flash
flash [flash flashes flashed flashing] verb, noun, adjective BrE [flæʃ] NAmE [flæʃ]
verb
SHINE BRIGHTLY
1. intransitive, transitive to shine very brightly for a short time; to make sth shine in this way
• Lightning flashed in the distance.
•the flashing blue lights of a police car
• Start crossing when the green WALK sign starts to flash.
•+ adv./prep. A neon sign flashed on and off above the door.
•~ sth The guide flashed a light into the cave.
GIVE SIGNAL
2. transitive, intransitive to use a light to give sb a signal
•~ sth (at sb) Red lights flashed a warning at them.
• Why is that driver flashing his lights at us?
•~ sb (sth) Red lights flashed them a warning.
•~ at sb Why is that driver flashing at us?
SHOW QUICKLY
3. transitive ~ sth at sb to show sth to sb quickly
•He flashed his pass at the security officer.
MOVE QUICKLY
4. intransitive + adv./prep. to move or pass very quickly
• The countryside flashed past the train windows.
• A look of terror flashed across his face.
OF THOUGHTS/MEMORIES
5. intransitive + adv./prep. to come into your mind suddenly
•A terrible thought flashed through my mind.
ON SCREEN
6. intransitive, transitive to appear on a television screen, computer screen, etc. for a short time; to make sth do this
•A message was flashing on his pager.
•~ (sth) (up) His name was flashed up on the screen.
SEND NEWS
7. transitive ~ sth + adv./prep. to send information quickly by radio, computer, etc
•News of their triumph was flashed around the world.
SHOW EMOTION
8. intransitive (+ adv./prep.) (literary)to show a strong emotion suddenly and quickly
•Her eyes flashed with anger.
•Fear flashed in his eyes.
OF A MAN
9. intransitive (informal)if a man flashes, he shows his sexual organs in public
Verb forms: 
Word Origin:
Middle English (in the sense ‘splash water about’): probably imitative; compare with ↑flush ‘cleanse’ and ↑splash.
Thesaurus:
flash verb I, T
•Lightning flashed in the distance.
flicker •
(a) light/lightning/bulb/screen flashes/flickers
sb's eyes flash/flicker
flash/flicker on and off/briefly/momentarily
Example Bank:
•A car flashed its headlights at me.
•Her eyes flashed angrily.
•Her eyes suddenly flashed with anger.
•It was only the sun, flashing briefly on her bleached hair.
•Police cars arrived with their blue lights flashing.
•Signs announcing the different airport terminals were flashing by.
•The countryside flashed past as we sped along.
Idioms: ↑flash in the pan ▪ flash somebody a smile/look ▪ ↑in a flash
Derived: ↑flash back ▪ ↑flash by ▪ ↑flash on somebody ▪ ↑flash on something ▪ ↑flash something around
noun 
LIGHT
1. countable a sudden bright light that shines for a moment and then disappears
•a flash of lightning
• Flashes of light were followed by an explosion.
• There was a blinding flash and the whole building shuddered.
SIGNAL
2. countable the act of shining a light on sth, especially as a signal
IN PHOTOGRAPHY
3. countable, uncountable a piece of equipment that produces a bright light for a very short time, used for taking photographs indoors, when it is dark, etc; the use of this when taking a photograph
•a camera with a built-in flash
• I'll need flash for this shot.
•flash photography
OF BRIGHT COLOUR
4. countable ~ of sth the sudden appearance for a short time of sth bright
•a flash of white teeth
• On the horizon, she saw a flash of silver— the sea!
SUDDEN IDEA/EMOTION
5. countable ~ of sth a particular feeling or idea that suddenly comes into your mind or shows in your face
•a flash of anger/inspiration, etc.
• When she looked at me, I caught a flash of recognition in her eyes.
• ‘Did you really win first prize?’ he said with a flash of genuine admiration.
NEWS
6. countable = ↑newsflash
ON UNIFORM
7. countable (BrE)a band or small piece of cloth worn on a military uniform to show a person's rank
ON BOOK/PACK
8. countable a band of colour or writing across a book, pack, etc.
COMPUTING
9. Flash™uncountable a program which creates moving images for websites
more at quick as a flash at ↑quick adv.
Word Origin:
Middle English (in the sense ‘splash water about’): probably imitative; compare with ↑flush ‘cleanse’ and ↑splash.
Example Bank:
•He felt a brief flash of jealousy.
•I don't think the picture will come out in this light. Try using the flash.
•I took it with flash.
•She had a sudden flash of inspiration.
•She was experiencing hot flashes as part of menopause.
•The flash didn't go off.
•The flashes from the guns illuminated the sky.
•We caught a flash of white in the bushes.
•We were blinded by the flash.
•a camera with a built-in flash unit
•a rare flash of humour
adjective (BrE, informal, disapproving)
attracting attention by being large or expensive, or by having expensive clothes, etc
•a flash car
• He's very flash, isn't he?
• He always was a bit of a flash dresser.
Word Origin:
Middle English (in the sense ‘splash water about’): probably imitative; compare with ↑flush ‘cleanse’ and ↑splash.
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