flush Definition

flush¹
verb flushes, flushed, flushing

usually intr
1. To blush or make someone blush or go red.

Thesaurus: redden, blush, colour; Antonym: pale.
2. To clean out (especially a lavatory pan) with a rush of water, usually by operating a handle, pressing a button, etc.

noun flushes

1. A redness or rosiness, especially of the cheeks or face; a blush.
2. A rush of water that cleans a lavatory pan, or the mechanism that controls it.
3. High spirits.

Example: in the first flush of enthusiasm
4. Freshness; bloom; vigour.

Example: the flush of youth

Derivative: flushed
adj

Suffused with a rosy colour; excited or elated.

Idiom: be flushed with pride,

To be visibly affected by it, eg by blushing.

Etymology: 16c: possibly influenced by flash, blush and flush⁴.

Phrasal Verb: flush something away

To wash it down the lavatory.

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flush²
adj

1. Level or even with an adjacent surface.

Form: flush with something (often)
2. colloq
Having plenty of money
Example: Are you flush this week?
Thesaurus: prosperous, rich, wealthy, moneyed, well-off, affluent, well-to-do, prodigal.
3. Abundant or plentiful.

Thesaurus: abundant, overflowing, lavish, plentiful
4. Full to the brim.

adverb

1. So as to be level with an adjacent surface.

Example: fixed it flush with the wall

verb flushes, flushed, flushing

1. To make something level with adjacent surfaces.
2. To fill up to the level of a surface.

Form: flush something up (often)

Etymology: 17c: perhaps from flush¹.

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flush³
noun

flushes
1. cards.
A hand made up of cards from a single suit.

Etymology: 16c: from Latin fluxus flow, influenced by flush¹.

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flush⁴
verb

flushes, flushed, flushing
1. hunting.
To startle (game birds) so that they rise from the ground.

Etymology: 13c: probably imitating the sound.

Phrasal Verb: flush someone or something out

To drive them out of a hiding-place.