v. i. | 1. | To burst or break forth with a sudden and transient flood of flame and light; as, the lighting flashes vividly; the powder flashed. |
| 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. |
| 3. | To burst forth like a sudden flame; to break out violently; to rush hastily. |
v. t. | 1. | To send out in flashes; to cause to burst forth with sudden flame or light. |
| 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. |
| 3. | (Glass Making) To cover with a thin layer, as objects of glass with glass of a different color. See Flashing, n., 3 (b). |
| 4. | To trick up in a showy manner. |
| 5. | To strike and throw up large bodies of water from the surface; to splash. |
n. | 1. | A sudden burst of light; a flood of light instantaneously appearing and disappearing; a momentary blaze; as, a flash of lightning. |
| 2. | A sudden and brilliant burst, as of wit or genius; a momentary brightness or show. |
| 3. | The time during which a flash is visible; an instant; a very brief period. |
| 4. | A preparation of capsicum, burnt sugar, etc., for coloring and giving a fictitious strength to liquors. |
| 5. | a lamp for providing intense momentary light to take a photograph; as, to take a picture without a flash. |
| 6. | Same as flashlight. |
| 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. |
a. | 1. | Showy, but counterfeit; cheap, pretentious, and vulgar; as, flash jewelry; flash finery. |
| 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. |
n. | 1. | Slang or cant of thieves and prostitutes. |
| 1. | A pool. |
| 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. |
Noun | 1. | flash - a sudden intense burst of radiant energy |
| 2. | flash - a momentary brightness |
| 3. | flash - a short vivid experience; "a flash of emotion swept over him"; "the flashings of pain were a warning" |
| 4. | flash - a sudden brilliant understanding; "he had a flash of intuition" |
| 5. | flash - a very short time (as the time it takes the eye blink or the heart to beat); "if I had the chance I'd do it in a flash" |
| 6. | flash - a burst of light used to communicate or illuminate |
| 7. | flash - a short news announcement concerning some on-going news story |
| 8. | flash - 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" |
| 9. | flash - a lamp for providing momentary light to take a photograph |
Verb | 1. | flash - gleam or glow intermittently; "The lights were flashing" |
| 2. | flash - appear briefly; "The headlines flashed on the screen" |
| 3. | flash - display proudly; act ostentatiously or pretentiously; "he showed off his new sports car" |
| 4. | flash - make known or cause to appear with great speed; "The latest intelligence is flashed to all command posts" |
| 5. | flash - run or move very quickly or hastily; "She dashed into the yard" |
| 6. | flash - expose or show briefly; "he flashed a $100 bill" |
| 7. | flash - protect by covering with a thin sheet of metal; "flash the roof" |
| 8. | flash - emit a brief burst of light; "A shooting star flashed and was gone" |
Adj. | 1. | flash - tastelessly showy; "a flash car"; "a flashy ring"; "garish colors"; "a gaudy costume"; "loud sport shirts"; "a meretricious yet stylish book"; "tawdry ornaments"Synonyms: flashy, garish, gaudy, gimcrack, tawdry, trashy, brassy, cheap, loud, meretricious, tacky, tatty |