The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Flash \Flash\ (fl[a^]sh), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Flashed
   (fl[a^]sht); p. pr. & vb. n. Flashing.] [Cf. OE. flaskien,
   vlaskien to pour, sprinkle, dial. Sw. flasa to blaze, E.
   flush, flare.]
   1. To burst or break forth with a sudden and transient flood
      of flame and light; as, the lighting flashes vividly; the
      powder flashed.
      [1913 Webster]

   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.
      [1913 Webster]

            Names which have flashed and thundered as the watch
            words of unnumbered struggles.        --Talfourd.
      [1913 Webster]

            The object is made to flash upon the eye of the
            mind.                                 --M. Arnold.
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            A thought flashed through me, which I clothed in
            act.                                  --Tennyson.
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   3. To burst forth like a sudden flame; to break out
      violently; to rush hastily.
      [1913 Webster]

            Every hour
            He flashes into one gross crime or other. --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   flash in the pan, a failure or a poor performance,
      especially after a normal or auspicious start; also, a
      person whose initial performance appears augur success but
      who fails to achieve anything notable. From 4th pan, n.,
      sense 3 -- part of a flintlock. Occasionally, the powder
      in the pan of a flintlock would flash without conveying
      the fire to the charge, and the ball would fail to be
      discharged. Thus, a good or even spectacular beginning
      that eventually achieves little came to be called a flash
      in the pan.

   To flash in the pan, to fail of success, especially after a
      normal or auspicious start. [Colloq.] See under Flash, a
      burst of light. --Bartlett.
      [1913 Webster +PJC]

   Syn: Flash, Glitter, Gleam, Glisten, Glister.

   Usage: 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.
          [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Flash \Flash\, n.; pl. Flashes.
   1. A sudden burst of light; a flood of light instantaneously
      appearing and disappearing; a momentary blaze; as, a flash
      of lightning.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. A sudden and brilliant burst, as of wit or genius; a
      momentary brightness or show.
      [1913 Webster]

            The flash and outbreak of a fiery mind. --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

            No striking sentiment, no flash of fancy. --Wirt.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. The time during which a flash is visible; an instant; a
      very brief period; as, I'll be back in a flash.
      [1913 Webster +PJC]

            The Persians and Macedonians had it for a flash.
                                                  --Bacon.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. A preparation of capsicum, burnt sugar, etc., for coloring
      and giving a fictitious strength to liquors.
      [1913 Webster]

   5. A lamp for providing intense momentary light to take a
      photograph; as, to take a picture without a flash.

   Syn: flashbulb, photoflash, flash lamp, flashgun.
        [WordNet 1.5]

   6. Same as flashlight. [informal]
      [PJC]

   7. (Journalism) A short news item providing recently received
      and usually preliminary information about an event that is
      considered important enough to interrupt normal
      broadcasting or other news delivery services; also called
      a news flash or bulletin.
      [PJC]

   Flash light, or Flashing light, a kind of light shown by
      lighthouses, produced by the revolution of reflectors, so
      as to show a flash of light every few seconds, alternating
      with periods of dimness. --Knight.

   Flash in the pan, the flashing of the priming in the pan of
      a flintlock musket without discharging the piece; hence,
      sudden, spasmodic effort that accomplishes nothing.
      [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Flash \Flash\ (fl[a^]sh), v. t.
   1. To send out in flashes; to cause to burst forth with
      sudden flame or light.
      [1913 Webster]

            The chariot of paternal Deity,
            Flashing thick flames.                --Milton.
      [1913 Webster]

   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.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. (Glass Making) To cover with a thin layer, as objects of
      glass with glass of a different color. See Flashing, n.,
      3
      (b) .
          [1913 Webster]

   4. To trick up in a showy manner.
      [1913 Webster]

            Limning and flashing it with various dyes. --A.
                                                  Brewer.
      [1913 Webster]

   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.]
      [1913 Webster]

            He rudely flashed the waves about.    --Spenser.
      [1913 Webster]

   Flashed glass. See Flashing, n., 3.
      [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Flash \Flash\, a.
   1. Showy, but counterfeit; cheap, pretentious, and vulgar;
      as, flash jewelry; flash finery.
      [1913 Webster]

   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.
      [1913 Webster]

   Flash house, a house frequented by flash people, as thieves
      and whores; hence, a brothel. "A gang of footpads,
      reveling with their favorite beauties at a flash house."
      --Macaulay.
      [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Flash \Flash\, n.
   Slang or cant of thieves and prostitutes.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Flash \Flash\, n. [OE. flasche, flaske; cf. OF. flache, F.
   flaque.]
   1. A pool. [Prov. Eng.] --Haliwell.
      [1913 Webster]

   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.
      [1913 Webster]

   Flash wheel (Mech.), a paddle wheel made to revolve in a
      breast or curved water way, by which water is lifted from
      the lower to the higher level.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

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

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (19 January 2023):

Flash
Shockwave Flash

    (Or "Shockwave Flash") A file
   format for delivering interactive vector graphics and
   animation on the web, developed by Macromedia.

   (http://macromedia.com/software/flash/).

   (1998-07-07)


The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (19 January 2023):

flash
talk bomb

   1.  Adobe Flash.

   2.  flash memory.

   2.  A program to flood a Unix user's terminal with
   garbage by exploiting a security hole in the talk
   daemon.

   (1996-09-08)