[f. the vb.: cf. Du. blos.]
A. sb. † 1. A gleam, a blink. Obs.
c. 1340. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 520. A blysful blusch of þe bryȝt sunne.
1661. Burney, Κέρδ. Δῶρον, 4. Their Prerogative, which is not a blush from the people, but ’tis a beam resultant from Gods Majestie, and reflects upon the people for their good.
2. A glance, glimpse, blink, look. Obs. exc. in phr. at, on, etc. (the) first blush: at the first glance.
a. 1375. Joseph Arim., 657. Aftur þe furste blusch we ne miȝte him biholden.
c. 1530. Ld. Berners, Arth. Lyt. Bryt. (1814), 494. As the emperour loked in at a windowe … he had a blushe of Florence.
a. 1563. Bale, Sel. Wks. (1849), 572. The two horns are like the lambs horns at a blush.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. 7. Hir Grace is … able at the first blush to discearne truth from falsehood.
1611. Bp. Andrewes, Serm. Nativity, vi. Wks. 1841, I. 94. Vidimus. And that not … ‘at a blush,’ passing by; but had a full sight.
1624. Bedell, Lett., v. 82. This discourse hath a prettie shew at the first blush.
a. 1641. Bp. Mountagu, Acts & Mon., 402. Looking pale, wan, and meagre, that men might say of them, at the blush, This man fasts to day.
1838. G. S. Faber, Inquiry, 308. The very vagueness of the allegation … may well, even on the first blush, induce a full presumption that [etc.].
1844. Disraeli, Coningsby, II. i. 58. At the first blush, it would seem that little difficulties could be experienced.
† 3. A look, appearance, resemblance. Obs. exc. dial. In Bk. St. Albans a ‘company’ of boys.
[1486. Bk. St. Albans, F vi b. A blush of boyes.]
1620. N. Brent, trans. Sarpi’s Hist. Counc. Trent (1676), 204. Which followed … without any blush of absurdity.
1640. Fuller, Joseph’s Coat (1867), 13. Reports relish of their relators, and have a blush and a smack of their partial dispositions.
[1824. Craven Dialect, 15. Shoe wod a hed a feaful blush of her mother.]
4. The reddening of the face caused by shame, modesty, or other emotion.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., III. iii. 97. Bewray thy Treason with a Blush. Ibid. (1599), Hen. V., V. ii. 253. Put off your Maiden Blushes.
1718. Pope, Iliad, IV. 403. The hero’s warmth o’erspread His cheek with blushes.
1828. Wordsw., Triad. But her blushes are joy-flushes.
1876. Geo. Eliot, Dan. Der., III. xxxv. 37. A blush is no language: only a dubious flag-signal which may mean either of two contradictories.
b. To put to the blush: to cause to blush, put to shame.
1649. Selden, Laws Eng., I. iv. (1739), 10. They do it with that solemn reverence as may put all the Christian world to the blush.
1711. J. Distaff, Char. Don Sacheverellio, 7. It has put to the blush … the best Performances of an Apelles.
1858. Hawthorne, Fr. & It. Jrnls. (1872), I. 11. Puts London to the blush, if a blush could be seen on its dingy face.
5. transf. A rosy color or glow, as that of the dawn; in wider sense, a flush of light or of color.
1590. Greene, Arcadia (1616), 70. Pleusidippus … seeing Samela come foorth like the blush in the morning.
1618. Dekker, Owles Alman. And the Vintners latisses must haue a new blush.
1667. Milton, P. L., XI. 184. Aire suddenly eclips’d, After short blush of Morn.
a. 1773. Lyttelton, Uncertainty, i. (R.). And light’s last blushes ting’d the distant hills.
1850. Mrs. Jameson, Leg. Monast. Ord. (1863), 313. The little cemetery … all one blush of roses.
B. adj. (or the sb. used attrib.) Of the color of a blush.
1633. Gerard’s Herbal, II. lxviii. 357. A pale purple tending to a blush colour.
1665–76. Ray, Flora, 82. Flowers … white, a little inclining to blush.
1699. Wafer, in Phil. Trans., LV. 51. Some tincture of a blush or sanguine complexion.
1882. Garden, 1 April, 223/2. Blossoms of a delicate blush tint.
C. Comb., as blush-pink, -white; blush-colo(u)red, -tinted, -compelling adjs.; blush-rose, a variety of rose of a very delicate pink.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 513. Blossomes Blush-Coloure.
1713. J. Petiver, in Phil. Trans., XXVIII. 37. Beautiful Blush-coloured Flowers.
1811. W. Spencer, Poems, 71. Pillow’d on her blush-rose bed.
1818. Keats, Endym., I. 619. Blush-tinted cheeks, half smiles, and faintest sighs.
1882. Garden, 18 Nov., 451/3. Large, broad-sepaled flowers, blush-white.
