flush

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):/ˈflʌʃ/

• Audio(Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes:-ʌʃ

Etymology 1

FromMiddle Englishflusshen,fluschen,of uncertain origin. Perhaps related toMiddle Englishflasshen,flasschen,flaschen,seeflash;or a Middle Englishblendofflowen(“toflow”)+‎guschen(“togush”).Compare withGermanflutschen.

Noun

flush(pluralflushes)

1. A group ofbirdsthat have suddenly started up from undergrowth, trees, etc.
   • 1596,Edmund Spenser,“Book V, Canto II”, inThe Faerie Queene.[…],London:[…][John Wolfe] forWilliam Ponsonbie,→OCLC:

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

Verb

flush(third-person singular simple presentflushes,present participleflushing,simple past and past participleflushed)

1. (transitive)To cause to take flight fromconcealment.

   Synonyms:drive,flush out,scare up

   The dogsflushedthe deer from the woods.

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

   A covey of quailflushedfrom the undergrowth.

   • 1613,William Browne,“The Fourth Song”, inBritannia’s Pastorals. The First Booke,London:[…]Iohn Haviland, published1625,→OCLC,page83:

     But then as little VVrens but nevvly fledge, /[…]/ His fellovv noting his agilitie, / Thinkes he as vvell may venter as the other, / Sofluſhingfrom 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,page336:

     The birds seem to lie very close and must be nearly stepped on before they willflush.

   • 1972,United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Appropriations. Subcommittee on Department of Defense,Department of Defense Appropriations for Fiscal Year 1973,page460:

     AWACSis survivable due to its ability toflushon 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

to cause to take flight from concealment

• Bulgarian:подплашвам(bg)(podplašvam)
• Finnish:ajaa(fi)
• French:lever(fr),faire sortir(fr)
• German:Aufscheuchenn
• Italian:stanare(it),scovare(it)

to take suddenly to flight, especially from cover

• Dutch:opvliegen(nl)
• Finnish:rynnätä(fi);lehahtaa(on wings)
• German:aufscheuchen(de),aufjagen,auffliegen(de)
• Italian:prendere il volo,levarsi in volo,volare via

Etymology 2

Same asEtymology 3,according to theAmerican Heritage Dictionary.

Adjective

flush(comparativeflusher,superlativeflushest)

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

   Sand down the excess until it isflushwith the surface.

2. Wealthyorwell off.

   He just got a bonus so he'sflushtoday.

   • 2001,Susan Stryker,Queer Pulp,page54:

     In 1952, Fawcett Books wasflushwith the unprecedented success ofWomen's Barracks.

3. (typography)Short forflush left and right:a body of text aligned with both its left and right margins.

   Synonyms:forced,forced justified,force justified,justified

4. Full ofvigor;fresh; glowing; bright.
   • c.1599–1602(date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”,inMr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies[…](First Folio), London:[…]Isaac Iaggard,andEd[ward]Blount,published1623,→OCLC,[Act III, scene iii]:

     With all his crimes broad blown, asflushas May.

5. Affluent;abounding; well furnished orsuppled;hence,liberal;prodigal.
   • 1712,Humphry Polesworth [pseudonym;John Arbuthnot], “A Copy of Bull and Frog’s Letter to Lord Strutt”, inLaw is a Bottomless-Pit.[…],London:[…]John Morphew,[…],→OCLC,page 8:

     [H]e vvas notfluſhinReady[i.e.,ready money], either to go to Lavv or clear old Debts, neither could he find good Bail:[…]

Derived terms

• flush cast
• flush left
• flush left and right
• flush mount
• flush mounted
• flush mounting
• flush right
• non-flush
• semi-flush

