flash

flash¹ S3 [flæʃ] v

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1¦(shine)¦

2¦(pictures)¦

3 flash through somebody's mind/head/brain

4 flash a smile/glance/look etc (at somebody)

5¦(show something quickly)¦

6¦(news/information)¦

7¦(move quickly)¦

8¦(eyes)¦

9¦(sex organs)¦

10 somebody's life flashes before their eyes

11¦(time passing quickly)¦

Phrasal verbs

　flash something<=>around

　flash back

　flash forward

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[Date: 1200-1300; Origin: Originally (of liquid) 'to strike a surface'; from the sound]

1.) ¦(SHINE)¦ [I and T]

to shine suddenly and brightly for a short time, or to make something shine in this way

▪ Lightning flashed overhead.

flash sth into/at/towards sb/sth

▪ Why is that guy flashing his headlights at me?

▪ Red warning lights flashed on and off (=shone for a short time and then stopped shining) .

2.) ¦(PICTURES)¦ [I always + adverb/preposition]

to be shown quickly on television, on a computer, or on a film

flash across/onto/past etc

▪ Images of the war flashed across the screen.

3.) flash through sb's mind/head/brain

if thoughts, images, memories etc flash through your mind, you suddenly think of them or remember them

▪ The possibility that Frank was lying flashed through my mind.

4.) flash a smile/glance/look etc (at sb)

to smile or look at someone quickly and for a short time

▪ 'I love this city,' he said, flashing a big smile.

5.) ¦(SHOW SOMETHING QUICKLY)¦ [T]

to show something to someone for only a short time

▪ He flashed his identification card.

6.) ¦(NEWS/INFORMATION)¦ [T always + adverb/preposition]

to send news or information somewhere quickly by radio, computer, or ↑satellite

flash sth across/to sth

▪ Reporters at the scene flashed the news to their offices.

7.) ¦(MOVE QUICKLY)¦ [I always + adverb/preposition]

to move very quickly

flash by/past/through

▪ A meteor flashed through the sky.

8.) ¦(EYES)¦

[i]literary if your eyes flash, they look very bright for a moment, especially because of a sudden emotion

flash with

▪ Janet's blue eyes flashed with anger.

9.) ¦(SEX ORGANS)¦ [I and T]

if a man flashes, or if he flashes someone, he shows his sexual organs in public

→↑flasher

10.) sb's life flashes before their eyes

if someone's life flashes before their eyes, they suddenly remember many events from their life because they are in great danger and might die

11.) ¦(TIME PASSING QUICKLY)¦ [I always + adverb/preposition]

if a period of time or an event flashes by or flashes past, it seems to end very quickly

flash by/past

▪ Our vacation seemed to just flash by.

flash around [flash sth<=>around] phr v

to use or show something in a way that will make people notice you and think you have a lot of money

▪ He's always flashing his money around.

flash back phr v

to suddenly think about or show something that happened in the past, especially in a film, book etc

flash back to

▪ From here the movie flashes back to Billy's first meeting with Schultz.

→↑flashback

flash forward phr v

if a film, book etc flashes forward, it shows what happens in the future

flash forward to

▪ The movie then flashes forward to their daughter's fifth birthday.

flash ²

flash² n

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1¦(light)¦

2¦(camera)¦

3 in/like a flash

4 flash of inspiration/brilliance/insight/anger etc

5 a flash in the pan

6¦(bright colour/something shiny)¦

7¦(computer)¦

8¦(look)¦

9¦(military)¦

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1.) ¦(LIGHT)¦

a bright light that shines for a short time and then stops shining

▪ Two flashes mean danger.

flash of

▪ A flash of lightning lit up the night sky.

brilliant/blinding flash

▪ a brilliant flash of light

2.) ¦(CAMERA)¦ [U and C]

a special bright light used when taking photographs indoors or when there is not much light

▪ Did the flash go off?

3.) in/like a flash also quick as a flash

very quickly

▪ Just wait here. I'll be back in a flash.

4.) flash of inspiration/brilliance/insight/anger etc

if someone has a flash of ↑brilliance, anger etc, they suddenly have a clever idea or a particular feeling

5.) a flash in the pan

a sudden success that ends quickly and is unlikely to happen again

▪ Beene's new novel proves he isn't just a flash in the pan.

6.) ¦(BRIGHT COLOUR/SOMETHING SHINY)¦

if there is a flash of something brightly coloured or shiny, it appears suddenly for a short time

flash of

▪ The bird vanished in a flash of blue.

7.) ¦(COMPUTER)¦[U]

trademark a system of instructions for a computer that is used especially to make pictures on a website appear to move

▪ Flash animation

8.) ¦(LOOK)¦ BrE

a quick look used humorously

= ↑glimpse

9.) ¦(MILITARY)¦ BrE

a small piece of coloured cloth worn on the shoulder of a military uniform

→↑newsflash

flash ³

flash³ adj

1.) flash flood/fire

a flood or fire that happens very quickly or suddenly, and continues for only a short time

2.) BrE informal looking very new, bright, and expensive - used to show disapproval

▪ a big flash car

3.) BrE informal liking to have expensive clothes and possessions so that other people notice you - used to show disapproval

▪ Chris didn't want to seem flash in front of his mates.