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Flash in the pan meaning

What does the saying 'Flash in the pan' mean?

Idiom: Flash in the pan

Meaning:

If something is a flash in the pan, it is very noticeable but doesn't last long, like most singers, who are very successful for a while, then forgotten.
Country: International English | Subject Area: Furniture and household fittings | Usage Type: Both or All Words Used

Meaning:

When someone or something is a "flash in the pan," they were a star or famous for a shorter time than expected. Itcome from the flintlock gun era, when the powder in a flintlock's pan could go off with a flash but not the main charge in the barrel. Itis an expectation of something more than what you actually get.

Country: International English | Subject Area: War, weapons and conflict | Usage Type: Both or All Words Used
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