flush
flush — verb
- flushpresent simple I / you / we / they
- flusheshe / she / it
- flushedpast simple
- flushing-ing form
1. When the skin on a person's face reddens because they feel a strong emotion, are
When the skin on a person's face reddens because they feel a strong emotion, are too hot, or have consumed alcohol, that person is flushing.
Esme flushed when her teacher praised her project in front of the whole class.
intransitive: flush when + trigger event
The kitchen was so hot that Dewi's cheeks began to flush.
Rachid felt his face flush with anger as he listened to the unfair accusation.
flush with + emotion noun (anger, shame, embarrassment)
Antonia flushes easily whenever someone confesses a secret to her.
- flush with embarrassment
- flush with anger
- flush red
- cheeks flush
- face flushes
- pale
to become whiter or lighter in skin colour, the opposite of flushing
Grammar Patterns
flush with + emotion noun
Common Mistakes
2. To press or pull a handle, button, or lever on a toilet so that water flows thro
To press or pull a handle, button, or lever on a toilet so that water flows through the bowl, washing away waste and refilling the bowl with clean water.
Takeshi flushed the toilet before leaving the bathroom.
transitive: flush + the toilet
The toilet in the guest bathroom does not flush properly.
intransitive: toilet flushes (no direct object)
Christopher reminded the children to flush after using the toilet.
Diya pressed the handle, and the old toilet flushed with a loud noise.
- flush the toilet
- toilet flushes
- flush properly
- flush after use
Grammar Patterns
flush + object (the toilet)
toilet flushes
Usage Note
Frequently used both transitively (someone flushes the toilet) and intransitively (the toilet flushes on its own). The intransitive use is common in descriptions of how a toilet operates.
Common Mistakes
3. To make a solid object or waste material go into a toilet and be carried away by
To make a solid object or waste material go into a toilet and be carried away by the flow of water.
The sign on the wall says 'Do not flush any paper towels or wet wipes.'
negative imperative: do not flush + object
Asher flushed the expired medication down the toilet.
flush + object + down the toilet
The plumber explained that cooking oil should never be flushed away.
passive: be flushed away
Jabari accidentally flushed his keys down the toilet.
- flush sth down the toilet
- flush sth away
- never flush
Grammar Patterns
flush + object + down/away (the toilet)
Usage Note
Commonly used with the adverb particles 'down' or 'away', both specifying the direction. 'Flush down' is more specific (down the pipe); 'flush away' emphasises getting rid of something. The passive form is frequent in instructions and warnings.
4. To clean a pipe, engine, wound, or other hollow item by sending a large amount o
To clean a pipe, engine, wound, or other hollow item by sending a large amount of water or another liquid through it.
The nurse flushed the wound with saline before bandaging it.
flush + wound/body part + with + liquid (medical)
You should flush the cooling system with clean water once a year.
The mechanic flushed the engine to remove all traces of old oil.
Élise flushed her eyes with cold water after getting dust in them.
flush + body part + with + liquid
- flush with water
- flush the engine
- flush the wound
- flush the system
Grammar Patterns
flush + object + with + liquid
Usage Note
Subject is usually a person (nurse, mechanic, technician) performing a cleaning procedure. The object is typically a system or body part that contains something that needs to be washed out. The preposition 'with' introduces the cleaning liquid.
Common Mistakes
5. To drive a person, animal, or piece of information out of a hidden or hard-to-re
To drive a person, animal, or piece of information out of a hidden or hard-to-reach place, often by making noise, using gas or smoke, or revealing fresh evidence.
The police used tear gas to flush the suspect from the warehouse.
flush + person + from + hiding place
The bird dog flushed a rabbit out of the tall grass.
Investigators hope the new evidence will flush the real criminal out.
flush + person + out (figurative — evidence as the tool)
Loud noises can flush birds from their nests in the forest.
- flush out
- flush from hiding
- flush sb out
- flush birds
Grammar Patterns
flush + object + out/from + hiding place
Usage Note
Often used with the adverb particle 'out'. Can be literal (animals in hunting, suspects by police) or figurative (new information revealing the truth). The agent performing the action is typically a person, an animal, a tool (gas, smoke), or a piece of evidence.
Common Mistakes
flush out
phrasal verbTo completely remove something unwanted from the body, a system, or an organisation by taking strong action.
Drinking plenty of water helps flush toxins out of your body.
The new manager plans to flush out corruption from the department.
flush out of
phrasal verbSame as 'flush out' (sense 5 above) — to force someone or something to leave a hiding place by using force or persuasion.
The journalists tried to flush the truth out of the secretive organisation.
The soldiers flushed the enemy fighters out of the cave.
flush — adjective
- flushpositive
- flushercomparative
- flushestsuperlative
1. Positioned at exactly the same height or level as a neighbouring surface, so tha
Positioned at exactly the same height or level as a neighbouring surface, so that the two form a continuous, even plane with no gap or step.