Translations

smooth, even, aligned; not sticking out

• Bulgarian:равен(bg)(raven),изравнен(bg)(izravnen)
• Catalan:enrasat
• Finnish:samallatasolla
• French:de niveau(fr),aligné(fr)
• German:bündig(de),flächenbündig,oberflächenbündig,eben(de),flach(de),eingelassen(de),versenkt(de),plan(de),in gleicher Höhe,auf gleicher Höhe,gleich hoch
• Italian:liscio(it)m,livellato(it)m,allineato(it)m
• Khmer:ត្រឹម(km)(trəm)
• Norwegian:nettopp(no)
• Spanish:plano(es),alineado(es),al ras,raso(es),a ras
• Swedish:jämn(sv)
• Turkish:aynı düzeyde,bir hizâda,çıkıntısız,hem yüz

wealthy or well off

• Bulgarian:богат(bg)(bogat)
• Dutch:rijk(nl),gefortuneerd(nl),vermogend(nl)
• Finnish:rahoissaan
• French:en fonds,riche(fr)
• German:wohlhabend(de),reich(de),vermögend(de)
• Norwegian:rik(no)
• Spanish:rico(es)
• Swedish:burgen(sv),rik(sv),välmående(sv),välbärgade(sv),förmögen(sv)
• Turkish:paralı(tr),varlıklı(tr)

Adverb

flush(notcomparable)

1. Suddenly and completely.

   I landedflushon the couch.

Etymology 3

Probably fromEtymology 1according to theAmerican Heritage Dictionary.

Noun

flush(pluralflushes)

1. A suddenflowing;a rush which fills or overflows, as of water forcleansingpurposes.
   • 1691,John Ray,The Wisdom of God Manifested in the Works of the Creation.[…],London:[…]Samuel Smith,[…],→OCLC:

     in manner of a wave orflush

2. Particularly, such acleansingof atoilet.
3. (computing)The process ofclearingthecontentsof abufferorcache.
4. A suffusion of the face with blood, as from fear, shame, modesty, or intensity of feeling of any kind; a blush; a glow.
   • 1830June,Alfred Tennyson,“Madeline”, inPoems.[…],volume I, London:Edward Moxon,[…],published1842,→OCLC,page18:

     When I would kiss thy hand, / Theflushof anger'd shame / O'erflows thy calmer glances, / And o'er black brows drops down / A sudden-curved frown:[…]

5. Anytingeof red color like that produced on the cheeks by a sudden rush of blood.

   theflushon the side of a peach; theflushon the clouds at sunset

6. A sudden flood or rush of feeling; athrillofexcitement,animation,etc.

   aflushof joy

7. (skiing)A line of poles or obstacles that a skier must weave between.

Derived terms

• alcohol flush reaction
• Asian flush
• courtesy flush
• eco-flush
• first flush
• flush deck
• flush mounting
• flush toilet
• four-flush
• four flush
• hot flush
• mercy flush
• running flush
• saline flush
• sex flush

Translations

sudden flowing; cleansing

• Arabic:شطف
• Bulgarian:промиванеn(promivane)
• Finnish:huuhtelu(fi)
• German:Spülen(de)n,Spülung(de)f,Schwall(de)m,Wasserschwallm,Strömung(de)f,Wasserströmungf,Durchspülenm,Durchströmenm
• Italian:flusso(it)m,scarico(it)m,risciacquo(it)
• Maori:opeope,horoi

cleansing of a toilet

• Bulgarian:промиванеn(promivane)
• Dutch:waterspoelingf
• Finnish:huuhtelu(fi),vessanvetäminen
• French:chasse d’eau(fr)f
• German:Spülen(de)n,Spülung(de)f,Wasserspülung(de)f
• Greek:καζανάκι(el)n(kazanáki)
• Italian:sciacquone(it)m
• Polish:spłuczka(pl)f
• Portuguese:descarga(pt)f
• Spanish:descargamiento(es)m,purgamiento(es)m

suffusion of the face with blood

• German:Rotwerdenn,Erröten(de)n,Errötungf,Röte(de)f,Hautrötungf
• Italian:arrossimentom
• Spanish:chapeta(es)f(on the cheeks)

any tinge of red color

• German:Röte(de)f,Rötung(de)f
• Italian:arrossamento(it)m
• Spanish:sonrojo(es)m

a sudden flood or rush of feeling

• German:Wallung(de)f,Aufwallungf,Fieberanfall(de)m
• Italian:traboccamento(it)m

Verb

flush(third-person singular simple presentflushes,present participleflushing,simple past and past participleflushed)

2. (transitive)Tocleansebyfloodingwith generous quantities of afluid.

