flash

flash — 動詞

1. to give out a sudden bright light that lasts only a moment, or to cause a light

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

閃爍；閃耀

突然發出短暫亮光

to give out a sudden bright light that lasts only a moment, or to cause a light source to produce such a burst of light

例句

At midnight, lightning flashed across the dark sky, briefly lighting up the whole valley.

午夜時分，閃電劃過漆黑的天空，短暫照亮了整座山谷。

Eli flashed the torch into the cave to see if anyone was hiding there.

Eli 把手電筒往洞穴裡照，看看有沒有人躲在那裡。

transitive: flash + object (torch, light)

同義詞
  • glare

    implies a harsh, uncomfortable brightness rather than a quick burst

  • gleam

    suggests a softer, reflected light rather than a self-illuminating flash

反義詞
  • fade

    to lose brightness gradually rather than shine suddenly

文法句型

flash (intransitive)

flash + noun phrase (transitive)

用法筆記

The transitive form means 'to cause something to shine briefly' (Eli flashed the torch), while the intransitive form means 'to shine briefly on its own' (Lights flashed).

2. if someone's eyes or face flash with a feeling, the emotion becomes suddenly vis

2.動詞不及物B2
釋義

流露

眼神或表情短暫顯露情緒

if someone's eyes or face flash with a feeling, the emotion becomes suddenly visible through their expression

例句

Rania's eyes flashed with anger when she heard the unfair criticism of her work.

Rania 聽到對她工作不公正的批評時，眼裡閃過一絲怒意。

intransitive: eyes flash with emotion

A warm smile flashed across Hui's face as she opened the carefully wrapped gift.

Hui 打開那份細心包裝的禮物時，臉上綻放出溫暖的笑容。

同義詞
  • blaze

    more intense and dramatic; suggests fury rather than any emotion

  • light up

    implies happiness or joy, not anger or excitement

文法句型

eyes/face + flash + with + emotion

用法筆記

The subject must be the eyes, face, or expression — not the person. 'She flashed with anger' would be understood literally as emitting light, not showing emotion.

常見錯誤

❌He flashed with excitement when he saw the results.
✅His eyes flashed with excitement when he saw the results.
💡the person cannot flash; only their eyes or expression can.

3. to travel or pass by a place with great speed, often too fast to see clearly

3.動詞不及物C2
釋義

飛馳；疾馳

極快地移動經過

to travel or pass by a place with great speed, often too fast to see clearly

例句

A deer suddenly flashed across the road just in front of our moving car.

一頭鹿突然從我們的車前飛快竄過馬路。

The racing boats flashed past the finish line one after another.

參賽的快艇一艘接一艘地飛速衝過終點線。

intransitive: flash past/across/through + direction

同義詞
  • dart

    implies a sudden, quick movement in a specific direction, often with purpose

  • zoom

    informal; suggests speed with a whizzing sound effect

反義詞
  • crawl

    to move extremely slowly

文法句型

flash + adverb/preposition of direction

用法筆記

Almost always followed by a preposition of direction (across, past, through, by, among). The verb itself only provides the speed; the preposition gives the path.

常見錯誤

❌The car flashed on the highway.
✅The car flashed past us on the highway.
💡a direction word is needed unless the meaning is literally about light.

4. to show something to someone for a very short period, often as proof of identity

4.動詞及物C2
釋義

短暫顯示

快速地出示某物

to show something to someone for a very short period, often as proof of identity or access

例句

The security guard flashed a fake ID card at the entrance and walked straight past.

保安在入口處迅速亮出一張假證件，就直接走了進去。

Christopher quickly flashed his ticket at the gate before running to catch his train.

Christopher 在閘門口快速亮出車票，然後衝去趕火車。

transitive: flash + object + at + person/location

同義詞
  • show

    neutral and general; no implication of brevity or speed

  • brandish

    implies waving something in a threatening or dramatic way

文法句型

flash + noun phrase + at/to + person

用法筆記

The object is typically a ticket, ID, badge, card, or smile — items that can be seen and recognized in an instant. Distinguish from sense 9 (verb), where the display has a boastful or attention-seeking purpose.

常見錯誤

❌She flashed her new phone to me for five minutes.
✅She flashed her new phone at me for a second.
💡flash implies a very brief display, not a long one.

5. to intentionally show one's sexual organs in a public space, which is a criminal

5.動詞及物 / 不及物C1
釋義

露陰

在公共場所暴露性器官

to intentionally show one's sexual organs in a public space, which is a criminal offence

例句

The man was arrested after witnesses reported that he flashed at people in the park.

目擊者報警後，該名男子因在公園向人群露陰而被逮捕。

A new law increases the penalty for anyone who flashes in public places.

