Definition of "flush"

flush¹

/ˈflʌʃ/

noun
plural flushes
1. A group of birds that have suddenly started up from undergrowth, trees, etc.
  Quotations
  As when a Faulcon hath with nimble flight / Flowne at a flush of Ducks foreby the brooke […].
  1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book V, Canto II”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie
verb
third-person singular simple present flushes, present participle flushing, simple past and past participle flushed
1. (transitive) To cause to take flight from concealment.
2. (intransitive) To take suddenly to flight, especially from cover.
  Quotations
  But then as little VVrens but nevvly fledge, / […] / His fellovv noting his agilitie, / Thinkes he as vvell may venter as the other, / So fluſhing from one ſpray vnto another, / Gets to the top, and then enbold'ned flies, / Vnto an height paſt ken of humane eyes: […]
  1613, William Browne, “The Fourth Song”, in Britannia’s Pastorals. The First Booke, London: […] Iohn Haviland, published 1625, page 83
  The birds seem to lie very close and must be nearly stepped on before they will flush.
  1926, Arthur Cleveland Bent, Life Histories of North American Birds: Marsh Birds, page 336
  AWACS is survivable due to its ability to flush on 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.
  1972, United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Appropriations. Subcommittee on Department of Defense, Department of Defense Appropriations for Fiscal Year 1973, page 460

flush²

/ˈflʌʃ/

adjective
comparative flusher, superlative flushest
1. Smooth, even, aligned; not sticking out.
2. Wealthy or well off.
  Quotations
  In 1952, Fawcett Books was flush with the unprecedented success of Women's Barracks.
  2001, Susan Stryker, Queer Pulp, page 54
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.
  Quotations
  With all his crimes broad blown, as flush as May.
  c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act III, scene iii]
5. Affluent; abounding; well furnished or suppled; hence, liberal; prodigal.
  Quotations
  [H]e vvas not fluſh in Ready [i.e., ready money], either to go to Lavv or clear old Debts, neither could he find good Bail: […]
  1712, Humphry Polesworth [pseudonym; John Arbuthnot], “A Copy of Bull and Frog’s Letter to Lord Strutt”, in Law is a Bottomless-Pit. […], London: […] John Morphew, […], page 8
adverb
not comparable
1. Suddenly and completely.

flush³

/ˈflʌʃ/

noun
plural flushes
1. A sudden flowing; a rush which fills or overflows, as of water for cleansing purposes.
  Quotations
  in manner of a wave or flush
  1691, John Ray, The Wisdom of God Manifested in the Works of the Creation. […], London: […] Samuel Smith, […]
2. Particularly, such a cleansing of a toilet.
3. (computing) The process of clearing the contents of a buffer or cache.
4. A suffusion of the face with blood, as from fear, shame, modesty, or intensity of feeling of any kind; a blush; a glow.
  Quotations
  When I would kiss thy hand, / The flush of anger'd shame / O'erflows thy calmer glances, / And o'er black brows drops down / A sudden-curved frown: […]
  1830 June, Alfred Tennyson, “Madeline”, in Poems. […], volume I, London: Edward Moxon, […], published 1842, page 18
5. Any tinge of red colour like that produced on the cheeks by a sudden rush of blood.
6. A sudden flood or rush of feeling; a thrill of excitement, animation, etc.
7. (skiing) A line of poles or obstacles that a skier must weave between.
verb
third-person singular simple present flushes, present participle flushing, simple past and past participle flushed
1. (transitive) To cleanse by flooding with generous quantities of a fluid.
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.
  Quotations
  She turned, laughing at the surprise, and flushing with pleasure.
  1872, “The Argosy. Edited by Mrs. Henry Wood. Volume XIV. July to December, 1872”, in Google‎, London, page 60
4. (transitive) To cause to blush.
  Quotations
  Nor flush with shame the passing virgin's cheek.
  , [John] Gay, “(please specify the page number(s))”, in Trivia: Or, The Art of Walking the Streets of London, London: […] Bernard Lintott, […]
  Sudden a thought came like a full-blown rose, / Flushing his brow, [...]
  1819, John Keats, “The Eve of St. Agnes”, in Lamia, Isabella, the Eve of St. Agnes, and Other Poems, London: […] [Thomas Davison] for Taylor and Hessey, […], published 1820, stanza XVI, page 91
  "Who plants a seed begets a bud, -- Extract of that same root; -- Why marvel at the hectic blood -- That flushes this wild fruit?"
  1925, Countee Cullen, Fruit of the Flower
5. To cause to be full; to flood; to overflow; to overwhelm with water.
6. (transitive) To excite, inflame.
  Quotations
  such things as can only feed his pride and flush his ambition
  1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, 6th edition, volumes (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: […] J[ames] Bettenham, for Jonah Bowyer, […], published 1727
7. (intransitive, of a toilet) To be cleansed by being flooded with generous quantities of water.
8. (transitive, computing) To clear (a buffer or cache) of its contents.
9. (transitive, computing, of data held in a buffer or cache) To write (the data) to primary storage, clearing it from the buffer or cache.
10. To flow and spread suddenly; to rush.
  Quotations
  the flushing noise of many waters
  1545, John Bale, The Image of Both Churches
11. To show red; to shine suddenly; to glow.
  Quotations
  In her cheek, distemper flushing glowed.
  1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […]; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873,
12. (masonry) To fill in (joints); to point the level; to make them flush.
13. (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.
14. (mining) To fill underground spaces, especially in coal mines, with material carried by water, which, after drainage, constitutes a compact mass.
15. (intransitive, transitive) To dispose or be disposed of by flushing down a toilet

flush⁴

/ˈflʌʃ/

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

Definition of "flush"

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flush3

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flush4

noun

flush¹

flush²

flush³

flush⁴