blush

[ bluhsh ]

verb (used without object)

1. to redden, as from self-consciousness, embarrassment, or shame:

   He blushed when they called him a conquering hero.

   Synonyms: color, flush

   Antonyms: blanch, pale

2. to feel shame or embarrassment (often followed by at or for ):

   Your behavior makes me blush for your poor mother.

3. (of the sky, flowers, etc.) to become rosy.
4. (of house paint or lacquer) to become cloudy or dull through moisture or excessive evaporation of solvents.

verb (used with object)

1. to make red; flush.
2. to make known by a blush:

   She could not help blushing the truth.

noun

1. a reddening, as of the face.
2. rosy or pinkish tinge.
3. Also called blusher,. a cosmetic used to add a pink or reddish color to the cheeks.
4. Also called blush wine. rosé ( def ).

blush

/ blʌʃ /

verb

1. intr to become suddenly red in the face from embarrassment, shame, modesty, or guilt; redden
2. to make or become reddish or rosy

noun

1. a sudden reddening of the face from embarrassment, shame, modesty, or guilt
2. a rosy glow

   the blush of a peach

3. a reddish or pinkish tinge
4. a cloudy area on the surface of freshly applied gloss paint
5. at first blush
   when first seen; as a first impression

Derived Forms

• ˈblushingly, adverb
• ˈblushful, adjective
• ˈblushing, nounadjective

Other Words From

• blush·ful adjective
• blush·ful·ly adverb
• blush·ful·ness noun
• blush·less adjective
• out·blush verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of blush¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English verb blushen, blyshen “to glow,” probably from Old English blyscan “to glow brightly, glow red”; akin to Old English blysa, blisa, Old Norse blys, Middle Low German blus “torch,” bloschen “to blaze”; noun derived from the verb

Word History and Origins

Origin of blush¹

Old English blӯscan ; related to blӯsian to burn, Middle Low German blüsen to light a fire

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. at first blush, without previous knowledge or adequate consideration; at first glance:

   At first blush, the solution to the problem seemed simple enough.

More idioms and phrases containing blush

see at first blush .

Example Sentences

At first blush, hockey and Harvard appear to go together about as well as a concussion and a Nobel Prize.

From Los Angeles Times

Piastri took fifth, while George Russell saved Mercedes' blushes after a difficult weekend by recovering to sixth place after starting from the pit lane because of a crash in qualifying.

From BBC

When I ask her what in life makes her blush, she gives a rather surprising answer.

From BBC

Beauty retail Sephora had earlier put out an advertisement with a line of Moo Deng-inspired blushes, which allows customers to "wear your blush like a baby hippo."

From BBC

At first blush, this anxiety seems rooted in a fear that we’ll never go back to normal, that the future we were once promised is now gone.

From Los Angeles Times