| 释义 |
▪ I. flush, n.1|flʌʃ|
[f. flush v.1]
A flight of birds suddenly started up. Also transf.
1596Spenser F.Q. v. ii. 54 When a Falcon hath..Flowne at a flush of ducks. 1668H. More Div. Dial. ii. x. (1713) 118 When one shoots at a flock of Pigeons or a flush of Ducks. 1868Kinglake Crimea (1877) III. i. 146 A body which might almost be called a mere flush of skirmishers.
▪ II. flush, n.2|flʌʃ|
[f. flush v.2]
†1. A pool or puddle. Obs.
1375Barbour Bruce xiii. 20 The battale thair so felloune was And sua richt gret spilling of blud, That on the erd the fluss it stud. 1513Douglas æneis vii. Prol. 54 Every hieway Full of fluschis, doubbis, myre and clay.
2. a. A sudden increase in the volume of a stream; a rush of water coming down suddenly, or let down for a specific purpose.
1529More Dyaloge iii. Wks. 245/2 It woulde happely be thought not a thyng metely to be aduentured to set all on a flushe at ones, and dashe rashelye out holye scrypture in euerye lewde felowes teeth. 1677A. Yarranton Engl. Improv. 189 By making three Holds for water in the River..to be let down as flushes in dry times. 1691Ray Creation ii. (1704) 316 The pulsation of the heart, driving the blood through them in manner of a wave or flush. 1850Netherway Suggest. Drainage Lond. 18 By a small reservoir, and letting it off by sluices..a sufficient flush would be obtained. 1854Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. XV. i. 13 Cattle driven by a flush of water to some isolated spot of ground. 1870Illustr. Lond. News 24 Sept. 319 Owing to..the want of a good flush of water, few of them [trout] were taken.
b. A sudden plentiful increase or abundance of anything. Also, rarely, † the mass, great majority.
1592G. Harvey Four Lett. Ep. Ded. Wks. (Grosart) I. 156 In such a flush of notable good fellowes. 1617Crt. & Times Jas. I (1849) II. 7 When upon such a flush we are already come to so low an ebb. a1626Bacon Certificate of Mint Wks. 1740 I. App. 63 The great flush of gold that is come into the Mint since the proclamation. a1679T. Goodwin Wks. II. iii. 112 The shoal and the flush of Mankind. 1738[G. Smith] Curious Relat. II. 311 When they had given their Folly a sudden Flush. 1823Blackw. Mag. XIV. 507 The last flush of passengers is seen in the streets.
c. The stream from a mill-wheel.
a1825in Forby Voc. E. Anglia. 1892Longm. Mag. Nov. 87 Nets so placed as to intercept them as they pass through mill flushes.
d. Coal-mining. (See quot.)
1883Gresley Gloss. Coal Mining, Flush, a small quantity of ignited fire-damp.
3. A rush of emotion or passion; elation or excitement arising from this, or from success, victory, etc. Phr. in the (first, full) flush.
1614Raleigh Hist. World iii. 17 Unreasonable flushes of proud and vaine joy. 1692R. L'Estrange Fables ccccxliii, Never had any Man such a Loss..cries a Widdower, in the Flush of his Extravagancies for a Dead Wife. 1829Lytton Devereux ii. vii, In the full flush of his..restless schemes. 1843Lever J. Hinton xxii, A momentary flush of passionate indignation. 1850Merivale Rom. Emp. (1865) I. i. 40 The plunder of all Italy..was too tempting to be relinquished in the first flush of victory. 1867Parkman Jesuits N. Amer. xvii. (1875) 241 The Confederates at this time were in a flush of unparalleled audacity.
4. A sudden shooting up; a fresh growth (of grass, leaves, or flowers). Also in full flush.
1773Steevens in Shaks. Wks. Note on Lear iv. vi. 124 A horse..turned out in the spring to take the first flush of grass. 1803Trans. Soc. Encourag. Arts XXI. 120 The showers in July..bringing up a new flush of annuals. 1844Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. V. i. 49 The general flush of grass..comes on generally late in April. 1882Garden 11 Mar. 169/2 Avoid producing a too vigorous flush of vine. 1893Cornh. Mag. Nov. 534 Brown coolies are picking the young shoots, now in full ‘flush’ after a heavy shower.
