a brief, sudden burst of bright light: a flash of lightning.
a sudden, brief outburst or display of joy, wit, etc.
a very brief moment; instant: I'll be back in a flash.
Informal. flashlight (def. 1).
superficial, meretricious, or vulgar showiness; ostentatious display.
Journalism. news flash.
Photography.
bright artificial light thrown briefly upon a subject during an exposure.
flash lamp.
flashbulb.
flashtube.
the sudden flame or intense heat produced by a bomb or other explosive device.
a sudden thought, insight, inspiration, or vision.
Slang. rush1 (def. 26).
Metallurgy.
a ridge of metal left on a casting by a seam between parts of the mold.
a ridge formed at the edge of a forging or weld where excess metal has been squeezed out.
Poker. a hand containing all five suits in a game played with a five-suit pack.
a device, as a lock or sluice, for confining and releasing water to send a boat down a shallow stream.
the rush of water thus produced.
hot flash.
Obsolete. the cant or jargon of thieves, vagabonds, etc.
verb (used without object)
to break forth into sudden flame or light, especially transiently or intermittently: a buoy flashing in the distance.
to gleam.
to burst suddenly into view or perception: The answer flashed into his mind.
to move like a flash.
to speak or behave with sudden anger, outrage, or the like (often followed by out): to flash out at a stupid remark.
to break into sudden action.
Slang. to open one's clothes and expose the genitals suddenly, and usually briefly, in public.
Slang. to experience the intense effects of a narcotic or stimulant drug.
to dash or splash, as the sea or waves.
Archaic. to make a flash or sudden display.
verb (used with object)
to emit or send forth (fire or light) in sudden flashes.
to cause to flash, as powder by ignition or a sword by waving.
to send forth like a flash.
to communicate instantaneously, as by radio or telegraph.
to make an ostentatious display of: He's forever flashing a large roll of bills.
to display suddenly and briefly: She flashed her ID card at the guard.
to change (water) instantly into steam by pouring or directing onto a hot surface.
to increase the flow of water in (a river, channel, etc.).
Glassmakingand Ceramics.
to coat (plain glass or a glass or ceramic object) with a layer of colored, opalescent, or white glass.
to apply (such a layer).
to color or make (glass) opaque by reheating.
Building Trades. to protect from leakage with flashing.
Cards. to expose (a card) in the process of dealing.
Archaic. to dash or splash (water).
adjective
happening suddenly and usually lasting a short time:a flash storm.
very brief, fast, or short: flash freezing of vegetables;flash poetry and fiction.
showy or ostentatious.
caused by or used as protection against flash from an explosive device: flash injuries; flash clothing.
counterfeit or sham.
Computers. relating to or using flash memory: a flash drive.
of or relating to followers of boxing, racing, etc.
Obsolete. belonging to or connected with thieves, vagabonds, etc., or their cant or jargon.
Idioms for flash
flash in the pan,
a brief, intense effort that produces no really significant result.
a person who makes such an effort; one who enjoys short-lived success.
flash on, Slang.
to have a sudden thought, insight, or inspiration about.
to have a sudden, vivid memory or mental picture of: I just flashed on that day we spent at the lake.
to feel an instantaneous understanding and appreciation of.
Origin of flash
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English flasshen “to sprinkle, splash,” earlier flask(i)en; probably phonesthemic in origin; compare similar expressive words with fl- and -sh
18. Flash,glance,glint,glitter mean to send forth a sudden gleam (or gleams) of bright light. To flash is to send forth light with a sudden, transient brilliancy: A shooting star flashed briefly. To glance is to emit a brilliant flash of light as a reflection from a smooth surface: Sunlight glanced from the glass windshield.Glint suggests a hard bright gleam of reflected light, as from something polished or burnished: Light glints from silver or from burnished copper. To glitter is to reflect intermittent flashes of light from a hard surface: Ice glitters in the moonlight.
OTHER WORDS FROM flash
flash·ing·ly,adverboutflash,verb (used with object)
In one 2009 experiment, college students studied vocabulary words with flash cards.
