Flashing

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Flash \Flash\ (fl[a^]sh), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Flashed}
     (fl[a^]sht); 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.
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     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.
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              Names which have flashed and thundered as the watch
              words of unnumbered struggles.        --Talfourd.
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              The object is made to flash upon the eye of the
              mind.                                 --M. Arnold.
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              A thought flashed through me, which I clothed in
              act.                                  --Tennyson.
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     3. To burst forth like a sudden flame; to break out
        violently; to rush hastily.
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              Every hour
              He flashes into one gross crime or other. --Shak.
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     {flash in the pan}, a failure or a poor performance,
        especially after a normal or auspicious start; also, a
        person whose initial performance appears augur success but
        who fails to achieve anything notable. From 4th {pan}, n.,
        sense 3 -- part of a flintlock. Occasionally, the powder
        in the pan of a flintlock would flash without conveying
        the fire to the charge, and the ball would fail to be
        discharged. Thus, a good or even spectacular beginning
        that eventually achieves little came to be called a flash
        in the pan.
  
     {To flash in the pan}, to fail of success, especially after a
        normal or auspicious start. [Colloq.] See under {Flash}, a
        burst of light. --Bartlett.
        [1913 Webster +PJC]
  
     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.
            [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Flashing \Flash"ing\, n.
     1. (Engineering) The creation of an artificial flood by the
        sudden letting in of a body of water; -- called also
        {flushing}.
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     2. (Arch.) Pieces of metal, built into the joints of a wall,
        so as to lap over the edge of the gutters or to cover the
        edge of the roofing; also, similar pieces used to cover
        the valleys of roofs of slate, shingles, or the like. By
        extension, the metal covering of ridges and hips of roofs;
        also, in the United States, the protecting of angles and
        breaks in walls of frame houses with waterproof material,
        tarred paper, or the like. Cf. {Filleting}.
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     3. (Glass Making)
        (a) The reheating of an article at the furnace aperture
            during manufacture to restore its plastic condition;
            esp., the reheating of a globe of crown glass to allow
            it to assume a flat shape as it is rotated.
        (b) A mode of covering transparent white glass with a film
            of colored glass. --Knight.
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     {Flashing point} (Chem.), that degree of temperature at which
        a volatile oil gives off vapor in sufficient quantity to
        burn, or flash, on the approach of a flame, used as a test
        of the comparative safety of oils, esp. kerosene; a
        flashing point of 100[deg] F. is regarded as a fairly safe
        standard. The burning point of the oil is usually from ten
        to thirty degree above the flashing point of its vapor.
        Usually called {flash point}.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  flashing
       adj : emitting light in sudden short or intermittent bursts;
             "flashing lightning and roaring thunder"
       n 1: a short vivid experience; "a flash of emotion swept over
            him"; "the flashings of pain were a warning" [syn: {flash}]
       2: sheet metal shaped and attached to a roof for strength and
          weatherproofing

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  59 Moby Thesaurus words for "flashing":
     ablaze, aflame, aflicker, bickering, blazing, blinking, brave,
     bravura, braw, brief, brisk, burning, chichi, cometary, dancing,
     daring, dashing, dressy, exhibitionistic, flaming, flaring, flashy,
     flaunting, fleet, flickering, flickery, flicky, fluttering,
     fluttery, frilly, frothy, fulgurant, fulgurating, gallant, gay,
     glittering, jaunty, jazzy, lambent, meteoric, playing, quick,
     quivering, quivery, rakish, short, short and sweet, short-term,
     short-termed, showy, snazzy, speedy, splashy, splurgy, sporty,
     stroboscopic, swift, wavering, wavery