flash

¹flash

verb \ˈflash\

Definition of FLASH

intransitive verb

1

: rush, dash —used of flowing water

2

: to break forth in or like a sudden flame or flare

3

a : to appear suddenly <an idea flashes into her mind>

b : to move with great speed <the days flash by>

4

a : to break forth or out so as to make a sudden display <the sun flashed from behind a cloud>

b : to act or speak vehemently and suddenly especially in anger

5

a : to give off light suddenly or in transient bursts

b : to glow or gleam especially with animation or passion <her eyes flashed with anger>

6

: to change suddenly or violently into vapor <hot water flashing to steam under reduced pressure>

7

: to expose one's breasts or genitals usually suddenly and briefly in public

8

: to have sudden insight —often used with on

transitive verb

1

a archaic : splash

b : to fill by a sudden inflow of water

2

a : to cause the sudden appearance of (light)

b : to cause to burst violently into flame

c (1) : to cause (light) to reflect (2) : to cause (as a mirror) to reflect light (3) : to cause (a lamp) to flash

d : to convey by means of flashes of light

3

a : to make known or cause to appear with great speed <flash a message on the screen>

b : to display obtrusively and ostentatiously <always flashing a roll of bills>

c : to expose to view usually suddenly and briefly <flashed a badge>

4

: to cover with or form into a thin layer: as

a : to protect against rain by covering with sheet metal or a substitute

b : to coat (as glass) with a thin layer (as of metal or a differently colored glass)

5

: to subject (an exposed photographic negative or positive) to a supplementary uniform exposure to light before development in order to modify detail or tone

6

: to expose one's breasts or genitals usually suddenly and briefly to <flashed the audience>

Examples of FLASH

1. Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed.
2. Cameras flashed as the celebrities passed.
3. A car was sitting on the side of the road with its lights flashing.
4. A message flashed on the screen.
5. The screen flashed a message in black letters.
6. Her eyes flashed with anger.

Origin of FLASH

Middle English flaschen, of imitative origin

First Known Use: 13th century

Related to FLASH

Synonyms

coruscate, flame, glance, gleam, glimmer, glint, glisten, glister, glitter, luster (or lustre), scintillate, shimmer, spangle, sparkle, twinkle, wink, winkle

Related Words

beam, radiate, shine; bedazzle, blind, daze, dazzle; blaze, burn, flare, glare, glow

Near Antonyms

camouflage, disguise, mask; conceal, cover, curtain, enshroud, hide, obscure, occlude, occult, shroud, veil

Synonym Discussion of FLASH

flash, gleam, glint, sparkle, glitter, glisten, glimmer, shimmer mean to send forth light. flash implies a sudden and transient outburst of bright light <lightning flashed>. gleam suggests a steady light seen through an obscuring medium or against a dark background <lights gleamed in the valley>. glint implies a cold glancing light <glinting steel>. sparkle suggests innumerable moving points of bright light <the sparkling waters of the gulf>. glitter connotes a brilliant sparkling or gleaming <glittering diamonds>. glisten applies to the soft sparkle from a wet or oily surface <glistening rain-drenched sidewalks>. glimmer suggests a faint or wavering gleam <a distant glimmering light>. shimmer implies a soft tremulous gleaming or a blurred reflection <a shimmering satin dress>.

Rhymes with FLASH

Asch, ash, bash, brash, cache, cash, clash, crash, dash, fash, gash, gnash, hash, lash, mash, pash, plash, rash, sash, slash, smash, splash, stash, thrash, thresh, trash

²flash

noun

Definition of FLASH

1

a : a sudden burst of light

b : a movement of a flag in signaling

2

: a sudden and often brilliant burst <a flash of wit>

3

: a brief time

4

a : show, display; especially : a vulgar ostentatious display

b archaic : a showy ostentatious person

c : one that attracts notice; especially : an outstanding athlete

d : pizzazz

5

obsolete : thieves' slang

6

: something flashed: as

a : glimpse, look

b : smile

c : a first brief news report

d : flashlight 2

e : a quick-spreading flame or momentary intense outburst of radiant heat

f (1) : flashlight 1 (2) : a device for producing a flashlight for taking photographs

7

: rush 7a

8

: the rapid conversion of a liquid into vapor

Examples of FLASH

1. A brilliant flash lit up the sky.
2. The idea for the movie came to her in a flash of inspiration.
3. They relied on gimmicks and flash to get people's attention.
4. a show with a lot of flash but little substance

First Known Use of FLASH

1549

Related to FLASH

Synonyms

burst, flare, flare-up, outbreak, flicker, flurry, flutter, outburst, spurt

Antonyms

austerity, plainness, severity

Related Words

recrudescence, recurrence, renewal; binge, jag, spree; boost, increase, pickup, upswing, upturn; epidemic, eruption, explosion, paroxysm; deluge, flood, rush, spate, surge, volley; commotion, furor, uproar

Near Antonyms

calm, doldrums, slump

³flash

adjective

Definition of FLASH

1

a : flashy, showy

b : of, relating to, or characteristic of flashy people or things <flash behavior>

c : of, relating to, or characteristic of persons considered social outcasts <flash language>

2

: of sudden origin and short duration <a flash fire>

3

: having or using a solid-state data storage technology that retains data even without a connection to a power source <flash memory> <a flash drive>

Examples of FLASH

1. <flash floods in the local area>

First Known Use of FLASH

circa 1700

Related to FLASH

Synonyms

brief, deciduous, ephemeral, evanescent, momentary, fleeting, fugacious, fugitive, impermanent, passing, short-lived, temporary, transient, transitory

Antonyms

ceaseless, dateless, deathless, endless, enduring, eternal, everlasting, immortal, lasting, long-lived, permanent, perpetual, timeless, undying, unending

Related Words

little, short, shortish; acting, interim, provisional, short-term

Near Antonyms

lifelong; continuing, durable, persistent; imperishable, indefectible, indestructible

Other Computer-Related Terms

adware, kludge, phishing, recursive, router

⁴flash

adverb

Definition of FLASH

: by very brief exposure to an intense altering agent (as heat or cold) <flash fry> <flash freeze>

First Known Use of FLASH

1970

flash

noun \ˈflash\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of FLASH

: rush 2—compare hot flash