5. The act of cleansing (a drain) by flushing.
1883Pall Mall G. 21 Nov. 4/2 The quantity for a flush is two gallons.
6. a. A glow of light or colour, esp. the reddening in the face caused by a rush of blood; also, the rush of blood itself.
1630J. Taylor (Water P.) Praise Cleane Linnen Wks. ii. 1691 When bright Phœbus..roabes the welkin with a purple flush. 1706Phillips (ed. Kersey), Flush, a Red Colour in the Face. 1803Med. Jrnl. X. 552 Periodical hectic flushes. 1832H. Martineau Hill & Valley iv. 55 I see a fiery flush..which I suppose comes from some iron⁓work near. 1860Tyndall Glac. i. xviii. 131 A warm flush ran through me. 1865Dickens Mut. Fr. iv. xvi. 299 ‘It belongs to me’, returned the little creature, with a quick flush of her face and neck. 1873Black Pr. Thule xxiv. 405 Along the west..lay a great flush of gold.
fig.1851Carlyle Sterling i. iii. (1872) 13 Sudden flights to Dublin, to London, whithersoever any flush of bright outlook..allured him.
b. A hot fit in a fever.
1858O. W. Holmes Aut. Breakf.-t. x. 99 The throbbing flushes of the poetical intermittent. 1869Lonsdale Gloss., Flush, the hot stage of a fever.
7. Glow, freshness, vigour (of beauty, health, life).
1735Somerville Chase iii. 449 The Flush of Beauty in their Cheeks. 1826Disraeli Viv. Grey v. x, Meeting death in the very flush of life. 1856Masson Ess. v. 166 Swift.. in the full flush of his new popularity..visited England. 1874M. E. Braddon Taken at Flood ii, It was in the very flush of summer.
8. a. Comb., as flush-box, flush-pot, flush-tank, flush-vent; flush-wheel (see quot. 1874).
1884Knight Dict. Mech. IV. 350/2 *Flush Box, a cistern for especial use in dwellings where the supply of water is intermittent.
1884G. E. Waring in Century Mag. Dec. 264/2 The outlet of the *flush-pot is closed with a plug.
Ibid. 255/1 House drainage..begins at the sewer, or *flush-tank.
1884Health Exhib. Catal. 60/2 Owen's Patent Single *Flushvent.
1874Knight Dict. Mech. I. 892/1 *Flush-wheel, a wheel used in raising water for draining.
b. Of a lavatory, its plumbing, etc., as flush toilet. Also occas. ellipt. Cf. flush v.2 3, flush-box, -tank.
1908Sears, Roebuck Catal. 604/1 The closet..is furnished with a positive flush valve. Ibid. 605/3 China push button flush in front of tank. 1950Ann. Rep. Smithsonian Inst. 1949 220 Flush toilets, bathing and laundry, street cleaning, and fire protection require an average of about 40 to 75 gallons per day per capita. 1961L. Mumford City in Hist. viii. 216 Flush toilets both wasted potential fertilizer and polluted the streams. 1965G. McInnes Road to Gundagai iii. 38 We were lucky to have arrived after the installation of ‘the flush’. 1967Guardian 28 Apr. 4/6 A notable change from chemical to flush lavatories, both inside and outside caravans. 1967Gloss. Sanitation Terms (B.S.I.) 60 Flush valve (flushing valve), a valve, for controlling the flushing of a W.C. pan.
▪ III. flush, n.3 Cards.|flʌʃ|
[proximate source uncertain; F. has flux, flus from 15th c., Sp. flux (prob. from F., as the native form would be fluxo, mod. flujo), Flem. (16th c.) fluys (from Fr.); Florio 1611 gives It. flusso in the same sense (now obs.).
The F. and It. words appear to be merely special uses of the words in those langs. repr. L. fluxus flow, flux (for the sense in cardplaying cf. run). The Eng. word prob. owes its form to association with flush n.2]
1. A hand consisting of cards all of one suit, or including a prescribed number all of one suit.
a1529Skelton Sp. Parrot 424 He facithe owte at a fflusshe, with, shewe, take all! 1599Minsheu Span. Dial. 38/2 The Queene of Diamonds with which I made the last flush. a1618J. Davies Wittes Pilgr. Wks. (Grosart) 31/1 Your Prim's far inferior to their Flush. 1785in Archæologia VIII. 132 If they [cards] are all of the same colour, he wins the flush. 1836–9Dickens Sk. Boz (1850) 187/1 A flush!—that's good for four. 1891Punch 26 Dec. 305/1, I guess there's a straight flush against me.
