Definitions
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.
- 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.
- In photography, to cover with an exceedingly thin layer, as of metal in a plating-bath.
- noun A sudden burst of flame or light; a light instantaneously appearing and disappearing; a gleam: as, a flash from a gun.
- noun A sudden burst of something regarded as resembling light in its effect, as color, wit, glee, energy, passion, etc.; a short, vivid, and brilliant outburst; a momentary brightness or show.
- noun The time occupied by a flash of light; a very short period; a transient state; an instant.
- noun plural The hot stage of a fever.
- noun A showy or blustering person.
- noun A quibble; jugglery with words.
- noun A shoot of a plant.
- noun A preparation of capsicum, burnt sugar, etc., used for coloring brandy and rum, and giving them a factitious strength.
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Aye! yet something whispered that the flash carried a meaning, was, indeed, a spark from that mightier _flash of arms_ that would, ere long, blaze out at the very mention of that name.
The Arena Volume 4, No. 21, August, 1891 Various 1888
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The report of the rifle was magical in its effect upon the Basuto ponies, each rearing up on its hind legs and striking out with its forefeet; but the same punishment was meted out by the riders -- namely, a sharp tap between the ears with the barrels of the rifles -- and the result was that beyond fidgeting they stood fairly still, while _flash, flash, flash_, three more shots were fired.
A Dash from Diamond City George Manville Fenn 1870
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Now the darkness was cut by a bright flash of light right in front; there was the sharp crack of a rifle, and right and left _flash, crack, flash, crack_, ran along a line.
Charge! A Story of Briton and Boer George Manville Fenn 1870
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Flash Mode: flash off ，flash on，flash auto, illumination Auto
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$SID. = '& flash ='. $flash; if (is_array ($_EXTRA_URL)) $_EXTRA_URL [] = 'flash ='. $flash; else
phpBB.com 2010
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$SID. = '& flash ='. $flash; if (is_array ($_EXTRA_URL)) $_EXTRA_URL [] = 'flash ='. $flash; else
phpBB.com 2010
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Big in movement and expression it must be, depending for effect not on words but on the revealing flash; it must be the summit of the action; it must be the event toward which the entire movement has been rising; it must be the fulfillment of what was foreshadowed; it must be keen, quick, perfectly logical and _flash_ the illuminating revelation, as if one would say, "Here, this is what I've kept you waiting for -- my whole reason for being."
Writing for Vaudeville Brett Page
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Now, when you see or hear the term "flash mob," a scary image comes to mind: a large group of black teenage boys who appear out of nowhere to commit crimes.
Zack Isaacs: How to Stop Flash Mobs Zack Isaacs 2011
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Now, when you see or hear the term "flash mob," a scary image comes to mind: a large group of black teenage boys who appear out of nowhere to commit crimes.
Zack Isaacs: How to Stop Flash Mobs Zack Isaacs 2011
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Now, when you see or hear the term "flash mob," a scary image comes to mind: a large group of black teenage boys who appear out of nowhere to commit crimes.
The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com Zack Isaacs 2011
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Two years later, in 1991, Mr. Zulueta created a set of designs — called “flash” in the tattoo world — that featured some of the most iconic contemporary tribal motifs, including a rosette and a scorpion inspired by Indigenous tattoos from Borneo.
bilby commented on the word flash
A village in Staffordshire, England.
January 1, 2008
hernesheir commented on the word flash
Interesting tidbits from the definitions:
To cover with a thin layer, as objects of glass with glass of a different color.
To expand, as blown glass, into a disk.
A preparation of capsicum, burnt sugar, etc., used for coloring brandy and rum, and giving them a factitious strength.
A language, created by a repressed minority to maintain cultural identity, that cannot be understood by the ruling class; for example, Ebonics.
January 15, 2013
tankhughes commented on the word flash
In rock climbing, if you flash a wall, it means you get up it all the way on your first try - especially used in bouldering competitions.
May 26, 2022