Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Modest; bashful; given to blushing or suffused with blushes: as, a blushing maiden.
  • Freshly blooming; roseate, literally or figuratively.
  • noun The act of becoming red in the face through modesty, confusion, or shame; suffusion with a roseate tint.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Showing blushes; rosy red; having a warm and delicate color like some roses and other flowers; blooming; ruddy; roseate.
  • noun The act of turning red; the appearance of a reddish color or flush upon the cheeks.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb Present participle of blush.
  • noun The action of the verb to blush.
  • adjective That which blushes.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective having a red face from embarrassment or shame or agitation or emotional upset

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • That they make them without blushing is a sign of the power of Tolkien, and the overwhelming quality of his prose.

    Infectious language Richard Nokes 2005

  • Celine Dion was blushing from the cheese and schmaltz when she heard it.

    Rockstar: INXS – Week 9 2005

  • 'Certainly,' said Orlando, again blushing so much that his father could not but perceive it – 'certainly I am – am acquainted with her; that is – I know her, to be sure, a little; – indeed, as I live so much under the same roof, it would be odd, and strange, if I did not.'

    The Old Manor House 1793

  • If you have a business proposal to make to a Japanese woman, there's a slight chance she'll start blushing on you, since the English word "propose" is only used for marriage proposals in Japan, not for other kinds of formal business suggestions.

    J-List side blog 2008

  • I think blushing is more physiological and you can’t he’p it.

    Is not flirting a feminist statement? « Dating Jesus 2009

  • Then she recalled her blushing girlhood days when she had made her first airplane flight with Tom Sr.

    Golden State 2010

  • Shortly after the return of the family to Montreal Mr. Hazelton led to the altar with pride the "blushing" Mary Sedley.

    The Mysteries of Montreal Being Recollections of a Female Physician Charlotte Fuhrer

  • "Can I-- can I--" he stammered, blushing, meaning to finish with "direct you," or "show you the way."

    The Literary World Seventh Reader Hetty Sibyl Browne 1907

  • It may be only an alteration of the heart-beats or breathing, or a modification in the distribution of blood, such as blushing or turning pale; or else a secretion of tears, or what not.

    Talks To Teachers On Psychology; And To Students On Some Of Life's Ideals William James 1876

  • But her reception was worse than that of Macready, for not content with shouts and yells they heaped disgusting epithets on her, and were so vulgar in their ribaldry that she flew in affright from the stage, "blushing," it was said, "even through the rouge on her face."

    The Great Riots of New York, 1712 to 1873 Joel Tyler Headley 1855

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