†2. A certain game at cards. Obs.—0
1598Florio, Flussata, a play at cardes called Flush.
▪ IV. flush, a.1|flʌʃ|
[? f. flush v.1]
1. a. Abundantly full. In later use chiefly of a stream, etc.: Full to overflowing, swollen, in flood.
1607Shakes. Timon v. iv. 8 Now the time is flush. 1647H. More Poems 333 Her [the Moon's] hollow horns fill'd up with flusher light. 1697W. Dampier Voy. I. 393 Small Brooks of fresh Water, that run flush into the Sea for 10 months in the year. 1826Disraeli Viv. Grey iii. vi, In the flush moment of joy. 1841Hartshorne Salop. Antiq. Gloss. s.v., ‘The Sivirn's pretty flush’. 1872Browning Fifine lxxxviii, Unchoked, the channel's flush.
†b. ? ‘Up to the mark’, perfect, faultless. Obs.
c1550Wever Lusty Juventus ciij, I could so beare the busshe That al shuld be flusshe. That euer I dyd.
2. Full of life or spirit, lively, lusty, vigorous. Hence, Self-confident, self-conceited. Now rare.
1604Shakes. Ham. (Qo. 2) iii. iii. 81 A tooke my father..With all his crimes broad blowne, as flush [Ff. fresh] as May. 1606― Ant. & Cl. i. iv. 52 Many hot inrodes They make in Italy, the Borders Maritime Lacke blood to thinke on't, and flush youth reuolt. 1611Coryat's Crudities Panegyricke Verses C iv b, He had a kind of simple blush That kept him still from being flush, When Ladies did him woe. a1680Charnock Attrib. God (1834) II. 569 Not as flush and gay..as others. a1690E. Hopkins Exp. Lord's Prayer, etc. (1692) 297 The practice of some flush Notionists. 1767H. Brooke Fool of Qual. (1792) I. iv. 143 Both appeared quite flush and confident of victory. 1826J. Wilson Noct. Ambr. Wks. I. 5 The flush maiden, the rosy elf. 1894Hardy Life's Little Ironies, Trag. Two Ambitions 84 Her bright eyes, brown hair..and flush beauty.
3. a. Plentifully supplied (esp. with money). Const. of, († in, † with.) Of money: Abundant, plentiful.
1603Dekker Batch. Banq. viii. G ij a, Some dames..are more flush in crownes then her good man. 1637Heywood King & Loyal Subject iii. Wks. 1874 VI. 45 So flush of money, and so bare in clothes. 1662Dryden Wild Gallant ii. i, Since you are so flush, Sir, you shall give me a Locket of Diamonds. 1667Waterhouse Fire Lond. 28 Monies being not so flush with them. 1712Arbuthnot John Bull i. iii, He was not flush in ready, either to go to law, or clear old debts. 1727Philip Quarll 81 Ill Language, of which they generally are flush, when Money is scant. 1767S. Paterson Another Trav. I. 235 While they were flush with money. 1793T. Jefferson Writ. (1830) IV. 482 Money being so flush, the six per cents run up to twenty-one, and twenty-two shillings. 1838Dickens Nich. Nick. xiv, The first floor lodgers, being flush of furniture, kept an old mahogany table..on the landing-place outside. 1871M. Collins Mrq. & Merch. II. ix. 269 Tom..is always very flush or very hard up.
b. dial. Lavish, profuse.
1703Thoresby Let. to Ray (E.D.S.), Flush, full-handed, prodigal, wasteful. 1859Geo. Eliot A. Bede 6 ‘When y'are six-an'-forty..ye wonna be so flush o' working for nought.’ 1884Chesh. Gloss., Flush, lavish.
c. Of times: Prosperous.
1840W. Irving Life & Lett. (1866) III. 153 If times ever again come smooth and flush with me. 1847Disraeli Tancred iii. vi, Everything being thus in a state of flush and affluent prosperity. 1888Daily News 17 Dec. 2/8 The output probably is greater now than it was during the best of the ‘flush’ times which preceded the long depression.
