phrases, sayings, idioms and expressions at

Flushed Out

Posted by Bookworm on June 04, 2003

In Reply to: Flushed Out posted by TheFallen on June 04, 2003

: : :
: : : Need help again.

: : : We should wait until this thing is more
: : : fully flushed out. Then, we will see what
: : : we should do next.

: : : what does "more fully flushed out" mean here?

: : : Thanks!

: : Could it be "fleshed out"?

: I don't think so. The following from the American Heritage Dictionary:

: *** Start Snip ***

: FLUSH
:
: TRANSITIVE VERB:
: 1. To frighten (a game bird, for example) from cover.
: 2. To drive or force into the open: The police fired tear gas to flush out the terrorists.

: INTRANSITIVE VERB:
: 1. To dart out or fly from cover.

: NOUN:
: 1. A bird or flock of birds that has been frightened from cover.

: ETYMOLOGY: Middle English flusshen.

: *** End Snip ***

: To flush something out is to expose it, or to reveal its true nature and/or purpose.
:

Perhaps an argument may be made for "fleshed out" as well:

Main Entry: flesh out
Function: transitive verb
Date: 1886
: to make fuller or more nearly complete
- fleshed-out adjective

The speaker could be advising to wait for a situation to unfold a little further (i.e. near completion) before acting.

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