I’ve never understood if flushed means pale or red-faced? I’ve always found this expression ambiguous. What is the intent of this expression?
It’s really quite simple and unambiguous. Flushed means the area is flushed with blood. If someone is described as having a flushed face it means the face is flushed with blood and therefore more red in colour than usual.
A pale face is described as being pallid, pale or wan.
Google “flushed”. First hit follows.
While we do welcome questions of all kinds here, at least a tiny bit of effort is appreciated before posting. A quick look at a dictionary, a Google search, or a Wikipedia search, would have answered this question in seconds.
This is Jinx. He is absolved – apparently – from using any of the things suggested.
What I used to get mixed up with as a kid was the word “ashen.” Because to me, ashes are usually black or dark grey. Little did I know that an ashen face is supposed to be pale.
I don’t know if this is any kind of defence for Jinx but I suffered from the same confusion well into adulthood. It sounded to me like the blood had been flushed from the face like water from a toilet.
I understand it now but it was interesting to hear that I’m not the only one.
Consider my own ignorance fought.
Water isn’t flushed from a toilet. It is flushed through it.
T think you mean that they look like shit.