4. Of a high colour; blushing, ruddy; flushed.
1594Drayton Idea 107 Thy Cheeke, now flush with Roses. 1817Keats Let. Nov., Wks. 1889 III. 97 Jane looked very flush when I first looked in, but was much better when I left. 1821― Isabel xxvii, Sick and wan The brothers' faces..did seem, Lorenzo's flush with love.
5. a. Even, level, in the same plane (whether horizontal or vertical) with (dial. by). [? Orig. of a river or stream running full (cf. sense 1), and so level with its banks: see quot. 1877. Cf. ]
1791Bentham Panopt. i. 172 Why..place it [the building] in a recess, rather than close to the road, and flush with the surrounding wall? 1831Brewster Nat. Magic xi. (1833) 285 He observed the edge of a pin flush with the edge of the receptacle. 1874J. T. Moggridge Ants & Spiders ii. 91 The entire door does not shut flush with the surface. 1877N.W. Linc. Gloss. s.v., ‘Watter was flush by th' bank top.’
b. Even or level with the adjacent surface. Also absol.
bead and flush work, etc. (see quot. 1846). flush work: (a) Jewellery: work in which the stones are level or nearly level with the setting; (b) Bookbinding: work in which the edges of the binding and leaves are cut level.
1799A. Young Agric. Lincoln. 30 Two inch six-panel bead and flush. 1823P. Nicholson Pract. Build. 160 The parallel faces of both are made flush, and..appear almost like one single piece. 1842Gwilt Archit. §2131 The panels are surrounded with a bead formed on the edge of the framing, and the work is called bead and flush. 1846Buchanan Techn. Dict., Bead and flush work, a piece of framed work with beads run on each edge of the inclined panel. Bead, flush, and square work, framing with bead and flush on one side, and square on the other. 1850Chubb's Locks & Keys 32 The bellies of the tumblers in Mr. Chubb's lock were always flush, or in the same plane. 1869E. J. Reed Shipbuild. x. 180 The edges of the strakes of plating were fitted against one another, and the flush-joints thus formed were covered by internal edge-strips. 1883W. C. Russell Sailors' Lang., Flush-up, said of a cargo that comes up to a level with the hatches. 1884B'ham Daily Post 23 Feb. 3/4 Jeweller's Setter.—Wanted, a good Hand, used to flush work. 1885Spons' Mech. Own Bk. 379 When it [sc. a piece of copebead stuff] lies close in the cheek, and also close at the mitres, it receives a little glue, and is nailed on with 3/4-in. fine brads, 3 or 4 to each. These are punched below the flush. 1885J. Grant Royal Highlanders iii. 32 The original castle..starts flush from the edge of the rock. 1892Pall Mall G. 13 Jan. 2/3 Flush work, which is the elementary work of our trade [bookbinding]. 1937[see bead n. 6 a].
c. Of a vessel's deck: Continued on one level from stem to stern. Also flush fore and aft.
1626Capt. Smith Accid. Yng. Sea-men 11 A flush decke. 1772–84Cook Voy. (1790) VI. 2216 The decks, fore and aft, being finished flush, had no covering for men or officers. 1840R. H. Dana Bef. Mast. xxii. 66 Her decks were..flush fore and aft. 1933Jane's Fighting Ships 527 Note raised C.T. [conning tower] and flush deck forward. 1940Illustr. London News CXCVII. 359 (caption) The structure of an American ‘flush-deck’ destroyer, typical of the 50 transferred to Great Britain.
d. Of a vessel: Having no erection above the flush deck.
1800Naval Chron. III. 294 The Danae is a flush vessel; the Captain's cabin is therefore below. 1833Marryat P. Simple (1863) 261, I recollect faring harder than this through one cruise, in a flush vessel.
e. Typogr. Not indented or protruding.
1900H. Hart Cent. Typogr. 139/2 The ascending letters are cut flush at the top of the body. 1961T. Landau Encycl. Librarianship (ed. 2) 144/1 Flush, ‘even with’, i.e. the left margin.
6. Pugilism. Of a blow: Direct, full on the mark, ‘straight from the shoulder’.
1812Sporting Mag. XXXIX. 18 He planted some dextrous flush hits. 1826H. N. Coleridge West Indies 161 Audain..knocked him down with a flush hit on the nose.
