.

Verb

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: flush out, scare up
  2. (intransitive) To take suddenly to flight, especially from cover.
    A covey of quail flushed from the undergrowth.
    • 1613, William Browne, “The Fourth Song”, in Britannia’s Pastorals. The First Booke, London: […] Iohn Haviland, published 1625, OCLC 15621415, page 83:
      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: […]
    • 1926, Arthur Cleveland Bent, Life Histories of North American Birds: Marsh Birds (page 336)
      The birds seem to lie very close and must be nearly stepped on before they will flush.
    • 1972, United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Appropriations. Subcommittee on Department of Defense, Department of Defense Appropriations for Fiscal Year 1973 (page 460)
      AWACS is survivable due to its ability to flush on warning, to maneuver at jet speeds, to maintain awareness of the developing air situation and to command weapons as appropriate, including weapons for its own defense.
Translations

Etymology 2

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

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.
  3. (typography) Short for flush left and right: a body of text aligned with both its left and right margins.
    Synonyms: forced, forced justified, force justified, justified
  4. Full of vigour; fresh; glowing; bright.
  5. Affluent; abounding; well furnished or suppled; hence, liberal; prodigal.
    • 1712, John Arbuthnot, The History of John Bull:
      Lord Strut was not very flush in ready.
Derived terms
Translations

Adverb

flush (not comparable)

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

Etymology 3

Probably from Etymology 1 according to the American Heritage Dictionary.

Noun

flush (plural flushes)

  1. A sudden flowing; a rush which fills or overflows, as of water for cleansing purposes.
    • 1691, John Ray, The Wisdom of God Manifested in the Works of the Creation. […], London: […] Samuel Smith, […], OCLC 1179804186:
      in manner of a wave or flush
  2. Particularly, such a cleansing of a toilet.
  3. (computing) 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.
  5. 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
  6. A sudden flood or rush of feeling; a thrill of excitement, animation, etc.
    a flush of joy
Derived terms
Translations

Verb

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.
    • 1872, The Argosy. Edited by Mrs. Henry Wood. Volume XIV. July to December, 1872, London, p. 60 (Google)
      She turned, laughing at the surprise, and flushing with pleasure.
    The damsel flushed at the scoundrel's suggestion.
  4. (transitive) To cause to blush.
  5. To cause to be full; to flood; to overflow; to overwhelm with water.
    to flush the meadows
  6. (transitive) To excite, inflame.
    • 1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), 6th edition, London: […] J[ames] Bettenham, for Jonah Bowyer, […], published 1727, OCLC 21766567:
      , "Against Long Extemporary Prayers"
      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 or cache) of its contents.
  9. (transitive, computing, of data held in a buffer or cache) 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.
    • 1545, John Bale, The Image of Both Churches
      the flushing noise of many waters
  11. To show red; to shine suddenly; to glow.
  12. (masonry) To fill in (joints); to point the level; to make them flush.
  13. (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.
  14. (mining) To fill underground spaces, especially in coal mines, with material carried by water, which, after drainage, constitutes a compact mass.
  15. (intransitive, transitive) To dispose or be disposed of by flushing down a toilet
Usage notes

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”.

Synonyms
  • (turn red with embarrassment): blush
Derived terms
Translations

Etymology 4

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

Noun

flush (plural flushes)

  1. (poker) A hand consisting of all cards with the same suit.
Derived terms
Descendants
  • → French: flush
  • → Japanese: フラッシュ (furasshu)
  • → Korean: 플러쉬 (peulleoswi)
  • → Portuguese: flush
Translations

See also
Poker hands in English · poker hands (layout · text)
high card pair two pair three of a kind straight
flush full house four of a kind straight flush royal flush

French

Etymology

From English flush.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /flœʃ/
  • Audio(file)
  • Audio (CAN)(file)

Noun

flush m (plural flushs)

  1. (poker) flush
    Synonym: couleur
  2. (anglicism) flush (reddening of the face)
  3. (anglicism, information technology) emptying of the cache

Derived terms

Derived terms

Portuguese

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English flush.

Noun

flush m (plural flushes)

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