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What (who) is flash - definition
WIKIMEDIA DISAMBIGUATION PAGE
Flash clip; Flash (film); The Flash (disambiguation); Flash (disambiguation); Flashes; Flash (TV series); Flash (album); Flash Technology; The Flash (TV Show); The Flash (TV series); Flash (novel)
flash
flash1
¦ verb
1. shine in a bright but brief, sudden, or intermittent way.
2. move, pass, or send very quickly: a look of terror flashed across his face.
3. display or be displayed briefly or repeatedly.
informal display conspicuously so as to impress: they flash their money about.
informal (of a man) show one's genitals in public.
4. (flash over) make an electric circuit by sparking across a gap.
¦ noun
1. a sudden brief burst of bright light.
2. a camera attachment that produces a flash of light, for taking photographs in poor light.
3. a sudden or brief manifestation or occurrence.
4. a bright patch of colour.
Brit. a coloured patch of cloth worn on a uniform as a distinguishing emblem.
5. (Flash) Computing (trademark in the US) an application used to produce animation sequences that can be viewed by a browser.
6. excess plastic or metal forced between facing surfaces as two halves of a mould close up.
7. a rush of water, especially down a weir to take a boat over shallows.
¦ adjective
1. informal, chiefly Brit. ostentatiously stylish or expensive.
2. archaic relating to the language of criminals or prostitutes.
Phrases
flash in the pan a sudden but brief success that is unlikely to be repeated. [with allusion to the priming of a firearm, the flash arising from an explosion of gunpowder within the lock.]
Derivatives
flasher noun
Origin
--------
flash2
¦ noun Brit. a water-filled hollow formed by subsidence.
Origin
ME (in the sense 'a marshy place'): from OFr. flache, var. of Norman dialect flaque, from MDu. vlacke.
flash
(flashes, flashing, flashed)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
A flash is a sudden burst of light or of something shiny or bright.
A sudden flash of lightning lit everything up for a second...
The wire snapped at the wall plug with a blue flash and the light fused...
A jay emerged from the juniper bush in a flash of blue feathers.
N-COUNT: usu with supp
2.
If a light flashes or if you flash a light, it shines with a sudden bright light, especially as quick, regular flashes of light.
Lightning flashed among the distant dark clouds...
He lost his temper after a driver flashed her headlights as he overtook...
He saw the flashing lights of the highway patrol car in his driving mirror.
VERB: V, V n, V-ing
3.
You talk about a flash of something when you are saying that it happens very suddenly and unexpectedly.
'What did Moira tell you?' Liz demanded with a flash of anger...
The essays could do with a flash of wit or humor.
= burst
N-COUNT: with supp, N of n
4.
If something flashes past or by, it moves past you so fast that you cannot see it properly.
It was a busy road, cars flashed by every few minutes.
VERB: V prep/adv
5.
If something flashes through or into your mind, you suddenly think about it.
A ludicrous thought flashed through Harry's mind...
VERB: V through/into n
6.
If you flash something such as an identity card, you show it to people quickly and then put it away again. (INFORMAL)
Halim flashed his official card, and managed to get hold of a soldier to guard the Land Rover.
VERB: V n
7.
If a picture or message flashes up on a screen, or if you flash it onto a screen, it is displayed there briefly or suddenly, and often repeatedly.
The figures flash up on the scoreboard...
The words 'Good Luck' were flashing on the screen...
Researchers flash two groups of different letters onto a computer screen...
The screen flashes a message: Try again...
A list of items is repeatedly flashed up on the screen.
VERB: V up, V prep, V n prep, V n, be V-ed up, also V n up
8.
If you flash news or information to a place, you send it there quickly by computer, satellite, or other system.
They had told their offices to flash the news as soon as it broke...
This is, of course, international news and soon it was being flashed around the world.
VERB: V n, be V-ed prep/adv, also V n prep/adv
9.
If you flash a look or a smile at someone, you suddenly look at them or smile at them. (WRITTEN)
I flashed a look at Sue...
Meg flashed Cissie a grateful smile.
VERB: V n at n, V n n
10.
If someone's eyes flash, they suddenly show a strong emotion, especially anger. (LITERARY)
Her dark eyes flashed and she spoke rapidly.
VERB: V
11.
Flash is the use of special bulbs to give more light when taking a photograph.
He was one of the first people to use high speed flash in bird photography.
N-UNCOUNT: oft N n
12.
Stopping to rest, Pete shut off the flash.
N-COUNT
13.
If you describe something as flash, you mean that it looks expensive, fashionable, and new. (INFORMAL)
...a flash uptown restaurant...
You can go for a 'rostrum' system, which sounds flash, but can be assembled quite cheaply.
ADJ
14.
If you describe an achievement or success as a flash in the pan, you mean that it is unlikely to be repeated and is not an indication of future achievements or success.
People will be looking in to see how good we are now and whether our success has just been a flash in the pan.
= one-off
PHRASE: usu v-link PHR [disapproval]
15.
If you say that something happens in a flash, you mean that it happens suddenly and lasts only a very short time.
The answer had come to him in a flash...
It was done in a flash.
PHRASE: usu PHR after v
16.
If you say that someone reacts to something quick as a flash, you mean that they react to it extremely quickly.
Quick as a flash, the man said, 'I have to, don't I?'
PHRASE
flash
I
n.
1) an electronic flash (for a camera)
2) a hot flash (AE; BE has hot flush)
3) a news flash
4) in a flash ('quickly')
II
v.
1) (usu. B; rarely A) ('to convey by light') they flashed a signal to the crew
2) (D; tr.) ('to shine') to flash at (the driver flashed his lights at us)
3) (d; intr.) ('to come suddenly') to flash into (a brilliant idea flashed into her mind)
4) (d; intr.) ('to pass') to flash through (a thought flashed through my mind)
5) (D; intr.) ('to glow') to flash with (her eyes flashed with anger)
Examples of use of flash
1. "A flash could arise from a number of sources: either from the existence of a flash camera; alternatively are you aware of anti–personnel flash guns?
2. In case you‘re wondering, the wireless flash works with Pentax‘s P–TTL flash metering.
3. Flash memory The competing storage medium, flash memory, holds data in tinier packages than hard drives, though at smaller capacities.
4. Access to Water FLASH: Tapping the World (17'K) You will need Flash Player to view this file.
5. The K200D lets you use the built–in flash to trigger either the AF540FGZ or AF360FGZ flash units.