I. ˈfləsh verb
( -ed/-ing/-es )
Etymology: Middle English flusshen, perhaps of imitative origin
intransitive verb
1.
a. of a bird : to take to wing suddenly : fly up (as from a place of concealment)
b. obsolete , of persons : to rush abroad or swarm together like a flock of birds
2. : to cause a bird to flush
transitive verb
: to cause (a bird) to flush : put up (as a game bird)
II. noun
( -es )
1. : a flight of flushed birds
2. : the act of flushing birds
III. noun
( -es )
Etymology: Middle English floshe — more at flodge
dialect Britain : a low swampy place : a pool of standing water (as in a road)
IV. noun
( -es )
Etymology: perhaps alteration (influenced by flush ) (I) of flux (I)
1.
a. : a sudden flow (as of water) : a rush of liquid that fills or overflows whether naturally occurring or produced for a particular purpose
the dam burst and sent a great flush of water scouring down the valley
a flush of blood brightened her cheeks
b. : a cleansing or rinsing with or as if with water
give the pot a flush with boiling water before making the tea
2. : a sudden increase or expansion: as
a. : a sudden and usually abundant growth of vegetation
the spring flush of grass
or of a particular plant part
a second flush of bloom
sometimes : a tender young shoot (as of a tea plant)
b. : a sharp increase in milk production (as when cattle are first put out on good pasture)
c. : a sudden flood or rush of emotion
a quick flush of anger
: thrill
3.
a. : a tinge of red or ruddy light or color (as produced on the cheeks by a sudden rush of blood)
the healthy flush of the child's face
the flush brightening a perfectly ripe peach
b. : a glowing, vigorous, or fresh state or quality
a flush of youthful ardor
the first flush of success
4. : a transitory attack or sensation of extreme heat (as in response to certain drugs or in certain physiological states)
harassed by the flushes natural to a woman of her age
5. : a feed (as molasses or milk) used to stimulate the intestinal motility of domestic animals (as poultry)
V. verb
( -ed/-ing/-es )
intransitive verb
1. : to flow and spread suddenly and freely : rush
the tide flushed through the narrow inlet
as the blood flushes back to the extremities
2.
a. : to glow suddenly, brightly, or with rich or ruddy color
dawn was already flushing beyond the line of hills
the aurora flushed far into the sky
b. : to become suddenly suffused (as with color) ; especially : blush
flushed hotly and denied everything
3. of plants : to start into growth : throw out shoots
4. : to operate a placer mine where the continuous supply of water is insufficient by holding back water and releasing it periodically in a flood — compare booming
5. of sheep : to come into breeding condition
transitive verb
1.
a. : to cause (as water) to flow
flushed the water away
b. : to pour or cause water or other liquid to pour over or through (as a surface or a channel)
flushing the meadow in the early fall
flush the teapot with boiling water
usually : to cleanse or wash out by means of a rush of liquid
flush the stable floor with a hose
flush the toilet
2. : to fill with or inflame by : excite , animate — now usually used passively
flushed with pride at his son's success
flushed by a few minor successes
3. : to make suddenly or temporarily red, rosy, or glowing as if suffused with blood or flooded with color : cause to blush
the story flushed her cheeks with shame
4. : to prepare (sheep) for breeding by improving the ration for a time before turning the rams and ewes together
5. : to transfer (pigment) directly from a water slurry to a dispersion in an oil or resinous base
VI. adjective
( -er/-est )
1.
a. : filled to overflowing
streams flush with the spring runoff
b. : fully or generously supplied usually with money : affluent
particularly flush this week
2.
a. archaic : full of life and vigor : lusty , spirited ; sometimes : self-confident and assured
b. : of a ruddy or healthy color : flushed
3.
a. of money or credit : readily available : abundant
money is so flush just now that the poorest trash is bid up to ridiculous levels at the auctions
b. : prodigal or lavish especially in expenditure
so flush you might buy your sister a trinket
4.
a. : having or forming a continuous plane or unbroken surface
flush paneling under the windows
the river is flush with its banks
also of a boat : having a flush deck
b. : directly abutting on or immediately adjacent to
the windows of the overhang were flush with the street
as
(1) of printed matter : set even with an edge or especially with the left edge of a type page or column : having no indention
(2) of a cut : trimmed to bleed the printing surface
(3) of a book cover : trimmed even with the leaves
(4) : arranged edge to edge so as to fit snugly
be sure that the door is flush with the casing
flush wallpaper
5. of a blow : precisely delivered : accurate , direct
floored his opponent with flush shots to the chin
Synonyms: see level
VII. adverb
Etymology: flush (VI)
: without interruption: as
a. : straight , squarely
caught his opponent flush on the chin
went flush from school into politics
the door came flush with the threshold
b. : with a flush edge, cover, margin, or joining
a line set flush
books cut flush
the timber butted flush with the masonry
VIII. verb
( -ed/-ing/-es )
Etymology: flush (VI)
transitive verb
: to make, set, or trim flush
flush all exposed joints in the wall
often desirable to flush a mounted stereotype
flush all headings on the next three pages
intransitive verb
: float 6
IX. noun
( -es )
Etymology: Middle French flus, fluz, from Latin fluxus flow — more at flux
1. : a hand of playing cards all of the same suit: as
a. : a poker hand with all five cards of the same suit but not in sequence — see straight flush; poker illustration
b. : the five highest cards of the trump suit in pinochle scoring 150 points when melded
2. or flush gate : a series of three or more slalom gates set vertically on a slope
X. adjective
Etymology: probably alteration of fledge (I)
archaic : fledged
XI. intransitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-es )
Etymology: perhaps irregular of frush (II)
1. of a stone in a wall : to break away at the edges through excess loading
2. of mortar : to become forced out to or from the joints through pressure