7. Comb., in parasynthetic adjs. as (sense 1 b), flush-coloured; (sense 4 c), flush-decked, flush-jointed, flush-plated. flush-binder, one who cuts the pages of a book flush with the cover; so flush hand; flush-decker, a flush-decked ship; flush ring (see quot. 19671).
1881Instr. Census Clerks (1885) Index, *Flush binder. 1902Daily Chron. 28 Apr. 11/4 Flush Binders wanted, used to piece work. 1921Dict. Occup. Terms (1927) §532 Binder, flush; glues up books and affixes boards;..cuts book flush with edge of cover at top, bottom and fore-edge, by hand or power-operated guillotine.
1748Richardson Clarissa (1811) VI. xlii. 159 Lying upon a couch..bloated and *flush-coloured.
1883J. D. J. Kelly in Harper's Mag. Aug. 450/2 The *flush-decked..well⁓ventilated deep boat.
1937Jane's Fighting Ships 505 United States..boats by various yards (*Flush Deckers). 1957Ibid. 285 In 1953–54 were modernised by Canada for submarine warfare and converted to flush-deckers.
1904Daily Chron. 12 Jan. 10/6 *Flush Hands wanted.
1869E. J. Reed Shipbuild. x. 180 In all succeeding arrangements, the butts of the plates were *flush-jointed.
Ibid., x. 185 The unprotected parts of the later iron-clads above the armour-belts are *flush-plated.
1961Webster, *Flush ring. 1967Gloss. Terms Builders' Hardware (B.S.I.) iv. 13 Flush ring, a flush handle consisting of a metal ring lying in a circular recess in a mounting plate. Ibid. iii. 8 Flush ring catch (showcase catch), a flush fitting catch having a spring bolt withdrawn by lifting a ring shaped handle from a recess in the body of the catch.
▪ V. flush, a.2 Cards.|flʌʃ|
[f. flush n.3]
1.
†a. Of a player: Holding a flush, i.e. cards all of the same colour or suit (obs.).
b. Of a hand or sequence: Forming or including a flush.
a.1591Florio Sec. Fruites 71, I was neither flush nor fiue and fiftie yet. a1612Harington Epigr. ii. 99 Crassus stopt a Club and so was flush.
b.1883Longm. Mag. Sept. 499 A flush sequence..a sequence of high cards all of the same suit.
2. transf. (nonce-use). Of corresponding quality throughout.
a1658Cleveland Young Man to Old Woman 33, I love to wear Clothes that are flush, Not prefacing old Rags with Plush.
▪ VI. flush, a.3 Obs. exc. dial.|flʌʃ|
[Of obscure etymology; perh. an altered form of *fludge, a possible dialectal representative of OE. flycᵹe fledge a. (cf. cudgel from OE. cycᵹel; the form may be due to the influence of next vb.]
= fledge a.
1561Hoby tr. Castiglione's Courtyer (1577) X viij b, Such as come to this loue are like yong Birdes almost flushe. 1599A. M. tr. Gabelhouer's Bk. Physicke 80/2 When as they [swollowes] are fetherede, and allmost flushe. 1622Mabbe tr. Aleman's Guzman D'Alf. i. iii. ii. 196 Then are they..like birds that are flush, to forsake the nest. 1825Britton Beaut. Wiltsh. III. 373 Flush, fledged.
▪ VII. flush, v.1|flʌʃ|
[perh. onomatopœic; with initial fl- suggested by fly, flutter, etc., and an ending imitative of the sound of a swift sudden flight; cf. rush. (Some dialects have flusk: see flusker v.)]
1. a. intr. To fly up quickly and suddenly; to start up and fly away. † Also, to flutter, to fly with fluttering wings. transf. Of a door: to fly open.
a1300K. Horn 1080 Horn the wyket puste, That hit open fluste. a1300Floriz & Bl. 473 Þer fliste ut a buterfliȝe. 1399Langl. Rich. Redeles ii. 166 Þe blernyed boynard..Made þe ffawcon to ffloter and *fflussh ffor anger. 1558T. Phaer æneid. v. M iv, Flushing loud she flappes her winges. 1583Stanyhurst Aeneis i. (Arb.) 30 Se wel yoonder swans twelue in coompany flusshing. 1626B. Jonson Masque of Owls, I make 'em to flush Each owl out of his bush. 1773Poetry in Ann. Reg. 233 Another bird, just flushing at the sound, Scarce tops the fence. 1876Forest & Stream 13 July 376/1 The spot from which the first [a woodcock] had flushed.
