1 [no object] (of a person’s skin, face, etc.) become red and hot, typically as the result of illness or strong emotion:Rachel flushed angrily
[with object] make red and hot:a wave of colour flushed his cheeks
glow or cause to glow with warm colour or light: [with object]:the sky was flushed with the gold of dawn
2 [with object] cleanse (something, especially a toilet) by causing large quantities of water to pass through it:she flushed the loothe nurse flushed out the catheter
[no object] (of a toilet) be cleansed by flushing:Cally heard the toilet flush
[with object and adverbial of direction] remove or dispose of (an object or substance) by flushing:I flushed the pills down the lavatorythe kidneys require more water to flush out waste products
[with object and adverbial of direction] cause (a liquid) to flow through something:0.3 ml of saline is gently flushed through the tube
3 [with object and adverbial of direction] drive (a bird, especially a game bird, or an animal) from its cover:the grouse were flushed from the woods
cause to be revealed; force into the open:they’re trying to flush him out of hiding
4 [no object] (of a plant) send out fresh shoots:the plant had started to flush by late March
noun
1a reddening of the face, skin, etc., typically caused by illness or strong emotion:a flush of embarrassment rose to her cheeks
an area of warm colour or light:the bird has a pinkish flush on the breast
2 [in singular] a sudden rush of intense emotion:I was carried away in a flush of enthusiasm
a period when something is new or particularly fresh and vigorous:he is no longer in the first flush of youth
a sudden abundance or spate of something:the frogs feast on the great flush of insects
a fresh growth of leaves, flowers, or fruit.
3an act of cleansing something, especially a toilet, with a sudden flow of water:an old-fashioned toilet uses six or seven gallons a flush
the device used for flushing a toilet:he pressed the flush absent-mindedly
[as modifier] denoting a type of toilet that has a flushing device.
a sudden flow:the melting snow provides a flush of water
4the action of driving an animal or game bird from its cover:labradors retrieve the birds after the flush
Derivatives
flushable
adjective
flusher
noun
Origin:
Middle English (in the sense 'move rapidly, spring up', especially of a bird 'fly up suddenly'): symbolic, fl- frequently beginning words connected with sudden movement; perhaps influenced by flash1 and blush