   Flushthe injury with plenty of water.

3. (transitive)Particularly, tocleanseatoiletby introducing a large amount of water.
5. (intransitive)To becomesuffusedwith reddish color due to embarrassment, excitement, overheating, or other systemic disturbance, toblush.

   The damselflushedat the scoundrel's suggestion.

   • 1872,“The Argosy. Edited by Mrs. Henry Wood. Volume XIV. July to December, 1872”, inGoogle‎^[1],London, page60:

     She turned, laughing at the surprise, andflushingwith pleasure.

6. (transitive)To cause to blush.
   • [1716],[John] Gay,“(please specify the page number(s))”,inTrivia: Or, The Art of Walking the Streets of London,London:[…]Bernard Lintott,[…],→OCLC:

     Norflushwith shame the passing virgin's cheek.

   • 1819,John Keats,“The Eve of St. Agnes”,inLamia, Isabella, the Eve of St. Agnes, and Other Poems,London:[…][Thomas Davison] forTaylor and Hessey,[…],published1820,→OCLC,stanza XVI,page91:

     Sudden a thought came like a full-blown rose, /Flushinghis brow, [...]

   • 1925,Countee Cullen,Fruit of the Flower:

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

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

   toflushthe meadows

8. (transitive)Toexcite,inflame.
   • 1692–1717,Robert South,“Against Long Extemporary Prayers”, inTwelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions,volume(please specify |volume=I to VI),London:

     such things as can only feed his pride andflushhis ambition

   • 1941,Theodore Roethke,“Prognosis”, inOpen House;republished inThe Collected Poems of Theodore Roethke,1975,→ISBN,page 5:

     Chill depths of the spirit areflushedto a fever,
     The nightmare silence is broken. We are not lost.

9. (intransitive,of a toilet)To be cleansed by beingfloodedwith generous quantities of water.

   There must be somebody home: I just heard the toiletflushing.

10. (transitive,computing)To clear (abufferorcache) of its contents.
11. (transitive,computing,ofdataheld in abufferorcache)To write (the data) to primary storage, clearing it from the buffer or cache.

    flushto disk

12. To flow and spread suddenly; to rush.

    Bloodflushesinto the face.

    • 1545,John Bale,The Image of Both Churches:

      theflushingnoise of many waters

13. To show red; to shine suddenly; to glow.
    • 1667,John Milton,“Book IX”, inParadise Lost.[…],London:[…][Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker[…];[a]nd by Robert Boulter[…];[a]nd Matthias Walker,[…],→OCLC;republished asParadise Lost in Ten Books:[…],London: Basil Montagu Pickering[…],1873,→OCLC:

      In her cheek, distemperflushingglowed.

14. (masonry)To fill in (joints); to point the level; to make them flush.
15. (mining,intransitive)To operate aplacermine, where the continuous supply of water is insufficient, by holding back the water, and releasing it periodically in a flood.
16. (mining)To fillundergroundspaces, especially incoal mines,with material carried by water, which, afterdrainage,constitutes acompactmass.
17. (intransitive,transitive)To dispose or be disposed of by flushing down a toilet

Usage notes

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

Synonyms

• (turn red with embarrassment):blush

Derived terms

• flushable
• flusher
• flushing toilet

Translations

to cleanse by flooding with generous quantities of a fluid

• Bulgarian:промивам(bg)(promivam)
• Czech:spláchnout
• Dutch:spoelen(nl)
• Esperanto:akvumi(eo)
• Finnish:huuhdella(fi)
• French:laveràgrandeeau
• German:spülen(de),ausspülen(de),durchspülen(de),hinunterspülen(de),abspritzen(de)
• Greek:

  Ancient:κλύζω(klúzō)