The new shelf is flush with the wall, so there are no gaps.
be flush with + surface (positioning)
Make sure the door sits flush against the frame before locking it.
The countertop should be flush with the edge of the cabinets.
Two of the tiles are not flush with each other — one sits slightly higher.
be flush with each other (comparison of two surfaces)
- flush with the wall
- flush against
- sit flush
- cut flush
Grammar Patterns
be flush with + noun
Usage Note
This adjective is predicative — it is not used before a noun. You say 'the surface is flush' not 'a flush surface'. The preposition 'with' introduces the surface that something is level with.
Common Mistakes
2. Possessing a good deal of money or abundant resources, especially for a limited
Possessing a good deal of money or abundant resources, especially for a limited period.
After receiving his bonus, Eli felt flush enough to buy a new laptop.
feel flush (informal — personal financial situation)
The company is flush with cash after the successful product launch.
be flush with + resource (cash, money, funds)
The Garcia family was flush for a few months after selling their house.
During tourist season the local shops are flush with customers spending money.
- flush with cash
- feel flush
- flush with money
- flush with funds
- short
in the sense of 'short of cash' — the opposite temporary state
Grammar Patterns
be flush with + money/resource
be flush (informal)
Usage Note
Informal and predicative only — never used before a noun. The phrase 'flush with [cash/money/funds]' is the most common pattern. Often implies that the abundance is temporary or a recent change, rather than a permanent state of wealth.
Common Mistakes
flush — noun
- flushsingular
- flushesplural
1. The visible reddish or pinkish colour that shows up on a person's skin — especia
The visible reddish or pinkish colour that shows up on a person's skin — especially the face or neck — when they feel embarrassed, angry, excited, or too warm, or after drinking alcohol.
A deep flush spread across Defne's cheeks when she realised her mistake.
a deep/hot flush (intensity adjective before flush)
The sudden flush on his neck gave away how nervous he was.
Diya's flush faded as she regained her confidence during the presentation.
A healthy flush in the children's faces showed they had been playing outside.
healthy flush (positive connotation — sign of health/vigour)
- deep flush
- hot flush
- healthy flush
- flush of embarrassment
- flush spreads
Grammar Patterns
a flush of + noun
a flush spreads/appears/fades
Usage Note
Often used with an adjective describing intensity ('deep flush', 'hot flush', 'sudden flush') or cause ('guilty flush', 'angry flush'). Unlike the verb sense, which describes the action, the noun describes the visible colour itself.
2. A sudden, strong wave of a particular emotion — such as pride, anger, excitement
A sudden, strong wave of a particular emotion — such as pride, anger, excitement, or pleasure — that comes over a person quickly.
Esme felt a flush of pride when her daughter received the standing ovation.
a flush of + emotion (pride, anger, excitement, pleasure)
A flush of anger swept through Takeshi as he read the insulting email.
Asher experienced a flush of excitement when he saw the plane ticket.
The first flush of love made everything around them seem bright and new.
first flush of + noun (idiomatic — early intense stage)
- flush of pride
- flush of anger
- flush of excitement
- first flush of
- flush of pleasure
Grammar Patterns
a flush of + emotion noun
Usage Note
Always used with the preposition 'of' followed by an abstract emotion noun. The phrase 'the first flush of…' is a fixed expression meaning the early, exciting stage of something (e.g., love, success, freedom).
Common Mistakes
3. The action of a toilet when the handle or button is pressed and water flows thro
The action of a toilet when the handle or button is pressed and water flows through the bowl to wash away waste and refill.
Give the toilet a flush after you finish using it.
give + object + a flush (common collocation structure)
The flush on this old toilet is surprisingly noisy.
You need to hold the handle down for a few seconds for a full flush.
The dual-flush system lets you choose between a half flush and a full flush.
half flush / full flush (contrastive collocations)
- give it a flush
- full flush
- half flush
- dual flush
- toilet flush
Grammar Patterns
give the toilet a flush
a full/dual flush
Usage Note
Often used in compound form: 'dual-flush', 'half-flush'. The countable noun can be modified by adjectives describing volume ('full flush') or purpose ('half flush'). The expression 'give [something] a flush' is a common informal phrase.
4. The handle, button, or lever on a toilet that you press or pull to start the flo
The handle, button, or lever on a toilet that you press or pull to start the flow of water that cleans the bowl.
The flush on the bathroom toilet is broken and needs to be replaced.
the flush is broken (handle/mechanism as a unit)
Press the flush firmly until you hear the water start running.
Jabari had to jiggle the flush to get the toilet to work properly.
The plumber replaced the old metal flush with a new push-button design.
- the flush is broken
- press the flush
- replace the flush
- push-button flush
Grammar Patterns
the flush is broken
the flush (handle/button)
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 3 (TOILET ACTION): this sense refers to the physical button, handle, or lever mechanism, while sense 3 refers to the action of flushing itself. Context usually makes the distinction clear — 'the flush needs fixing' means the handle/mechanism, not the action.
