[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

  1.  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.

2

a. 1300.  K. Horn, 1080.

        Horn the wyket puste,
That hit open fluste.

3

a. 1300.  Floriz & Bl., 473. Þer fliste ut a buterfliȝe.

4

1399.  Langl., Rich. Redeles, II. 166.

            Þe blernyed boynard …
Made þe ffawcon to ffloter and fflussh ffor anger.

5

1558.  Phaer, Æneid, V. M iv. Flushing loud she flappes her winges.

6

1583.  Stanyhurst, Æneis, I. (Arb.), 30. Marck loa, se wel yoonder swans twelue in coompany flusshing.

7

1626.  B. Jonson, Masque of Owls.

        As I make ’em to flush
Each owl out of his bush.

8

1773.  Death of a Woodcock, in Ann. Reg., 233.

        Another bird, just flushing at the sound, Scarce tops the fence, then tumbles to the ground.

9

1876.  Forest & Stream, 13 July, 376/1. The spot from which the first [a woodcock] had flushed.

10

  † b.  trans. To flutter (the wings). Obs.

11

1558.  Phaer, Æneid, V. N iv. Of the stroke the bird afraied, Did flickring flush her winges.

12

  2.  trans. To cause to fly or take wing; to put up, start; also with up.

13

1450.  Bk. Hawkyng, in Rel. Ant., I. 297. Lete the spanyell flusch up the covey.

14

1645[?].  C. Morton, Enquiry, in Harl. Misc. (1810), V. 503. Nor that they fly Westwards, when they are flushed, or raised to the Wing, more than to any other Quarters.

15

1772.  Barrington, in Phil. Trans., LXII. 309. Whenever a woodcock, therefore, is flushed, he is roused from his sleep by the spaniel or sportsman, and then takes wing, because there are no leaves on the trees to conceal the bird.

16

1872.  C. Innes, Lect. Sc. Legal Antiq., ii. 65. Perhaps a mirror for flushing larks, as still used in Italy.

17

  absol.  1888.  Times, 15 Nov., 11/3. Pat Regan’s hay and oats were thrown down because his sons flushed for Sir H. Burke.

18

  † 3.  intr. Of persons: To rush like birds on the wing; to flock, swarm; also with in, out. Obs.

19

c. 1450.  Merlin, xx. 330. All the x wardes of the kynge leodogan were flusshed to the standerd that the kynge Rion dide condite.

20

1581.  J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 32. After them whole flockes of interpretours flusht in. Ibid., 292 b. Neyther had so great, and so many swarmes of Heretickes flusht abroad.

21

1642.  H. 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,
And at ther beck return into their usuall Night.

22

  Hence Flushing vbl. sb., a fluttering of the wings; a rustling rushing noise.

23

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVIII. i. (1495), 741. Fisshe hereth … for they fle and voyde flusshynge and noyse.

24

c. 1420.  Pallad. on Husb., I. 628.

        A shuddering, a flusshing and affray
He maketh thenne.

25

1583.  Stanyhurst, Æneis, III. (Arb.), 77.

        But loa with a suddeyn flushing thee gulligut harpeys
From mountayns flitter, with gagling whirlerye flapping
Theyr wings.

26