Flash

flash, n. a momentary gleam of light: a sudden burst, as of merriment: a short transient state.— v.i. to break forth, as a sudden light: to break out into intellectual brilliancy: to burst out into violence.— v.t. to cause to flash: to expand, as blown gla , into a disc: to send by some startling or sudden means.— n. Flash′-house , a brothel.— adv. Flash′ily .— ns. Flash′ine ; Flash′ing , the act of blazing: a sudden burst, as of water; Flash′-point , the temperature at which an inflammable liquid takes fire—in the case of petroleum, ., ascertained by placing oil in a ve el called a tester (used open and closed), and heating it up to a point at which sufficient vapour is generated as to give off a small flash when a light is applied to it.— adj. Flash′y , dazzling for a moment: showy but empty: ( Milt. ) vapid: gay—also Flash , vulgarly showy, gay but tawdry: pertaining to thieves, vagabonds, ., as the ' flash language'=thieves' cant or slang: ' flash notes'=counterfeit notes.— Flash in the pan (see Pan ). [Prob. imit.; cf. Sw. prov. flasa , to blaze.]