to flush game
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A gun dog is said to flush game when he disturbs them and they take to the air.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to flush game” mean?
A gun dog is said to flush game when he disturbs them and they take to the air.
Is “to flush game” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.