• Irish:sruthlaigh
• Italian:irrorare(it)
• Meänkieli:viruttaa
• Russian:смыва́ть(ru)impf(smyvátʹ),смыть(ru)pf(smytʹ),промыва́ть(ru)impf(promyvátʹ),промы́ть(ru)pf(promýtʹ)
• Swedish:spola(sv)

to cleanse a toilet by introducing lots of water

• Afrikaans:spoel
• Armenian:ջուրը քաշել(ǰurə kʻašel)
• Bulgarian:промивам(bg)(promivam),изчервявам се(izčervjavam se)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin:Xả nước／Xả nước(chōngshuǐ)

• Czech:spláchnout
• Dutch:doorspoelen(nl),doortrekken(nl)
• Finnish:vetää(fi),huuhdella(fi)
• French:tirerlachasse d’eau,tirerlachasse
• Georgian:please add this translation if you can
• German:spülen(de),durchspülen(de),abspülen(de),ausspülen(de),abziehen(de)
• Irish:sruthlaigh
• Italian:tirarelosciacquone
• Japanese:please add this translation if you can
• Portuguese:dar descarga,puxar descarga
• Romanian:trage apa
• Russian:смыва́ть(ru)impf(smyvátʹ),смыть(ru)pf(smytʹ)
• Spanish:floshear(United States),jalar(es),purgar(es)
• Swedish:spola(sv)
• Turkish:sifonu çekmek(tr)
• Vietnamese:please add this translation if you can

to become suffused with reddish color

• Bulgarian:изчервявам се(izčervjavam se)
• Dutch:blozen(nl)
• Finnish:punastua(fi)
• French:rougir(fr)
• German:erröten(de),rot werden
• Italian:arrossire(it)
• Maori:uraura
• Swedish:rodna(sv)

to cause to blush

• Finnish:punastuttaa
• German:rot werden lassen,erröten lassen
• Italian:arrossire(it)

to overwhelm with water

• Finnish:huuhtoa(fi)
• German:überfluten(de),mit Wasser überspülen,bewässern(de)
• Italian:allagare(it),inondare(it),sommergere(it)

to excite, inflame

• Finnish:sytyttää(fi),innostaa(fi)
• German:in Wallung bringen,erregen(de)
• Italian:stuzzicare(it),eccitare(it),infiammare(it),solleticare(it),sfruculiare(it)

of toilet: to be cleansed with generous quantities of water

• Finnish:huuhdella(fi),vetäävessa
• German:durchspülen(de)
• Irish:sruthlaigh
• Italian:tirarelosciacquone
• Romanian:trage apa
• Swedish:spola(sv)
• Turkish:sifonu çekmek(tr)

computing: to clear a buffer of its contents

• Finnish:tyhjentää(fi)
• German:(völlig)entleeren,leeren(de)
• Italian:svuotare(it),ripulire(it)

to flow and spread suddenly

• German:strömen(de),rauschen(de),fließen(de),durchfließen(de),durchströmen
• Italian:rifluire(it),fluire(it)

to show red

• Finnish:punehtua
• German:erglühen(de),erröten(de)
• Italian:infiammare(it)

masonry: to fill in

• Finnish:täyttää(fi),tasoittaa(fi)
• German:hineinspülen,auffüllen(de),verfugen(de),abziehen(de),verfüllen(de),auffüllen(de)
• Italian:riempire(it),colmare(it)

Etymology 4

Various similar terms are found in dialectal English and Scots asflashandflosh(older Scotsflosche), and the variation goes back toMiddle Englishflushe,flosche,flashe,flaske.TheDSLsuggests a relation betweenflush,Englishflash(“pool”),and Middle Englishflosche,but influence from other water-related senses offlushandflashis also conceivable.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):/flʌʃ/,(dialectally)/flɔʃ/,/flʊʃ/

Noun

flush(pluralflushes)

1. A groundwater-fedmarshor peatymire(which may beacidicorbasic,nutrient-rich or poor);(originally especiallyScotlandandNorthern England)a (marshy)poolorseep,as in afield.
   • 1917,Transactions and Proceedings of the Botanical Society of Edinburgh,page131:

     For this point onwards the land slopes gently until it becomes quite low lying, that is, tends to become a "flush"or bog.