5. In card games such as poker, a hand in which all the cards a player holds belong
In card games such as poker, a hand in which all the cards a player holds belong to the same suit (all hearts, all spades, all diamonds, or all clubs).
Antonia won the poker hand with a flush of hearts.
a flush of + suit (hearts, spades, diamonds, clubs)
In poker, a straight flush is five sequential cards of the same suit.
Rachid was confident because he held a flush in spades.
Christopher needed one more diamond to complete his flush.
- a flush in
- have a flush
- straight flush
- royal flush
- flush of hearts
Grammar Patterns
a flush of + suit
have/make a flush
Usage Note
A flush ranks above a straight and below a full house in standard poker hand rankings. A 'royal flush' (the highest possible hand — Ace, King, Queen, Jack, Ten of the same suit) is a specific type of straight flush. The word is rarely used outside of card game contexts.
Common Mistakes
6. A sudden, strong stream or rush of water or another liquid, often through a pipe
A sudden, strong stream or rush of water or another liquid, often through a pipe or channel.
A flush of water poured through the pipes when the dam gates opened.
a flush of + liquid (water, hot water, clean water)
The heavy rain created a flush of muddy water that flooded the garage.
The old pipes could not handle the sudden flush of hot water from the boiler.
The maintenance crew opened the valve and a flush of clean water rinsed the tank.
- flush of water
- sudden flush
- flush of hot water
- flush of clean water
Grammar Patterns
a flush of + liquid
Usage Note
Less common than other noun senses. The focus is on the volume and speed of the liquid's movement rather than its purpose. Often used in technical or descriptive writing about plumbing, hydrology, or industrial processes.
In the earliest, most exciting stage of something, such as love, youth, success, or freedom.
In the first flush of victory, the team ran around the field celebrating wildly.
Couples in the first flush of love often spend every moment together.
flush — adverb
1. In a position that is at exactly the same level or surface height as something e
In a position that is at exactly the same level or surface height as something else, so that no gap or step exists between them.
The wooden cabinets were installed flush against the kitchen wall.
flush against + surface (installation position)
The tiles should sit flush with one another for a smooth finish.
Cut the board so that it fits flush with the edge of the table.
The new window does not close flush with the frame.
- flush against
- flush with
- sit flush
- fit flush
- cut flush
Grammar Patterns
flush with + noun
flush against + noun
Usage Note
Adverb of position — tells you how one object is placed relative to another. Always paired with a preposition ('with' or 'against'). The pattern 'cut/trim/fit something flush' is common in DIY and construction contexts.
Common Mistakes
2. Directly and with full impact, so that something makes solid, square-on contact
Directly and with full impact, so that something makes solid, square-on contact with another thing.
The ball hit him flush on the nose and made his eyes water.
hit + person + flush on + body part (impact)
Eli ran flush into the glass door that he had not noticed.
The truck crashed flush into the back of the parked car.
A heavy branch fell flush onto the roof of the garden shed.
- hit flush on
- land flush on
- crash flush into
- run flush into
- glancingly
making an oblique, not square-on, contact
Grammar Patterns
hit/flush + someone/something + flush on + body part
Usage Note
Used exclusively with verbs of impact ('hit', 'strike', 'land', 'crash') to emphasise that the contact was direct and not glancing. 'Flush' in this sense is informal and most common in spoken English or sports commentary.
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
All four words describe a change toward a redder skin colour, but they differ in cause and register. 'Flush' is the broadest — it can result from embarrassment, anger, heat, alcohol, or excitement, and often implies a visible spreading of redness that others can see. 'Blush' is narrower: it is used almost exclusively for facial redness caused by embarrassment or shyness, and has a gentler, more personal feeling. 'Redden' is more clinical or descriptive and can apply to any part of the body turning red (e.g., 'His ears reddened'). 'Glow' is positive — it suggests a warm, healthy redness from exercise or happiness, not from shame or anger. For example: 'She flushed with anger when he mocked her' (flush works); 'She blushed when he complimented her' (blush is natural, flush would sound like heat or anger); 'Her cheeks glowed after the long run' (glow, not flush).
Common collocations
Etymology
The word 'flush' comes from several converging historical threads. The colour-on-the-face meaning likely developed from Middle English 'fluschen' (to rush or fly up), which was probably an imitative word describing a sudden movement or sound — like blood rushing to the face. The card game meaning (all the same suit) came separately from Old French 'flux' (a flow), from Latin 'fluxus', meaning the cards 'flow' from one suit. The toilet meaning (1800s) grew out of the idea of water flowing through the bowl. The 'even/level' sense may come from an old sense of 'flush' meaning 'full to overflowing' — so full that the surface is level with the edge.