†b. trans. To flutter (the wings). Obs.
1558T. Phaer æneid. v. N iv, Of the stroke the bird afraied, Did flickring flush her winges.
2. a. trans. To cause to fly or take wing; to put up, start; also with up.
1450Bk. Hawkyng in Rel. Ant. I. 297 Lete the spanyell flusch up the covey. 1645C. Morton Enquiry in Harl. Misc. (1810) V. 503 When they are flushed, or raised to the wing. 1772Barrington in Phil. Trans. LXII. 309 When⁓ever a woodcock..is flushed, he is roused from his sleep by the spaniel or sportsman. 1872C. Innes Lect. Sc. Legal Antiq. ii. 65 A mirror for flushing larks as still used in Italy.
absol.1888Times 15 Nov. 11/3 Pat Regan's hay and oats were thrown down because his sons flushed for Sir H. Burke.
b. transf. and fig. To reveal; to bring into the open; to drive out.
1950[see earth n.1 4]. 1958Spectator 1 Aug. 176/1 After being flushed from his rural retreat in England by an unfortunate affair with a literary horsewoman, he [etc.]. 1971Scope (S. Afr.) 19 Mar. 22/1 When we flushed them out of the old city of Jerusalem..we really knew fear.
†3. intr. Of persons: To rush like birds on the wing; to flock, swarm; also with in, out. Obs.
c1450Merlin xx. 330 All the x wardes of the kynge leodogan were flusshed to the standerd. 1581J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 32 After them whole flockes of interpretours flusht in. Ibid. 292 b, Neyther had..so many swarmes of Heretickes flusht abroad. 1642H. More Song of Soul ii. ii. i. ii. They straight flush out and her drad voice obey: Each shape, each life doth leapen out full light.
Hence ˈflushing vbl. n., a fluttering of the wings; a rustling rushing noise.
1398Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xviii. i. (1495) 741 Fisshe hereth..for they fle and voyde flusshynge and noyse. c1420Pallad on Husb. i. 628 A shuddering, a flusshing and affray He maketh thenne. 1583Stanyhurst Aeneis iii. (Arb.) 77 With a suddeyn flushing thee gulligut harpeys From mountayns flitter.
▪ VIII. flush, v.2|flʌʃ|
[Of uncertain etymology.
Perh. orig. identical with prec., the notion of ‘sudden movement’ being common to the two vbs. But the development of meaning appears to have been influenced by phonetic association with flash v.2 (nearly all the senses of which have passed over to this vb., either unchanged or with modifications traceable to the echoism of the differing vowel), while the senses relating to colour have been affected by association with blush. It is doubtful whether there has been any influence from F. flux (see flux) or fluiss-, fluir to flow (whence the Du. fluissen to flow violently).]
I. Expressing sudden movement, esp. of a liquid.
1. intr. To rush out suddenly or copiously, to spurt; to flow with force or violence; also with forth, out, over, up. Said esp. of liquids, a river, etc., but also of immaterial things and fig.
1548Hall Chron., Hen. IV (an. 1) 18 b, A..furious storme sodainely flusshed and drowned .xii. of his great shippes. 1567Drant Horace's Epist. xv. E vj, Wine..that will flushe into my mynde, and vaines. 1581J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 221 From hence flush out all these fluddes of complaints. 1624H. Mason Art of Lying ii. 35 The..Well-head, whence first flushed forth this muddy Nylus. a1625Fletcher Nice Valour iii. ii, O your crush'd nostrils slakes your opilation And makes your pent powers flush to wholsome sneezes. 1678Bp. Nicholson Exp. Catech. Ep. Ded. 5 More will flush over and be lost, than poured into the Vessel. 1691Ray Creation (1714) 45 Milk..being heated to such a degree doth suddenly..flush up and run over the vessel. 1707Mortimer Husb. 574 It [Beer] flushes violently out of the Cock for about a Quart. 1855Singleton Virgil I. 237 It flushes through nine mouths, a broken sea.
2. a. To cause (water) to flow; to draw off; to draw off water from (a pond).
1594Nashe Vnfort. Trav. 57 If those ponds were so full they need to be flust or let out. 1815Pocklington Canal Act 35 If any person shall..cause to be flushed or drawn off any water.
