# flush

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈflʌʃ/ · frequency rank #9,610

## Definitions
1. A group of birds that have suddenly started up from undergrowth, trees, etc.

## Etymology
From Middle English flusshen, fluschen, of uncertain origin. Compare dialectal flusk (“to fly at, startle a bird out of the bush”) and flusker (“to flutter, fly irregularly”). Perhaps related to Middle English flasshen, flasschen, flaschen, see flash; or a Middle English blend of flowen (“to flow”) + guschen (“to gush”). Compare Saterland Frisian flutskje, German Low German flutschen, German flutschen.

## Easily confused with
- **fuse** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flush-vs-fuse)
- **fuss** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flush-vs-fuss)
- **flux** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flush-vs-flux)
- **fresh** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flush-vs-fresh)
- **flute** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flush-vs-flute)
- **flushed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flush-vs-flushed)
- **flushes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flush-vs-flushes)
- **flu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flu-vs-flush)
- **fish** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fish-vs-flush)
- **flue** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flue-vs-flush)
- **flash** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flash-vs-flush)
- **fluid** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fluid-vs-flush)
- **flesh** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flesh-vs-flush)
- **flung** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flung-vs-flush)
- **flask** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flask-vs-flush)
- **fluff** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fluff-vs-flush)
- **floss** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/floss-vs-flush)
- **fluke** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fluke-vs-flush)
- **Faust** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/faust-vs-flush)
- **flume** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flume-vs-flush)

## Common misspellings (8)
`fflush`, `fllush`, `flsuh`, `fluhs`, `flushh`, `flussh`, `fulsh`, `lfush`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/flush