busted flush

noun

A potential flush which ultimately was not filled.

“I thought I'd draw another spade, but I ended up with a busted flush.”

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Meanings

nounbusted flush (plural busted flushes)

plural busted flushes

  1. UKcard gamesA potential flush which ultimately was not filled.

    I thought I'd draw another spade, but I ended up with a busted flush.

  2. UKidiomaticAnything which ends up worthless despite great potential.

    If this [Tony Blair] is such an utterly busted flush of a leader, why are so many Tories and their outriders so keen to have this Prime Minister gone before he can fight another election?

    2004 May 2, Andrew Rawnsley, “Mission not accomplished”, in Guardian online, UK, retrieved 14 Oct 2012
    1 more example

    "In November last year, at the annual conference, a decision went against me and I took the view that I couldn't carry on. I was a busted flush as the General Secretary, and in a position where I did not have the support of everyone, so it was best that I moved on.

    2021 May 19, Paul Clifton asks Mick Cash, “I am retiring on my own terms”, in RAIL, number 931, page 49

Translations

German Reinfall, Fehlschlag
  • Reinfallanything which ends up worthless despite great potential
  • Fehlschlaganything which ends up worthless despite great potential
  • Luftnummeranything which ends up worthless despite great potential
  • Flopanything which ends up worthless despite great potential
Cite this entry
APA

busted flush. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/busted%20flush

MLA

“busted flush.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/busted%20flush. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “busted flush,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/busted%20flush.

Source: busted flush on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.