Flash

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -æʃ
• Hyphenation: flash

From the Middle English word flashen ("to splash"), a variant of flasken, which was likely of imitative origin.

Full definition of flash

Verb

1. To briefly illuminate a scene.
   He flashed the light at the water, trying to see what made the noise.
2. To blink; to shine or illuminate intermittently.
• 1907, Robert W. Chambers, The Younger Set Chapter 5, Breezes blowing from beds of iris quickened her breath with their perfume ; … ; she saw a crimson cardinal winging through the foliage, and amorous tanagers flashing like scarlet flames athwart the pines.
3. The light flashed on and off.
4. To be visible briefly.
• 1918, W. B. Maxwell, The Mirror and the Lamp Chapter 5, Here, in the transept and choir, where the service was being held, one was conscious every moment of an increasing brightness; colours glowing vividly beneath the circular chandeliers, and the rows of small lights on the choristers' desks flashed and sparkled in front of the boys' faces, deep linen collars, and red neckbands.
5. The scenery flashed by quickly.
6. To make visible briefly.
   A number will be flashed on the screen.
7. (figurative) To break forth like a sudden flood of light; to show a momentary brilliance.
• Talfourdnames which have flashed and thundered as the watch words of unnumbered struggles
• M. ArnoldThe object is made to flash upon the eye of the mind.
• TennysonA thought flashed through me, which I clothed in act.
8. To flaunt; to display in a showy manner.
   He flashed a wad of hundred-dollar bills.
9. To communicate quickly.
   The news services flashed the news about the end of the war to all corners of the globe.
   to flash a message along the telephone wiresto flash conviction on the mind
10. (computing) To write to the memory of an updatable component such as a BIOS chip or games cartridge.
11. (ambitransitive, informal) To expose one's naked body or underwear, or part of it, in public briefly. Contrast streak.
12. (metallurgy) To release the pressure from a pressurized vessel.
13. (juggling) To perform a flash.
14. To move, or cause to move, suddenly
• 2011, January 11, Jonathan Stevenson, West Ham 2 - 1 Birmingham, But they survived some real pressure as David Murphy flashed a header inches wide of Rob Green's right-hand post ….
15. (glassmaking) To cover with a thin layer, as objects of glass with glass of a different colour.
16. To trick up in a showy manner.
• A. BrewerLimning and flashing it with various dyes.
17. To strike and throw up large bodies of water from the surface; to splash.
• SpenserHe rudely flashed the waves about.
18. (transitive) To telephone a person, only allowing the phone to ring once, in order to request a call back.''Susan flashed Jessica, and then Jessica called her back, because Susan didn't have enough credit on her phone to make the call.
19. (intransitive, of liquid) To evaporate suddenly. See Flash evaporation.
20. (transitive, climbing) To climb (a route) successfully on the first attempt.

Synonyms

• (to briefly illuminate) glint
• (telephoning) beep

Derived terms

• flashback
• flasher
• flashforward
• flashing
• flashlight
• flash up

Related terms

• flush possibly

Noun

1. A sudden, short, temporary burst of light.
2. (figurative) A sudden and brilliant burst, as of wit or genius.
• Shakespearethe flash and outbreak of a fiery mind
• WirtNo striking sentiment, no flash of fancy.
3. (linguistics) A language, created by a minority to maintain cultural identity, that cannot be understood by the ruling class; for example, Ebonics.
4. A very short amount of time.
• Francis BaconThe Persians and Macedonians had it for a flash.
• 1876, Mark Twain, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,Quick—something must be done! done in a flash, too! But the very imminence of the emergency paralyzed his invention.
• 2011, Phil McNulty, Euro 2012: Montenegro 2-2 England http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/15195384.stmFabio Capello insisted Rooney was in the right frame of mind to play in stormy Podgorica despite his father's arrest on Thursday in a probe into alleged betting irregularities, but his flash of temper - when he kicked out at Miodrag Dzudovic - suggested otherwise.
5. Material left around the edge of a moulded part at the parting line of the mould.
6. (Cockney) The strips of bright cloth or buttons worn around the collars of market traders.
7. (US, colloquial) A flashlight or electric torch.
• 1939, Raymond Chandler, The Big Sleep, Penguin 2011, p. 34:I reached a flash out of my car pocket and went down-grade and looked at the car.
8. (juggling) A pattern where each prop is thrown and caught only once.
9. (archaic) A preparation of capsicum, burnt sugar, etc., for colouring liquor to make it look stronger.

Synonyms

• (sudden, short, temporary burst of light) gleam, glint
• (material left around the edge of a mould) moulding flash, molding flash

Antonyms

• (very short amount of time) aeon

Hypernyms

• (sudden, short, temporary burst of light) light

Derived terms

• antiflash
• camera flash
• flashy
• flashbulb
• flash flood
• flash in the pan
• flash memory
• flash photography
• flash point
• flashproof
• in a flash
• quick as a flash

Adjective

1. (British and New Zealand, slang) Expensive-looking and demanding attention; stylish; showy.
• 1892, Banjo Paterson, The barber man was small and flash, as barbers mostly are,He wore a strike-your-fancy sash, he smoked a huge cigar;
2. (UK, of a person) Having plenty of ready money.
3. (UK, of a person) Liable to show off expensive possessions or money.
4. (US, slang) Occurring very rapidly, almost instantaneously.

Old English flasche, flaske; compare Old French flache, French flaque.

Noun

1. A pool.
2. (engineering) A reservoir and sluiceway beside a navigable stream, just above a shoal, so that the stream may pour in water as boats pass, and thus bear them over the shoal.

Derived terms

• flash wheel

Anagrams

• halfs