Flash
Webster's Dictionary [1]
(1): ( v. t.) To send out in flashes; to cause to burst forth with sudden flame or light.
(2): ( v. t.) 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): ( n.) Slang or cant of thieves and prostitutes.
(4): ( a.) 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.
(5): ( a.) Showy, but counterfeit; cheap, pretentious, and vulgar; as, flash jewelry; flash finery.
(6): ( n.) A preparation of capsicum, burnt sugar, etc., for coloring and giving a fictious strength to liquors.
(7): ( n.) The time during which a flash is visible; an instant; a very brief period.
(8): ( n.) A sudden and brilliant burst, as of wit or genius; a momentary brightness or show.
(9): ( n.) A sudden burst of light; a flood of light instantaneously appearing and disappearing; a momentary blaze; as, a flash of lightning.
(10): ( n.) To strike and throw up large bodies of water from the surface; to splash.
(11): ( n.) To trick up in a showy manner.
(12): ( v. t.) To cover with a thin layer, as objects of glass with glass of a different color. See Flashing, n., 3 (b).
(13): ( n.) A pool.
(14): ( v. i.) To burst forth like a sudden flame; to break out violently; to rush hastily.
(15): ( v. i.) 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.
(16): ( v. i.) To burst or break forth with a sudden and transient flood of flame and light; as, the lighting flashes vividly; the powder flashed.
(17): ( n.) 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.
King James Dictionary [2]
Flash, n.
1. A sudden burst of light a flood of light instantaneously appearing and disappearing as a flash of lightning. 2. A sudden burst of flame and light as instantaneous blaze as the flash of a gun. 3. A sudden burst, as of wit or merriment as a flash of wit a flash of joy or mirth.
His companions recollect no instance of premature wit, no striking sentiment, no flash of fancy -
4. A short, transient state.
The Persians and Macedonians had it for a flash.
5. A body of water driven by violence. Local. 6. A little pool. Local.
1. To break forth, as a sudden flood of light to burst or open instantly on the sight, as splendor. It differs from glitter, glisten and gleam in denoting a flood or wide extent of light. The latter words may express the issuing of light from a small object, or from a pencil of rays. A diamond may glitter or glisten, but it does not flash. Flash differs from other words also in denoting suddenness of appearance and disappearance. 2. To burst or break forth with a flood of flame and light as, the powder flashed in the pan. Flashing differs from exploding or disploding, in not being accompanied with a loud report. 3. To burst out into any kind of violence.
Every hour he flashes into one gross crime or other.
4. To break out, as a sudden expression of wit, merriment or bright thought.
1. To strike up a body of water from the surface.
He rudely flashed the waves.
In this sense I believe this word is not used in America. 2. To strike or to throw like a burst of light as, to flash conviction on the mind.
