1
general::
noun sudden bright light; sudden idea/emotion/action ADJ. great | blinding, bright, brilliant | sudden | brief, momentary, quick | occasional | rare a rare flash of humour | light, lightning | news (also newsflash) VERB + FLASH feel, have He felt a brief flash of jealousy. She had a sudden flash of inspiration. | catch, detect, notice, see We caught a flash of white in the bushes. FLASH + VERB illuminate sth, light sth (up) A bright flash of lightning lit up the sky. PREP. ~ from The flashes from the guns illuminated the sky. | ~ of a sudden flash of light bright light for a camera ADJ. built-in | camera VERB + FLASH use I don't think the picture will come out in this light. Try using the flash. FLASH + VERB go off, work The flash didn't go off. FLASH + NOUN photography | bulb | unit a camera with a built-in flash unit PREP. with (a) ~ I took it with flash., verb shine ADV. briefly It was only the sun, flashing briefly on her bleached hair. PREP. at A car flashed its headlights at me. show emotion ADV. suddenly | angrily Her eyes flashed angrily. PREP. with Her eyes suddenly flashed with anger.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
4
general::
flash sth around/about
informal
to intentionally make people understand that you have something valuable, especially in order to make them feel unhappy because they do not have it
• She was flashing her engagement ring around., flash back
If your mind or thoughts flash back to something that happened in the past, you suddenly remember it
• Her mind flashed back to the day of their divorce.
Cambridge-Phrasal Verbs