blush

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To become red in the face from embarrassment or shyness.

   She blushed when the teacher praised her work.

2. 2
   noun

   A red or pink glow on the face caused by embarrassment or shyness.

   A faint blush spread across his cheeks.

3. 3
   noun

   A coloured powder used on the cheeks as makeup.

   She added a little blush to brighten her face.

From Middle English blusshen, bluschen, blusschen, blisshen, from Old English blysċan (“to be red; shine”), perhaps from Proto-Germanic *blaskijaną, from *blasǭ (“burning candle; torch”) or alternatively from Proto-Germanic *bluskijaną, from *blusjǭ (“torch”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel-. Cognate with Middle Low German blöschen (“to blush”). Compare also Old English blysian (“to burn; blaze”), Dutch blozen (“to blush”), Danish blusse (“to blush”), Old Norse blys (“torch”), Danish blus (“blaze”).

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