An effort or person that promises great success but fails. For example, His second novel proved to be a flash in the pan, or We had high hopes for the new director, but she was a flash in the pan. This metaphoric term alludes to the 17th-century flintlock musket, which could be fired only when the flash of the priming powder in the lockpan ignited the charge in the bore. When it failed to ignite, there was only a flash in the pan and the gun did not shoot.
flash in the pan
| Idioms: flash in the pan |
| WordNet: flash in the pan |
Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.
The noun has one meaning:
Meaning #1:
someone who enjoys transient success but then fails
| Best of the Web: flash in the pan |
Some good "flash in the pan" pages on the web:
 Phrase www.phrases.org.uk |
Learn More
 | flash (Idiom) |
| pan (Idiom) |
| Men at Work and Friends (1995 Album by Men at Work) |
 | Where are the flashes? Read answer... |
| How do you flash? Read answer... |
| A flash in the pan? Read answer... |
Help us answer these
 | When the product was first invented critics called it A flash in the pan that would not last What is the product? |
| Where do you get flash? |
| What are flashings? |
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Copyrights:
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 | Idioms. The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| WordNet. WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. Read more |
Related answers
- A flash in the pan?
- What is a pan?
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- What is pan?
- What is Flash?
- How do you get flash?
- Who is the flash?
- What is a Flash?
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Answer these
- AYLA The Best of Flash and the Pan?
- What is the origin of the phrase flash in the pan?
- What is a panning?
- Where is flash?
- Will you Flash me?
Mentioned in
- flash (Idiom)
- pan (Idiom)
- Men at Work and Friends (1995 Album by Men at Work)
- Flash and the Pan/Lights in the Night (1997 Album by Flash and the Pan)
- Ayla: The Best of Flash and the Pan (2005 Album by Flash and the Pan)
- Collection (1994 Album by Flash and the Pan)
- Flash and the Pan (Rock Band, '70s, '80s)
- Hits Collection (2003 Album by Flash and the Pan)
- Rated Next (1997 Album by Next)
- Rated Next [Clean] (1997 Album by Next)
- Pan Classics: Competition Performances from the World's Finest Steel Bands (1994 Album by Various Artists)
- Pioneers [Single] (1999 Album by EPMD & Busta Rhymes)
- Bruno Barreto (Director, Writer, Comedy/Romance)
- Big Sound Authority: This House Is Where Your Love Stands - Big Sound Authority Live (Music Film)