一條新法規加重了在公共場所露陰的刑罰。

intransitive: flash + at + location/people

同義詞

文法句型

flash (intransitive)

flash + at + person (intransitive)

flash + object + to + person (transitive)

6. to send information or a signal rapidly, especially by using light, radio waves,

6.動詞及物C1
釋義

快速傳送

以光或電子信號快速傳遞

to send information or a signal rapidly, especially by using light, radio waves, or an electronic system

例句

The two ships flashed signals to each other across the dark stretch of water.

兩艘船在漆黑的海面上互相用燈光傳遞訊號。

Naoko flashed the news to her team through the office messaging system.

Naoko 透過辦公室的即時通訊系統，把消息快速發送給團隊。

transitive: flash + object + to + recipient through + medium

同義詞
  • transmit

    more technical; implies a formal or mechanical process

  • relay

    suggests passing information through an intermediate person or device

反義詞

文法句型

flash + noun phrase + to + recipient

flash + noun phrase + through/across + medium

用法筆記

Often used with a prepositional phrase indicating the recipient (to + person) or the medium (through/across/via + system). In modern use, can refer to electronic messaging.

7. If a thought, idea, or memory flashes through your mind, it comes to you suddenl

7.動詞不及物B2
釋義

閃過；浮現

念頭突然出現

If a thought, idea, or memory flashes through your mind, it comes to you suddenly and unexpectedly.

例句

A terrible thought flashed through Zola's mind as she listened to the news.

Zola 聽新聞時，一個可怕的念頭閃過她的腦海。

flash + through [someone's] mind — sudden arrival of a thought

It flashed across Élise's mind that she had left the oven on at home.

Élise 突然想到自己出門前忘了關烤箱。

flash + across [someone's] mind + that-clause

同義詞
  • cross one's mind

    softer, less urgent — 'it crossed my mind that...' suggests a passing thought without the suddenness

  • occur to

    more neutral and common in writing — 'it occurred to me that...'

  • spring to mind

    used when an example or answer comes readily, not necessarily suddenly

文法句型

flash + through/across [someone's] mind

flash + into [someone's] head

用法筆記

Subject must be a thought, idea, memory, or similar mental content — never a person. This is the only sense of 'flash' that patterns naturally with a that-clause.

常見錯誤

❌I flashed that I forgot my keys.
✅It flashed across my mind that I had forgotten my keys.
💡the thought is the subject; a person cannot 'flash' a thought directly.

8. to appear or become visible suddenly, often for only a very short time before di

8.動詞不及物B2
釋義

閃現；掠過

突然且短暫地出現

to appear or become visible suddenly, often for only a very short time before disappearing again.

例句

A message from Dr. Sivan flashed onto the screen while Tomás was checking his email.

Tomás 正在查看電子郵件時，Sivan 醫師傳來的一則訊息突然出現在螢幕上。

flash + onto [screen] — sudden appearance on a display

The face of an old friend flashed onto the screen during the video call.

視訊通話時，一位老朋友的臉突然出現在螢幕上。

同義詞
  • appear suddenly

    direct and neutral, but lacks the speed sense of 'flash'

  • pop up

    informal — used for notifications, windows, or unexpected arrivals

  • flicker

    suggests unsteady light, not a single sudden appearance

反義詞
  • disappear

    the opposite — to vanish from sight

  • fade

    gradual disappearance rather than sudden

文法句型

flash + adverb/preposition (across, onto, past, up)

用法筆記

Usually takes a prepositional phrase indicating direction (across, onto, past, up). The subject is typically a moving object, image, or light — not a person.

常見錯誤

❌A car flashed in front of me.' (ambiguous — suggests light shining)
✅A car flashed past me.
💡'past' makes the sudden appearance + movement clear.

9. to proudly show something valuable, expensive, or impressive in order to attract

9.動詞及物C1
釋義

炫耀；賣弄

刻意展示以引人注目

to proudly show something valuable, expensive, or impressive in order to attract attention or admiration — for example, flashing a new watch, a wad of cash, or a winning smile.

例句

Eli could not stop flashing his new watch at everyone in the office.

Eli 忍不住在辦公室裡到處炫耀他的新手錶。

flash + [object] + at [someone] — showing off

Kian flashed a pile of cash at the bar just to impress his friends.

Kian 在酒吧亮出一疊鈔票，只是想讓朋友們刮目相看。

同義詞
  • show off

    more general — can apply to skills, not just visible objects

  • flaunt

    stronger disapproval — suggests deliberate provocation, e.g. 'flaunt wealth'

  • display

    neutral or formal — lacks the boastful tone of 'flash'

反義詞
  • hide

    to keep something out of sight

  • conceal

    more deliberate — to keep something secret or private

文法句型

flash + noun + at [someone]

用法筆記

Carries a mildly negative or critical tone — suggests the person is trying too hard to impress. Can also be used playfully ('She flashed him a bright smile').

常見錯誤

❌He flashed his knowledge at the meeting.' (abstract objects don't work)
✅He flashed his new phone at the meeting.
💡the object must be something visible and tangible.

flash — 名詞

flash — 形容詞