flash

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• intransitive verb To burst forth into or as if into flame.
• intransitive verb To give off light or be lighted in sudden or intermittent bursts.
• intransitive verb To appear or occur suddenly.
• intransitive verb To move or proceed rapidly.
• intransitive verb To hang up a phone line momentarily, as when using call waiting.
• intransitive verb Slang To think of or remember something suddenly.
• intransitive verb Slang To expose oneself in an indecent manner.
• intransitive verb To cause (light) to appear suddenly or in intermittent bursts.
• intransitive verb To cause to burst into flame.
• intransitive verb To reflect (light).
• intransitive verb To cause to reflect light from (a surface).
• intransitive verb To make known or signal by flashing lights.
• intransitive verb To communicate or display at great speed.
• intransitive verb To exhibit briefly.
• intransitive verb To hang up (a phone line) momentarily, as when using call waiting.
• intransitive verb To display ostentatiously; flaunt.
• intransitive verb To fill suddenly with water.
• intransitive verb To cover with a thin protective layer.
• noun A sudden, brief, intense display of light.
• noun A sudden perception.
• noun A split second; an instant.
• noun A brief news dispatch or transmission.
• noun Slang Gaudy or ostentatious display.
• noun A flashlight.
• noun Instantaneous illumination for photography.
• noun A device, such as a flashbulb, flashgun, or flash lamp, used to produce such illumination.
• noun Slang The pleasurable sensation that accompanies the use of a drug; a rush.
• noun Archaic The language or cant of thieves, tramps, or underworld figures.
• adjective Happening suddenly or very quickly.
• adjective Slang Ostentatious; showy.
• adjective Of or relating to figures of quarterly economic growth released by the government and subject to later revision.
• adjective Of or relating to photography using instantaneous illumination.
• adjective Computers Of or relating to flash memory.
• adjective Archaic Of or relating to thieves, swindlers, and underworld figures.
• idiom (flash in the pan) One that promises great success but fails.

from The Century Dictionary.

• To dash (water); sprinkle.
• To splash; dash about, as water.
• To increase the flow of water in; flood with water from a reservoir or otherwise, as a stream or a sewer; flush. See flashing.
• To splash, as waves.
• Insipid; vapid.
• noun A pool of water.
• noun A sluice or lock on a navigable river, just above a shoal, to raise the water while craft are passing.
• noun A body of water driven by violence.
• To burst into sudden flame; specifically, to ignite and flare up with sudden and transient brilliancy; emit a bright flame for a moment: as, the flashing-point of oil; the powder flashed in the pan.
• To burst forth with sudden brilliancy; break out in a transient or variable gleam or glitter; emit flashes; gleam: as, the lightning flashed continually.
• To burst suddenly into view or perception; come or appear instantaneously: as, the scene flashed upon his sight; the solution of the problem flashed into his mind.
• To burst suddenly into action; break out with sudden force or violence.
• To come, move, or pass in a flashing manner; act as if in or by a flash: as, the dog flashed by in hot pursuit.