Word: flash Part of Speech: noun Etymology: 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”). Pronunciation: /flæʃ/ 1. A sudden, short, temporary burst of light. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: Between 8 and 9 p.m., the recorder at a meteorological station at Harrow, Middlesex, picked up 1,470 lightning flashes within a radius of 10 to 15 miles, and observers at the station described the storm as "probably one of the most spectacular of the century." 2. A very short amount of time. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: [F]or Empire and Greatneſs it importeth moſt, that a Nation do profeſs Arms as their principal Honour, Study and Occupation: […] The Fabrick of the State of Sparta was wholly (though not wiſely) framed and compoſed to that Scope and End. The Perſians and Macedonians had it for a flaſh. The Galls, Germans, Goths, Saxons, Normans, and others had it for a time. Example: Quick—something must be done! done in a flash, too! But the very imminence of the emergency paralyzed his invention. 3. A flashlight; an electric torch. Labels: US, colloquial, countable, uncountable Example: I reached a flash out of my car pocket and went down-grade and looked at the car. 4. A sudden and brilliant burst, as of genius or wit. Labels: countable, figuratively, uncountable Example: [B]reath his faults ſo quaintly, / That they may ſeeme the taints of liberty; / The flaſh and out-breake of a fiery minde, / A ſauagenes in vnreclaim'd bloud of generall aſſault. Example: I cannot learn that he [Patrick Henry] gave, in his youth, any evidence of that precocity which sometimes distinguishes uncommon genius. His companions recollect no instance of premature wit, no striking sentiment, no flash of fancy, no remarkable beauty or strength of expression; and no indication, however slight, either of that impassioned love of liberty, or of that adventurous daring and intrepidity, which marked, so strongly, his future character. 5. Pizzazz, razzle-dazzle. Labels: figuratively, uncountable Example: Above all, they hate flash. Just as the English working class has always been, they are fiercely puritanical and abhor all forms of display. Example: Another pleasant surprise of She-Devil is director Susan Seidelman's infusion of political moxie into the movie, a departure from her tendency to dish out lots of flash with little substance. 6. Material left around the edge of a moulded part at the parting line of the mould. Labels: countable, uncountable 7. The strips of bright cloth or buttons worn around the collars of market traders. Labels: Cockney, UK, countable, uncountable 8. A pattern where each prop is thrown and caught only once. Labels: countable, uncountable 9. A language, created by a minority to maintain cultural identity, that cannot be understood by the ruling class. Labels: countable, uncountable 10. Clipping of camera flash (“a device used to produce a flash of artificial light to help illuminate a scene”). Labels: abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, countable, uncountable 11. A preparation of capsicum, burnt sugar, etc., for colouring liquor to make it look stronger. Labels: archaic, countable, uncountable 12. A form of military insignia. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: I just got my first commando flash. 13. Clipping of flash memory. Labels: abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, uncountable Example: The hybrid drive has 500 gigabytes of hard disk space for bulk storage and 2 gigabytes of high-speed flash for caching frequently-accessed files. 14. Any of various lycaenid butterflies of the genera Artipe, Deudorix and Rapala. Labels: countable, uncountable 15. A tattoo flash (example design on paper to give an idea of a possible tattoo). Labels: countable, uncountable 16. The sudden sensation of being "high" after taking a recreational drug. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: At three-thirty that afternoon Max, Tom, and Sharon placed tabs under their tongues and sat together in the living room to wait for the flash. Example: A few seconds following the injection, the user experiences a sudden, intense generalized sensation which has both physiological and psychological characteristics. […] pure, commercially produced products do not give a good flash […] 17. Synonym of flashback (“recurrence of the effects of a hallucinogenic drug”). Labels: countable, uncountable Example: I'd heard about LSD and wanted to try it early on, but I'd also heard of delayed reactions, called acid flashes, brought on by unexpected stimuli; they could prove fatally disorienting. 18. A newsflash. Labels: countable, dated, uncountable Example: The United Press got the flash "Germans declare martial law in Ruhr" […] 19. A brief exposure or making visible (of a smile, badge, etc). Labels: countable, uncountable Example: I didn't need them anymore. The police badge worked like a dream with both Alice and Kerry. One quick flash of the badge, and they were in the car and out of the rain. No questions asked. Example: Gabriel grabbed her wrist and spun her around, stepping forward right in her face, showing a brief flash of fangs this time. “Not good enough. I can haul you over my shoulder if that's the way it has to be.” “I'd almost like to see you[…] 20. The (intentional or unintentional) exposure of an intimate body part or undergarment in public. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: panty flash Example: […] the answer came to her. Camera flashes. That strobing light had been the flash of a camera. Icy panic poured through her body. She had a vision of Janet Jackson's boob flash at the Super Bowl;[…] 21. Ellipsis of hook flash. Labels: abbreviation, alt-of, countable, ellipsis, uncountable