Flash

/flæʃ/

Meaning & Definition

noun

a brief burst of light.

The photographer captured the moment with a flash.

a quick or sudden occurrence.

There was a flash of inspiration that led to the solution.

a sudden burst of something, esp. brilliance or vividness.

The event was marked by a flash of color and excitement.

verb

to emit or display a brief burst of light or a signal.

The lights flashed as the emergency vehicle approached.

to show something suddenly or briefly.

He flashed his badge to gain entry.

to move or pass suddenly and quickly.

A shooting star flashed across the night sky.

adjective

designed to be ostentatious or showy.

He wore a flash suit to the party that turned heads.

Middle English ‘flaschen’, meaning to emit light or suddenly appear.

flash in the pan

A brief success that fails to continue.

flash one's cash

To show off one's wealth ostentatiously.

flash drive

A data storage device that uses flash memory.

flashing

The act of emitting light in bursts.

flashlight

A portable electric light.

flashback

A sudden recollection of a past event.

To show off or display something, especially wealth or success.

He likes to flash his expensive watch.

To reveal something hastily, often for shock value.

She flashed a glimpse of her new tattoos.