flash

1 verb

1 SHINE (I, T) to shine suddenly and brightly for a short time, or to make something shine in this way: The lightning flashed. | flash sth into/at/towards: Why is that guy flashing his headlights at me? | flash on and off (=shine for a short time and then stop shining): Red warning lights flashed on and off.

2 MOVE QUICKLY (intransitive always + adv/prep) to move very quickly

(+ by/past/through): A couple of police cars flashed past, sirens wailing.

3 SHOW STH QUICKLY (T) to show something to someone for only a short time: He flashed his identification card.

4 MEMORIES/IMAGES (intransitive always + adv/prep) if thoughts, images, memories etc flash through your mind, you suddenly think of them or remember them

(+ across/through/into): The possibility that Frank was lying flashed through my mind.

5 TIME (intransitive always + adv/prep) if a period of time flashes by, past etc, it seems to end very quickly

(+ by/past): Our vacation seemed to just flash by.

6 PICTURES (intransitive always + adv/prep) to be shown quickly on television or on a film

(+ across/onto/past etc): Images of the war flashed across the screen.

7 EYES (I) if your eyes flash, they seem to be very bright for a moment, especially because of a sudden emotion

(+ with): Janet's blue eyes flashed with anger.

8 NEWS/INFORMATION (transitive always + adv/prep) to send news or information somewhere quickly by radio, computer, or satellite (1) : flash sth to/throughout/all over etc: News can be flashed all over the world within seconds of it happening.

9 flash a smile/glance/look etc at sb to smile or look at someone quickly and for a short time

10 SEX ORGANS (I, T) if a man flashes, he shows his sexual organs in public

11 your life flashes before your eyes if your life flashes before your eyes, you suddenly remember many events from your life, especially because you are in great danger and might die

flash sth around phrasal verb (T) to show people that you have a lot of money in order to try and make them admire you: wealthy clients flashing their credit cards around and buying everything in sight 2 noun

1 LIGHT (C) a bright light that shines for a short time and then stops shining: flashes of lightning in the valley

2 CAMERA (C, U) a special bright light used when taking photographs indoors or when there is not much light: Did the flash go off?

3 in a flash/like a flash/quick as a flash very quickly: Just wait here. I'll be back in a flash.

4 flash of brilliance/inspiration/intuition/anger if someone has a flash of brilliance, anger etc, they suddenly have a clever idea or suddenly have a particular feeling: Her essays show occasional flashes of brilliance.

5 BRIGHT COLOUR/STH SHINY (C) if there is a flash of something brightly coloured or shiny, it appears suddenly for a short time

(+ of): The bird stood watching for the underwater flash of a turning fish.

6 LOOK BrE humorous a quick look; glimpse 2 (1)

7 SIGNAL the act of shining a light as a signal: Two flashes mean danger.

8 a flash in the pan a sudden success that ends quickly and is unlikely to happen again: Rival record companies assumed the group would be a flash in the pan.

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

—see also: newsflash 3 adjective

1 (only before noun) happening very quickly or suddenly, and lasting for only a short time: Flash fires swept through the Los Angeles foothills last night.

—see also: flash flood

2 BrE informal looking very new, bright, and expensive-looking: a big flash car

3 informal (not before noun) liking to have expensive clothes and possessions so that other people notice you: Who was that flash geezer we saw you with last night?