   • 1918,The Scottish Journal of Agriculture,volumes1-2,page263:

     The reason for a "green gair" orflushis the outflow of a spring, and a regular line of these springs may often be traced along a valley slope.

   • 1995,Olwyn Owen, Christopher Lowe,Kebister: The Four-thousand-year-old Story,page45:

     The pH in water of the hillside soils varied between 3.1 and 6.1 with a mean of 4.2. The pattern of pH variation is complex and does not clearly relate either to cultivation or occupation. The most consistent, though weak, correlation appears to be between higher pH andflushesor bogs, which indicates that the local groundwaters are comparatively basic.

   • 2007,Colin Simms,Gyrfalcon Poems,page16:

     Suddenly a way would open down into aflushor bog, even some extensive ones where snowfed springs rose, and so did Asiatic Golden Plover with their plangent cries, and calling from high circling; and I was home again.

   • 2012,M. J. Sheehy Skeffington, D. W. Jeffrey, "Growth performance of an inland population ofPlantago maritimain response to nitrogen and salinity ", in W.G. Beeftink, A.H.L. Huiskes, Jelte Rozema,Ecology of coastal vegetation: Proceedings of a Symposium,page 264:

     The inland distribution ofPlantago maritimain Ireland and Britain is [...] generally associated with base-rich soils or withflushesin more acidic upland soils. [...] Many of these inland sites are on uplands of both acidic and basic rock. [...] associated with calcareous, nutrient-poorflushes,[...]

   • 2016,Ralph W. Tiner,Wetland Indicators: A Guide to Wetland Formation:

     Lowland heath Fen, marsh, and swamp / Upland flushes, fens, and swamps[…]Flushesare gently sloping, often linear or triangle-shaped wetlands; they may include small watercourses.

   • 2017,John Lorne Campbell,Canna: The Story of a Hebridean Island,page xvii:

     […]Not all theflushesare as basic as might be expected in basalt country, but they do support most of the sedges found in this habitat in the Hebrides.[…]in peatyfushesboth on Canna and Sanday[…]

Etymology 5

Probably fromMiddle Frenchflus(“flow”),cognate withflux.

Noun

flush(pluralflushes)

1. (poker)Ahandconsisting of allcardswith the samesuit.

Derived terms

• busted flush
• nut flush
• royal flush
• straight flush

Descendants

• →French:flush
• →Japanese:フラッシュ(furasshu)
• →Korean:플러쉬(peulleoswi)
• →Portuguese:flush

Translations

poker hand

• Armenian:ֆլեշ(hy)(fleš)
• Bulgarian:флош(floš)
• Catalan:color(ca)m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin:Cùng hoa(tónghuā)

• Czech:fleš
• Finnish:väri(fi)
• French:flush(fr)m,couleur(fr)f,floche(fr)f
• German:Flushm
• Hungarian:szín(hu),flös,flush(hu)
• Icelandic:litur(is)m
• Italian:colore(it)m
• Japanese:フラッシュ(ja)(furasshu)
• Maori:whare kotahi
• Polish:kolor(pl)m
• Portuguese:flush(pt)m
• Romanian:culoare(ro)f
• Russian:флеш(ru)m(fleš),сам-пят(ru)m(sam-pjat)
• Spanish:flor(es)f,color(es)m,fluxm
• Swedish:färg(sv)c

French

Etymology

BorrowedfromEnglishflush.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):/flœʃ/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Audio(Canada):

  (file)

Noun

flushm(pluralflushs)

1. (poker)flush

   Synonym:couleur

2. (anglicism)flush(reddening of the face)
3. (anglicism,information technology)emptyingof thecache

Derived terms

• quinte flush

Derived terms

• flusher

Portuguese

Etymology

Unadapted borrowingfromEnglishflush.

Noun

flushm(pluralflushes)

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