Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Flash \Flash\, v. t.
   1. To send out in flashes; to cause to burst forth with
      sudden flame or light.

            The chariot of paternal Deity, Flashing thick
            flames.                               --Milton.

   2. 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. (Glass Making) To cover with a thin layer, as objects of
      glass with glass of a different color. See {Flashing}, n.,
      3
      (b) .

   4. To trick up in a showy manner.

            Limning and flashing it with various dyes. --A.
                                                  Brewer.

   5. [Perh. due to confusion between flash of light and plash,
      splash.] To strike and throw up large bodies of water from
      the surface; to splash. [Obs.]

            He rudely flashed the waves about.    --Spenser.

   {Flashed glass}. See {Flashing}, n., 3.

Flash \Flash\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Flashed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Flashing}.] [Cf. OE. flaskien, vlaskien to pour, sprinkle,
   dial. Sw. flasa to blaze, E. flush, flare.]
   1. To burst or break forth with a sudden and transient flood
      of flame and light; as, the lighting flashes vividly; the
      powder flashed.

   2. 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.

            Names which have flashed and thundered as the watch
            words of unnumbered struggles.        --Talfourd.

            The object is made to flash upon the eye of the
            mind.                                 --M. Arnold.

            A thought flashed through me, which I clothed in
            act.                                  --Tennyson.

   3. To burst forth like a sudden flame; to break out
      violently; to rush hastily.

            Every hour He flashes into one gross crime or other.
                                                  --Shak.

   {To flash in the pan}, to fail of success. [Colloq.] See
      under {Flash}, a burst of light. --Bartlett.

   Syn: {Flash}, {Glitter}, {Gleam}, {Glisten}, {Glister}.

   Usage: Flash differs from glitter and gleam, 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. Flash differs from other words, also,
          in denoting suddenness of appearance and
          disappearance. Flashing differs from exploding or
          disploding in not being accompanied with a loud
          report. To glisten, or glister, is to shine with a
          soft and fitful luster, as eyes suffused with tears,
          or flowers wet with dew.

Flash \Flash\, n.
   Slang or cant of thieves and prostitutes.

Flash \Flash\, n.; pl. {Flashes}.
   1. A sudden burst of light; a flood of light instantaneously
      appearing and disappearing; a momentary blaze; as, a flash
      of lightning.

   2. A sudden and brilliant burst, as of wit or genius; a
      momentary brightness or show.

            The flash and outbreak of a fiery mind. --Shak.

            No striking sentiment, no flash of fancy. --Wirt.

   3. The time during which a flash is visible; an instant; a
      very brief period.

            The Persians and Macedonians had it for a flash.
                                                  --Bacon.

   4. A preparation of capsicum, burnt sugar, etc., for coloring
      and giving a fictious strength to liquors.

   {Flash light}, or {Flashing light}, a kind of light shown by
      lighthouses, produced by the revolution of reflectors, so
      as to show a flash of light every few seconds, alternating
      with periods of dimness. --Knight.

   {Flash in the pan}, the flashing of the priming in the pan of
      a flintlock musket without discharging the piece; hence,
      sudden, spasmodic effort that accomplishes nothing.

Flash \Flash\, n. [OE. flasche, flaske; cf. OF. flache, F.
   flaque.]
   1. A pool. [Prov. Eng.] --Haliwell.

   2. (Engineering) 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.

   {Flash wheel} (Mech.), a paddle wheel made to revolve in a
      breast or curved water way, by which water is lifted from
      the lower to the higher level.

Flash \Flash\, a.
   1. Showy, but counterfeit; cheap, pretentious, and vulgar;
      as, flash jewelry; flash finery.

Source : WordNet®

flash
     adj : tastelessly showy; "a flash car"; "a flashy ring"; "garish
           colors"; "a gaudy costume"; "loud sport shirts"; "a
           meretricious yet stylish book"; "tawdry ornaments"
           [syn: {brassy}, {cheap}, {flashy}, {garish}, {gaudy}, {gimcrack},
            {loud}, {meretricious}, {tacky}, {tatty}, {tawdry}, {trashy}]

flash
     n 1: a sudden intense burst of radiant energy
     2: a momentary brightness
     3: a short vivid experience; "a flash of emotion swept over
        him"; "the flashings of pain were a warning" [syn: {flashing}]
     4: a sudden brilliant understanding; "he had a flash of
        intuition"
     5: a very short time (as the time it takes the eye blink or the
        heart to beat); "if I had the chance I'd do it in a flash"
        [syn: {blink of an eye}, {heartbeat}, {instant}, {jiffy},
        {split second}, {trice}, {twinkling}, {wink}, {New York
        minute}]
     6: a burst of light used to communicate or illuminate [syn: {flare}]
     7: a short news announcement concerning some on-going news
        story [syn: {news bulletin}, {newsflash}, {newsbreak}]
     8: a bright patch of color used for decoration or
        identification; "red flashes adorned the airplane"; "a
        flash sewn on his sleeve indicated the unit he belonged
        to"
     9: a lamp for providing momentary light to take a photograph
        [syn: {photoflash}, {flash lamp}, {flashgun}, {flashbulb},
         {flash bulb}]

flash
     v 1: gleam or glow intermittently; "The lights were flashing"
          [syn: {blink}, {wink}, {twinkle}, {winkle}]
     2: appear briefly; "The headlines flashed on the screen"
     3: display proudly; act ostentatiously or pretentiously; "he
        showed off his new sports car" [syn: {flaunt}, {show off},
         {ostentate}, {swank}]
     4: make known or cause to appear with great speed; "The latest
        intelligence is flashed to all command posts"
     5: run or move very quickly or hastily; "She dashed into the
        yard" [syn: {dart}, {dash}, {scoot}, {scud}, {shoot}]
     6: expose or show briefly; "he flashed a $100 bill"
     7: protect by covering with a thin sheet of metal; "flash the
        roof"
     8: emit a brief burst of light; "A shooting star flashed and
        was gone"

Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

Flash
     
         (Or "Shockwave Flash") A file
        format for delivering {interactive} {vector graphics} and
        animation on the {World-Wide Web}, developed by {Macromedia}.
     
        {Home (http://www.macromedia.com/software/flash/)}.
     
        (1998-07-07)

flash
     
        1.  A program which allows one to flood another {Unix}
        user's {terminal} with {garbage}, through exploiting a common
        security hole in the victim's {host}'s {talk} {daemon}.  Users
        with "messages off" (mesg n) and users on systems running
        fixed talk daemons, or not running talk daemons at all, are
        immune.
     
        (1996-09-08)
     
        2. See {Flash Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory}.
     
        (1997-02-02)