†b. To burst out with, pour out suddenly.
1601Dent Pathw. Heaven 142 Hee will flush out some of these [oathes] in his ordinarie speech. 1642R. Baker tr. Malvezzi's Disc. Tacitus 166 He after makes his greedinesse of blood appeare the more, by flushing it out all at once.
3. a. To cleanse (a drain, etc.); to drive away (an obstacle) by means of a rush of water.
1789Trans. Soc. Encourag. Arts VII. 59 Paddles..are drawn up by screws, to flush away any obstacle. 1862M. Hopkins Hawaii 32 Rains..play their part in flushing streets. 1871G. H. Napheys Prev. & Cure Dis. i. v. 141 Sewer pipes should be flushed from time to time.
absol.1850Netherway Suggest. Drainage Lond. 4 This would entirely dispense with the necessity of flushing.
transf. and fig.1861Wynter Soc. Bees 277 The hot-air bath flushes the external sewers of the body. 1880Beale Slight Ailm. 173 The alimentary canal is thoroughly flushed in every part. 1884Henley & Stevenson Adm. Guinea i. viii, Flush out your sins with tears.
b. To inundate (a meadow).
1861Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. xxxvi, Another considerable body of water..had been carried off..to flush the water-meadows.
4. intr. Of a plant: To send out shoots; to shoot. Also trans. in causative sense.
1810[see flushing vbl. n. 1 c]. 1877N.W. Linc. Gloss., Flush, to make to grow. ‘This sup o' rain hes flush't th' gress nistly.’ 1893Cornh. Mag. Nov. 543 The frequent showers..‘flush’ the tea about every fortnight. 1893Chamb. Jrnl. 7 Oct. 629/2 The [tea] plants flush, or throw out fresh shoots, all the year round.
5. intr. ‘To become fluxed or fluid’ (Cent. Dict.).
1885Farrow Milit. Encycl. s.v. Brazing The solder flushes or becomes liquid enough to permeate the joint or crevice.
II. With reference to light or colour.
6. intr.
†a. To emit light or sparks suddenly.
b. To glow with sudden brilliance. Cf. flash v.2 5 and 7.
1646Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. ii. v. 90 Camphire though it flame well, yet will not flush so lively. Ibid. Thus in the preparation of Crocus Metallorum, the matter kindleth and flusheth like Gunpowder.
b.1809Campbell Gertr. Wyom. ii. xxv, Here and there, a solitary star Flush'd in the darkening firmament of June. 1842Tennyson Locksley Hall 26 A colour and a light, As I have seen the rosy red flushing in the northern night. 1868Farrar Silence & V. ii. (1875) 46 The sunrise of its first day flushed over the manger.
7. Of the blood, etc.: To come with a rush, producing a heightened colour. Cf. sense 2 and flash v.2 9.
1667Milton P.L. ix. 886 In her Cheek distemper flushing glowd. 1677Dryden State Innoc. v. i. 30 What means..That blood, which flushes guilty in your face? 1708Rowe Royal Convert iv. i, A burning Purple flushes o'er my Face. 1813Byron Br. Abydos i. xiii, What fever in thy veins is flushing? 1845Clough Early Poems xvii. 15 The mantling blood to her cheek Flushed up. 1852Mrs. Stowe Uncle Tom's C. xiii, The blood flushed in Eliza's pale face.
8. Of the face, etc.: To become suffused with warm colour; to become suddenly red or hot; to ‘colour up’, redden, blush. Also with up or with adj. as complement.
1709Steele Tatler No. 33 ⁋7 My Lord passes by; I flushed in a flame. 1789W. Buchan Dom. Med. (1790) 177 The face generally flushes after eating. 1851D. Jerrold St. Giles x. 102 His face flushed red as flame. 1869Dixon Tower I. x. 96 Henry flushed into rage. 1890Besant Demoniac iv. 45 George flushed up; but he restrained himself.
quasi-trans.1730–46Thomson Autumn 262 Her rising beauties flush'd a higher bloom.
9. a. trans. To make red or ruddy; to cause to blush or glow.
1697Dryden Virg. Past. x. 33 Thy own Apollo came. Flush'd were his Cheeks. 1731A. Hill Adv. Poets i, The Low Muse who lends Her feeble Fire, To flush pale Spleen. 1784Cowper Tiroc. 833 Flushed with drunkenness. 1834Medwin Angler in Wales I. 138 I had left my home young..flushed with health. 1873Black Pr. Thule xvii. 277 A face flushed with shame.
b. In wider sense: To suffuse or adorn with glowing colour.
