flash
n. countablen. a sudden, bright light that appears for a very short time. You might see a flash of lightning during a storm or a flash from a camera.
n. a sudden, brief, and intense burst of light or energy. It can also refer to a sudden, brief occurrence of an idea or feeling.
A flash of lightning lights up the sky.
The photographer used a flash to take a clear picture in the dark room.
He had a sudden flash of insight, realizing the solution to the problem that had troubled him for weeks.
In some senses, from Middle English flasshen, a variant of flasken, flaskien (“to sprinkle, splash”), which was likely of imitative origin; in other senses probably of North Germanic origin akin to Swedish dialectal flasa (“to burn brightly, blaze”), related to flare. Compare also Icelandic flasa (“to rush, go hastily”).
From Middle English flashe, flaske, also found as flosche and flushe (whence modern English flosh and flush), used in Middle and modern English for bodies of water with varying emphasis on them being "pools" or "marshes". It is not entirely clear whether these constitute a single term with varied spellings, or have distinct etymologies. The form flash, flashe is often suggested to be from Old French flache, French flaque, which is of Germanic origin, akin to Middle Dutch vlacke (“an estuary, flats with stagnant pools”). See flush for more on that form.
Often used in the pattern 'a flash of' followed by a noun, such as 'lightning', 'inspiration', or 'anger'.
- 01
flash back
To recall or remember something; to experience a flashback.
- 02
flash for cash
Pertaining to a scam where a motorist flashes their headlights to indicate to another driver to proceed against normal give-way rules, then runs into them and sues for damages.
- 03
flash the cash
To spend money, especially in an ostentatious manner; to pay up.