flush
B2Neutral to informal, with some technical uses (plumbing, poker).
Definition
Meaning
To cause water to flow through or over something to clean it; to become red in the face; to be level or even with a surface.
A state of abundance or having plenty of something (especially money); a sudden strong feeling; the act of cleaning with a rush of water; in card games, a hand of cards all of the same suit.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word has distinct, unrelated meanings (polysemy) across domains: physiological (blushing), domestic (toilets), financial (wealth), spatial (level), and gaming (poker). Context is crucial for disambiguation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. 'Flush the toilet' is universal. In plumbing, 'flush' is standard. In poker, 'flush' is identical. Slight preference in UK for 'flush with cash' over US 'flush with money'.
Connotations
Similar connotations across varieties. 'Flush' (wealth) can sound slightly old-fashioned or literary in both.
Frequency
Comparatively frequent in both varieties, with the toilet-cleaning sense being most common in everyday speech.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
flush something (down the toilet)flush something out (of something)flush with something (e.g., pride, cash)be flush against/with somethingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “flush with cash”
- “royal flush”
- “first flush of youth”
- “flush out (to force into the open)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Possibly 'The company is flush with capital after the investment round.'
Academic
Rare in core texts. May appear in literary analysis re: 'flush of emotion' or historical texts.
Everyday
Very common: 'Don't forget to flush.' 'He flushed with embarrassment.'
Technical
Common in plumbing ('flush valve'), construction ('flush door'), and poker ('heart flush').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Please flush the loo after use.
- The police hoped to flush out the fugitives.
- She flushed with pride at her son's achievement.
American English
- Remember to flush the toilet.
- The campaign aimed to flush out corruption.
- He flushed crimson when he was caught.
adverb
British English
- The panel sits flush in the recess.
American English
- Install the light fixture flush to the ceiling.
adjective
British English
- The shelf must be flush with the wall.
- After winning the lottery, they were flush for years.
American English
- The door is flush against the frame.
- The startup is flush with venture capital.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The toilet won't flush.
- Her face flushed red.
- Flush the old medicine down the sink.
- The cupboard doors are flush with the wall.
- The detectives flushed the suspect out of his hiding place.
- He felt a flush of anger at the unfair comment.
- In the first flush of victory, they made several rash decisions.
- The company was flush with funds but lacked a coherent strategy.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a BLUSHing face turning RED as a toilet FLUSHes—both involve a sudden rush (of blood/water).
Conceptual Metaphor
EMOTION/HEALTH IS FLUID IN THE BODY (blushing); CLEANING IS REMOVAL BY FLOW; ABUNDANCE IS BEING FULL OF LIQUID (cash).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводить 'flush the toilet' как 'смыть туалет' (объект — содержимое). Правильно: 'спустить воду'.
- 'Flush with cash' — не 'промытый деньгами', а 'при деньгах', 'богатый'.
- 'Flush against the wall' — не 'промыть стену', а 'вплотную к стене'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'flush' as a noun for wealth ('He has a flush.') — it's an adjective/phrase: 'He is flush.' or 'He is flush with cash.'
- Confusing 'flush' (level) with 'flash'.
- Incorrect transitivity: 'Flush the water' (wrong) vs. 'Flush the toilet' (correct).
Practice
Quiz
In the context of poker, what does 'flush' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it has several common meanings: to blush, to be level with a surface, to have plenty of money, and the poker hand.
Yes, as a noun it can mean: a reddening of the face (a flush of embarrassment), a rush of water, a feeling (a flush of excitement), or the poker hand (a heart flush).
They are synonyms for reddening of the face, but 'blush' is more specific to embarrassment or shyness, while 'flush' can be from any strong emotion (anger, pride, heat, illness).
Use it as an adjective in the structure 'be flush with cash/money/funds'. It often suggests a temporary or newfound abundance. Example: 'They were flush with cash after the sale.'