Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

FLUSH, n. Also †flusch (Jam.); flosh (Gall., Dmf.), †flews. [flʌʃ, flɔʃ]

1. A piece of boggy ground, esp. one where water frequently lies on the surface, a swampy place, a pool of water in a field (Gall., Rxb. 1825 Jam.; Dmf. 1894 Trans. Dmf. and Gall. Antiq. Soc. 147, flosh; Arg., Rxb. 1951). Found in place-names. Deriv. floshan, -in (Gall. 1825 Jam.), -en, a large shallow puddle (Kcb.⁴ 1900).Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 218:
When ducks a-paddock-hunting scour the bog And powheads spartle in the oosy flosh.Gall. 1822 Scots Mag. (Oct.) 419:
Through all the depths and green defilements of the byre-door-dub, or floshen.Sc. 1823 Scots Mag. (Dec.) 714:
I could see peat-mosses on all hands, filled with peat-stacks, and, occasionally, pretty large floshens, or collections of moss-water.Ayr. 1890 J. Service Notandums v.:
There had been pies and porter at the flushes [at a curling match].s.Sc. 1918 Sc. Jnl. Agric. I. 263:
The reason for a green gair or flush is the outflow of a spring.

†2. Slush, a mixture of snow and water on the ground after a thaw (Sc. 1808 Jam.).

†3. A sluice for turning water off an irrigated meadow (Rxb. 1825 Jam., flews). Also in Lan. dial., in form floos.