1 [no object] show shyness, embarrassment, or shame by becoming red in the face:she blushed at the unexpected compliment [with complement]:Kate felt herself blushing scarlet
feel embarrassed or ashamed: [with infinitive]:he blushed to think of how he’d paraded himself
2 (often as adjective blushing) literary be or become pink or pale red:the trees are loaded with blushing blossoms
at first blush
at the first glimpse or impression:his next decision was at first blush disconcerting
spare (or save) someone's blushes
refrain from causing someone embarrassment:we will spare the blushes of those forecasters who notched up the biggest errors