• IPA: /ˈflʌʃ/

flush (plural flushes)

1. A group of birds that have suddenly started up from undergrowth, trees etc.
   • 1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, V.2:

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

flush (flushes, present participle flushing; past and past participle flushed)

1. (transitive) To cause to take flight from concealment.

   The hunters flushed the tiger from the canebrake.

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

   A covey of quail flushed from the undergrowth.

   • flushing from one spray unto another

• French: lever, faire sortir
• Italian: stanare, scovare

• Italian: prendere il volo, levarsi in volo, volare via

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.
4. Full of vigour; fresh; glowing; bright.
   • c. 1599–1602, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act III, scene iii]:

     With all his crimes broad blown, as flush as May.

5. Affluent; abounding; well furnished or suppled; hence, liberal; prodigal.

   • Lord Strut was not very flush in ready.

• (typography) double-clean, flush left and right, forced, forced justified, force justified, justified

• French: de niveau, aligné
• German: bündig
• Italian: liscio, livellato, allineato
• Spanish: plano, alineado

• French: en fonds, riche
• Spanish: rico

flush (plural flushes)

1. A sudden flowing; a rush which fills or overflows, as of water for cleansing purposes.

   • in manner of a wave or flush

2. Particularly, such a cleansing of a toilet.
3. A suffusion of the face with blood, as from fear, shame, modesty, or intensity of feeling of any kind; a blush; a glow.
   • RQ

     the flush of anger'd shame

4. 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

5. A sudden flood or rush of feeling; a thrill of excitement, animation, etc.

   a flush of joy

• German: Spülen, Spülung
• Italian: flusso, scarico, risciacquo

• French: chasse d'eau
• German: Spülen, Spülung, Wasserspülung
• Italian: sciacquone
• Portuguese: descarga

• German: Rotwerden, Erröten, Errötung, Röte
• Italian: arrossimento
• Spanish: chapeta (on the cheeks)

• German: Röte
• Italian: arrossamento
• Spanish: sonrojo

• German: Wallung, Aufwallung
• Italian: traboccamento

flush (flushes, present participle flushing; 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.

   • Nor flush with shame the passing virgin's cheek.

   • 1819, John Keats, “The Eve of St. Agnes”, in Lamia, Isabella, the Eve of St. Agnes, and Other Poems, London: Printed [by Thomas Davison] for Taylor and Hessey, […], published 1820, OCLC 927360557 ↗, stanza XVI, page 91 ↗:

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

   • 1925, Fruit of the Flower, by Countee Cullen

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

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

   to flush the meadows

6. (transitive) To excite, inflame.

   • 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) of its contents.
9. To flow and spread suddenly; to rush.

   Blood flushes into the face.

   • the flushing noise of many waters

10. To show red; to shine suddenly; to glow.
    • 1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. A Poem Written in Ten Books, London: Printed [by Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […] [a]nd by Robert Boulter […] [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], OCLC 228722708 ↗; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: The Text Exactly Reproduced from the First Edition of 1667: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, OCLC 230729554 ↗:

      In her cheek, distemper flushing glowed.

11. (masonry) To fill in (joints); to point the level; to make them flush.
12. (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.
13. (mining) To fill underground spaces, especially in coal mines, with material carried by water, which, after drainage, constitutes a compact mass.
14. (intransitive, transitive) To dispose or be disposed of by flushing down a toilet

• (turn red with embarrassment) blush

• French: laver à grande eau
• German: spülen, ausspülen, kräftig spülen
• Italian: irrorare
• Russian: смыва́ть

• French: tirer la chasse d'eau
• German: spülen, durchspülen, kräftig spülen
• Italian: tirare lo sciacquone
• Portuguese: dar descarga, puxar descarga
• Russian: смыва́ть

• French: rougir
• German: erröten, rot werden
• Italian: arrossire

• German: rot werden lassen, erröten lassen
• Italian: arrossire

• German: überfluten, mit Wasser überspülen
• Italian: allagare, inondare, sommergere

• German: in Wallung bringen
• Italian: stuzzicare, eccitare, infiammare, solleticare, sfruculiare

• German: kräftig durchspülen
• Italian: tirare lo sciacquone

• German: völlig entleeren
• Italian: svuotare, ripulire

• German: strömen, rauschen
• Italian: rifluire, fluire

• German: erglühen
• Italian: infiammare

• German: hineinspülen
• Italian: riempire, colmare

flush (plural flushes)

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

• French: flush, couleur
• German: Flush
• Italian: colore
• Portuguese: flush
• Spanish: flor, color, flux