Scour vs Flush - What's the difference?

As verbs the difference between scour and flush

is that scour is to clean, polish, or wash something by scrubbing it vigorously while flush is to cause to take flight from concealment or flush can be to cleanse by flooding with generous quantities of a fluid.

As nouns the difference between scour and flush

is that scour is the removal of sediment caused by swiftly moving water while flush is a group of birds that have suddenly started up from undergrowth, trees etc or flush can be a sudden flowing; a rush which fills or overflows, as of water for cleansing purposes or flush can be (poker) a hand consisting of all cards with the same suit.

As an adjective flush is

smooth, even, aligned; not sticking out.

scour

English

Alternative forms

* scower (obsolete)

Verb

(en verb)

To clean, polish, or wash something by scrubbing it vigorously.

He scoured the burner pans to remove the burnt spills.

To remove by rubbing or cleansing; to sweep along or off.

He scoured the burnt food from the pan.

* Shakespeare

[I will] stain my favors in a bloody mask, / Which, washed away, shall scour my shame with it.

To search an area thoroughly.

They scoured the scene of the crime for clues.

(ambitransitive) To move swiftly over; to brush along.

* Alexander Pope

when swift Camilla scours the plain

* Dryden

So four fierce coursers, starting to the race, / Scour through the plain, and lengthen every pace.

(veterinary medicine) Of livestock, to suffer from diarrhea.

If a lamb is scouring , do not delay treatment.

(veterinary medicine) To purge.

to scour a horse

(obsolete) To cleanse.

* Francis Bacon

Warm water is softer than cold, for it scoureth better.

Derived terms

* scourer

Noun

(-)

The removal of sediment caused by swiftly moving water.

Bridge scour may scoop out scour holes and compromise the integrity of the bridge.

flush

English

(wikipedia flush)

Etymology 1

(etyl)

Noun

(es)

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

* 1596 , (Edmund Spenser), The Faerie Queene , V.2:

As when a Faulcon hath with nimble flight / Flowne at a flush of Ducks foreby the brooke […].

Verb

(es)

To cause to take flight from concealment.

The hunters flushed the tiger from the canebrake.

To take suddenly to flight, especially from cover.

A covey of quail flushed from the undergrowth.

* W. Browne

flushing from one spray unto another

Etymology 2

Same as according to the American Heritage Dictionary

Adjective

(er)

smooth, even, aligned; not sticking out.

Sand down the excess until it is flush with the surface.

wealthy or well off.

He just got a bonus so he's flush today.

(typography) Short for flush left and right ; a body of text aligned with both its left and right margins.

Full of vigour; fresh; glowing; bright.

* Shakespeare

With all his crimes broad blown, as flush as May.

Affluent; abounding; well furnished or suppled; hence, liberal; prodigal.

* Arbuthnot

Lord Strut was not very flush in ready.

Synonyms

* (typography) double-clean, flush left and right, forced, forced justified, force justified, justified

Derived terms

* flush left, flush right, flush left and right

Etymology 3

Probably from according to American Heritage Dictionary

Noun

(es)

A sudden flowing; a rush which fills or overflows, as of water for cleansing purposes.

* Ray

in manner of a wave or flush

Particularly, such a cleansing of a toilet.

A suffusion of the face with blood, as from fear, shame, modesty, or intensity of feeling of any kind; a blush; a glow.

* Tennyson

the flush of angered shame

Any tinge of red colour like that produced on the cheeks by a sudden rush of blood.

the flush''' on the side of a peach; the '''flush on the clouds at sunset

A sudden flood or rush of feeling; a thrill of excitement, animation, etc.

a flush of joy

Verb

(es)

To cleanse by flooding with generous quantities of a fluid.

Flush the injury with plenty of water.

Particularly, to cleanse a toilet by introducing a large amount of water.

To become suffused with reddish color due to embarrassment, excitement, overheating, or other systemic disturbance, to blush.

The damsel flushed at the scoundrel's suggestion.

To cause to blush.

* John Gay

Nor flush with shame the passing virgin's cheek.

* Keats

Sudden a thought came like a full-blown rose, / Flushing his brow.

* 1925 , Fruit of the Flower , by

"Who plants a seed begets a bud, -- Extract of that same root; -- Why marvel at the hectic blood -- That flushes this wild fruit?"

To cause to be full; to flood; to overflow; to overwhelm with water.

to flush the meadows

To excite, inflame.

* South

such things as can only feed his pride and flush his ambition

(of a toilet) To be cleansed by being flooded with generous quantities of water.

There must be somebody home: I just heard the toilet flushing .

(computing) To clear (a buffer) of its contents.

To flow and spread suddenly; to rush.

Blood flushes into the face.

* Boyle

the flushing noise of many waters

To show red; to shine suddenly; to glow.

* Milton

In her cheek, distemper flushing glowed.

(masonry) To fill in (joints); to point the level; to make them flush.

Usage notes

In sense “turn red with embarrassment”, (blush) is more common. More finely, in indicating the actual change, blush'' is more common – “He blushed with embarrassment” – but in indicating state, ''flushed is also common – “He was flushed with excitement”.

Synonyms

* (turn red with embarrassment) blush

Etymology 4

Probably from (etyl) , cognate with flux

Noun

(es)

(poker) A hand consisting of all cards with the same suit.

Derived terms

* busted flush * royal flush * straight flush