1746–7Hervey Refl. Flower-Garden 62 They [tulips] flush the Parterre with one of the gayest Dresses that blooming Nature wears. 1821Clare Vill. Minstr. II. 69 Straying beams..In copper-coloured patches flush the sky. 1889Lowell Latest Lit. Ess. (1892) 83 A meadow flushed with primroses.
10. To inflame with pride or passion; to animate, encourage; also with up; rarely, † to initiate in. Cf. flesh v.1, which has influenced the sense.
1633T. Adams Exp. 2 Peter ii. 6 This so flesheth and flusheth her, that she thinks no more of God. 1667Dryden Maiden Queen i. i, But once or twice only, 'till I am a little flush'd in my Acquaintance with other Ladies, and have learn'd to prey for my self. a1716South Serm. (1737) IV. 141 This [success] flushes him up. 1713Addison Cato i. ii, Armies flush'd with conquest. 1742Johnson Debates in Parl. II. 94 They..who have flushed their new authority by a motion which [etc.]. 1790Burke Fr. Rev. Wks. V. 276 Flushed with the insolence of their first inglorious victories. 1867Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) I. iv. 183 Flushed with success they entered the Norman duchy.
11. trans. To fatten up (sheep); to stimulate (ewes) with generous diet at the breeding season.
1764Museum Rust. III. xxxiii. 148, I had a fine piece of turneps, with which I intended to flush up five score sheep. 1886C. Scott Sheep-farming 74 Nor is this the only evil of ‘flushing’ the ewes when they are put to the rams. From actual test we are convinced that ewes which have been flushed one year are never so prolific the next. 1923Discovery Sept. 243/2 Many flockmasters..practised the methods of ‘flushing’ or artificially stimulating their ewes by means of an extra supply of special food at the approach of the ‘tupping’..season.
▪ IX. flush, v.3|flʌʃ|
[f. flush a.1 5.]
1. trans. To make flush or level; to fill in (a joint) level with the surface; to ‘point’. Also with up.
1842Gwilt Encycl. Archit. Gloss., Flush..to leave no vacant space where the stones or bricks do not nicely fit in their places. 1883H. S. Drinker Tunnelling in Eissler Mod. High Explosives (1884) 238 In driving a heading, particular care should be taken that unnecessary cost in flushing the clear profile does not arise. 1883Specif. Alnwick & Cornhill Rlwy. 3 The whole of the work is to be flushed up with mortar or cement.
2. Weaving.
a. trans. To throw (a thread) on the surface over several threads without intersecting.
b. intr. To float over several threads without intersection. (See quots.).
1878A. Barlow Weaving 175 The threads [in tissue-weaving]..float or flush upon the surface of the cloth rather than form a component part of its substance. Ibid. 176 Two methods..for flushing or throwing the thread to form the tissue figure.
Hence ˈflushing vbl. n., the action of the vb. (sense 1); also concr. (sense 2), see quot.
1853Archit. Publ. Soc. Dict., Flushing..the operation of filling in the joints of brickwork or masonry with mortar. 1878A. Barlow Weaving Index, Flushing, threads not required in the body of the cloth, and left loose on the surface.
▪ X. flush, v.4|flʌʃ|
[? var. of frush.]
trans. and intr. (See quots.) Hence ˈflushing vbl. n.
1739C. Labelye Short Acc. Piers Westm. Bridge 77 Chamfering the Joints hinders the flushing or breaking of the Edges of the Stones. 1853Archit. Publ. Soc. Dict. s.v., Masons..say that a stone has flushed, where more or less of its arrised edge has broken away in consequence of that edge being more loaded than the rest of the bed.
▪ XI. flush, adv.|flʌʃ|
[f. flush a.1]
†a. Directly, straight.
b. Pugilism. With direct force or with full effect.
1700Farquhar Constant Couple v. i, This girl is just come flush from reading the Rival Queens! 1812Sporting Mag. XXXIX. 139 Thorn..hitting his antagonist flush on the head right and left. 1888Sporting Leader 15 Dec., Wilson..leading off, and getting the left flush on the face. |