[syn: brassy, cheap, flash, flashy, garish, gaudy, gimcrack, loud, meretricious, tacky, tatty, tawdry, trashy]
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.
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Names which have flashed and thundered as the watch
words of unnumbered struggles. --Talfourd.
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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.
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Every hour
He flashes into one gross crime or other. --Shak.
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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.
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The flash and outbreak of a fiery mind. --Shak.
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No striking sentiment, no flash of fancy. --Wirt.
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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.
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4. A preparation of capsicum, burnt sugar, etc., for coloring
and giving a fictitious strength to liquors.
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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.
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The chariot of paternal Deity,
Flashing thick flames. --Milton.
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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.
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3. (Glass Making) To cover with a thin layer, as objects of
glass with glass of a different color. See Flashing, n.,
3
(b) .
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4. To trick up in a showy manner.
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Limning and flashing it with various dyes. --A.
Brewer.
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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.]
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He rudely flashed the waves about. --Spenser.
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Flashed glass. See Flashing, n., 3.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Flash \Flash\, n.
Slang or cant of thieves and prostitutes.
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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"
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:
268 Moby Thesaurus words for "flash":
Teletype, advertise, air, antelope, arrow, automatic response,
backfire, bang, be bright, beacon, beam, beat the drum, bedazzle,
blare, blast, blaze, blaze of light, blazon forth, blind,
blind impulse, blink, blowout, blowup, blue darter, blue streak,
bob up, bolt, boom, brain wave, brainstorm, brandish, break forth,
breath, breathing, bulletin, burn, burst, burst forth, burst out,
cable, cannonball, cast, chic, classy, coruscate, coruscation,
coup, courser, crack, dangle, dart, dash, daze, dazzle, dazzling,
debouch, deflagration, demonstrate, detonation, diffuse light, dip,
discharge, display, disport, drive, eagle, electricity, emblazon,
erupt, exchange colors, exhibit, exhibition, explosion, expose,
express train, facula, fancy, flag, flag down, flame, flare,
flare up, flare-up, flash fire, flashy, flaunt, fleeting impulse,
flick, flicker, flickering, flourish, fly, fulgurate, fulguration,
fulmination, gazelle, give a signal, give light, give the nod,
glance, glare, gleam, gleam of light, glimmer, glimpse, glint,
glisten, glitter, glow, greased lightning, greyhound, gut response,
hail, hail and speak, half a jiffy, half a mo, half a second,
half a shake, half an eye, half-mast, hare, hasten, hint,
hoist a banner, hold up, hurry, iffy, impulse, incandesce,
indication, inspiration, instant, instinct, involuntary impulse,
irrupt, jet plane, jiff, jiffy, kick, leer, light, lightning,
luster, make a sign, manifest, manifestation, mercury, microsecond,
millisecond, minute, moment, natural impulse, news report, nod,
notion, nudge, ostentatious, outbreak, outburst, parade, peek,
peep, poke, pop up, put forth, put forward, quick hunch,
quick sight, quicksilver, quiver, race, radiate, radio,
raise a cry, rapid glance, ray, reflex, report, ritzy, rocket, run,
rush, salute, scamper, scared rabbit, scintilla, scintillate,
scintillation, scoot, scuttle, sec, second, send a wire,
send out rays, shaft, shake, shimmer, shine, shine brightly, shoot,
shoot out rays, shot, show, show off, showy, sign, sign off,
sign on, signal, signalize, skedaddle, slant, smart, snazzy,
solar flare, solar prominence, sound an alarm, sound the trumpet,
spangle, spark, sparkle, speak, speed, split second, sport,
spring up, sprint, squiz, start up, streak, streak of lightning,
striped snake, stroke, sudden thought, suggestion, swallow, swish,
take off, tear, telegram, telegraph, telex, thought, thunderbolt,
tick, torrent, touch, trice, trot out, trumpet, trumpet forth,
twink, twinkle, twinkling, twitch, two shakes, unfurl a flag, urge,
vaunt, wave, wave a flag, wave the hand, whistle, whiz, wind, wink,
wire, zoom
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (30 December 2018):
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 (30 December 2018):
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)