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The darkening outlook of banks is laid bare by disclosures on so-called criticized loans, which are flashing warning signals about a borrower’s ability to pay.
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Plus its flash technology allows upgrades to future software versions so you won’t have to continually invest in new calculators.
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Disrupt 2020 Labor Day flash sale — Starting today, you can save $100 off the price of a Disrupt Digital Pro Pass.
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When I briefly regained consciousness, it was to flashing police and ambulance lights and what felt like an entire roll of paper towels pressed on my face.
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The idea that January 1st initiates a period of new beginning is not a flash of Hallmark brilliance.
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In a flash he deflects the shot, with the speed of instinct, right past the goalkeeper.
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Cops launched a flash grenade through the window and officer Joseph Weekley fired, fatally striking Stanley-Jones.
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I see a couple holding each other and longingly looking at flash sheets on the wall.
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Flash says it after watching Arrow swing off a rooftop; Arrow says it seconds later as he watches Flash run away.
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In a flash Vidac was out of the seat and examining the vehicle.
The Space Pioneers|Carey Rockwell
Involuntarily Morrison, like thousands of others, had screened his sight with his hands after the second flash.
Average Jones|Samuel Hopkins Adams
"You wish prepare for luncheon, honorable sirs," said the boy, his teeth and eyes shining in one flash.
Under Handicap|Jackson Gregory
Red Blaze, quick as lightning, fired at the flash of the rifle.
The Guns of Shiloh|Joseph A. Altsheler
Before she could flash about and turn from him David Drennen did a thing he had done for no woman in many years.
Wolf Breed|Jackson Gregory
British Dictionary definitions for flash
flash
/ (flæʃ) /
noun
a sudden short blaze of intense light or flamea flash of sunlight
a sudden occurrence or display, esp one suggestive of brilliancea flash of understanding
a very brief space of timeover in a flash
an ostentatious displaya flash of her diamonds
Also called: newsflasha short news announcement concerning a new event
Also called: patchmainlyBritishan insignia or emblem worn on a uniform, vehicle, etc, to identify its military formation
a patch of bright colour on a dark background, such as light marking on an animal
a volatile mixture of inorganic salts used to produce a glaze on bricks or tiles
a sudden rush of water down a river or watercourse
a device, such as a sluice, for producing such a rush
photoginformal short for flashlight (def. 2), flash photography
a ridge of thin metal or plastic formed on a moulded object by the extrusion of excess material between dies
Yorkshire and Lancashiredialecta pond, esp one produced as a consequence of subsidence
(modifier)involving, using, or produced by a flash of heat, light, etcflash blindness; flash distillation
flash in the pana project, person, etc, that enjoys only short-lived success, notoriety, etc
adjective
informalostentatious or vulgar
informalof or relating to gamblers and followers of boxing and racing
sham or counterfeit
informalrelating to or characteristic of the criminal underworld
brief and rapidflash freezing
verb
to burst or cause to burst suddenly or intermittently into flame
to emit or reflect or cause to emit or reflect light suddenly or intermittently
(intr)to move very fasthe flashed by on his bicycle
(intr)to come rapidly (into the mind or vision)
(intr; foll by out or up)to appear like a sudden lighthis anger really flashes out at times
to signal or communicate very fastto flash a message
to signal by use of a light, such as car headlights
(tr)informalto display ostentatiouslyto flash money around
(tr)informalto show suddenly and briefly
(intr)Britishslangto expose oneself indecently
(tr)to cover (a roof) with flashing
to send a sudden rush of water down (a river, etc), or to carry (a vessel) down by this method
(in the making of glass) to coat (glass) with a thin layer of glass of a different colour
(tr)to subject to a brief pulse of heat or radiation
(tr)to change (a liquid) to a gas by causing it to hit a hot surface
obsoleteto splash or dash (water)
Word Origin for flash
C14 (in the sense: to rush, as of water): of unknown origin