flash Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a sudden intense burst of radiant energy
  2. noun a momentary brightness
  3. noun a short vivid experience
    flashing.
    • a flash of emotion swept over him
    • the flashings of pain were a warning
  4. noun a sudden brilliant understanding
    • he had a flash of intuition
  5. noun a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
    instant; wink; blink of an eye; New York minute; twinkling; jiffy; heartbeat; split second; trice.
    • if I had the chance I'd do it in a flash
  6. noun a gaudy outward display
    fanfare; ostentation.
  7. noun a burst of light used to communicate or illuminate
    flare.
  8. noun a short news announcement concerning some on-going news story
    news bulletin; newsflash; newsbreak.
  9. noun a bright patch of color used for decoration or identification
    • red flashes adorned the airplane
    • a flash sewn on his sleeve indicated the unit he belonged to
  10. noun a lamp for providing momentary light to take a photograph
    photoflash; flashbulb; flashgun; flash lamp; flash bulb.
  11. verb gleam or glow intermittently
    wink; winkle; twinkle; blink.
    • The lights were flashing
  12. verb appear briefly
    • The headlines flashed on the screen
  13. verb display proudly; act ostentatiously or pretentiously
    swank; flaunt; show off; ostentate.
    • he showed off his new sports car
  14. verb make known or cause to appear with great speed
    • The latest intelligence is flashed to all command posts
  15. verb run or move very quickly or hastily
    shoot; dart; dash; scud; scoot.
    • She dashed into the yard
  16. verb expose or show briefly
    • he flashed a $100 bill
  17. verb protect by covering with a thin sheet of metal
    • flash the roof
  18. verb emit a brief burst of light
    • A shooting star flashed and was gone
  19. adjective satellite tastelessly showy
    garish; gaudy; brassy; meretricious; tatty; tawdry; cheap; flashy; tacky; gimcrack; loud; trashy.
    • a flash car
    • a flashy ring
    • garish colors
    • a gaudy costume
    • loud sport shirts
    • a meretricious yet stylish book
    • tawdry ornaments

WordNet

Flash intransitive verb
Etymology
Cf. OE. flaskien, vlaskien to pour, sprinkle, dial. Sw. flasa to blaze, E. flush, flare.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Flashed ; present participle & verbal noun Flashing
Definitions
  1. To burst or break forth with a sudden and transient flood of flame and light; as, the lighting flashes vividly; the powder flashed.
  2. To break forth, as a sudden flood of light; to burst instantly and brightly on the sight; to show a momentary brilliancy; to come or pass like a flash.
    Names which have flashed and thundered as the watch words of unumbered struggles. Talfourd.
    The object is made to flash upon the eye of the mind. M. Arnold.
    A thought floashed through me, which I clothed in act. Tennyson.
  3. To burst forth like a sudden flame; to break out violently; to rush hastily.
    Every hour He flashes into one gross crime or other. Shak.
    Bartlett. Syn. -- Flash, Glitter, Gleam, Glisten, Glister. Flash differs from glitter and gleam, denoting a flood or wide extent of light. The latter words may express the issuing of light from a small object, or from a pencil of rays. Flash differs from other words, also, in denoting suddenness of appearance and disappearance. Flashing differs from exploding or disploding in not being accompanied with a loud report. To glisten, or glister, is to shine with a soft and fitful luster, as eyes suffused with tears, or flowers wet with dew.
Flash transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To send out in flashes; to cause to burst forth with sudden flame or light.
    The chariot of paternal Deity, Flashing thick flames. Milton.
  2. To convey as by a flash; to light up, as by a sudden flame or light; as, to flash a message along the wires; to flash conviction on the mind.
  3. (Glass Making) To cover with a thin layer, as objects of glass with glass of a different color. See Flashing, n., 3 (b).
  4. To trick up in a showy manner.
    Limning and flashing it with various dyes. A. Brewer.
  5. Perh. due to confusion between flash of light and plash, splash. To strike and throw up large bodies of water from the surface; to splash. Obs.
    He rudely flashed the waves about. Spenser.
Flash noun
Wordforms
plural Flashes
Definitions
  1. A sudden burst of light; a flood of light instantaneously appearing and disappearing; a momentary blaze; as, a flash of lightning.
  2. A sudden and brilliant burst, as of wit or genius; a momentary brightness or show.
    The flash and outbreak of a fiery mind. Shak.
    No striking sentiment, no flash of fancy. Wirt.
  3. The time during which a flash is visible; an instant; a very brief period.
    The Persians and Macedonians had it for a flash. Bacon.
  4. A preparation of capsicum, burnt sugar, etc., for coloring and giving a fictious strength to liquors.
Flash adjective
Definitions
  1. Showy, but counterfeit; cheap, pretentious, and vulgar; as, flash jewelry; flash finery.
  2. Wearing showy, counterfeit ornaments; vulgarly pretentious; as, flash people; flash men or women; -- applied especially to thieves, gamblers, and prostitutes that dress in a showy way and wear much cheap jewelry.
Flash noun
Definitions
  1. Slang or cant of thieves and prostitutes.
Flash noun
Etymology
OE. flasche, flaske; cf. OF. flache, F. flaque.
Definitions
  1. A pool. Prov. Eng. Haliwell.
  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.

Webster 1913