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Where does the expression a flash in the pan come from?
The term ‘flash in the pan’ originated sometime during the late 17th century, when flintlock muskets were used. An attempt to fire a musket that resulted in gunpowder flaring up but no ball firing was referred to as a flash in the pan.
What is the idiom for flash in the pan?
phrase. If you describe an achievement or success as a flash in the pan, you mean that it is unlikely to be repeated and is not an indication of future achievements or success. [disapproval] People are waiting to see if our success has just been a flash in the pan.
How do you use a flash pan?
Examples of a flash in the pan
- It was not a flash in the pan.
- I confirm that her results were not a flash in the pan.
- Unfortunately, that prosperity was only a flash in the pan.
- This impressive record is not a flash in the pan.
- When growth did begin they said that it was a flash in the pan and would soon peter out.
What is the meaning of foot in the door?
: to make the first step toward a goal by gaining entry into an organization, a career, etc. He took a job as a secretary to get his foot in the door.
How do you use a flash in the pan in a sentence?
Example Sentences
- His initial good performances were a mere flash in the pan.
- The success of his second book turned out to be a flash in the pan.
- This new wave of entrepreneurship is not just a flash in the pan.
- He showed great promise during his first few games, but it turned out to be a flash in the pan.
Has butterflies in her stomach meaning?
very nervous
phrase. If you have butterflies in your stomach or have butterflies, you are very nervous or excited about something. [informal] An exam, or even an exciting social event may produce butterflies in the stomach.
What is the meaning of the in the wink of an eye?
Filters. (idiomatic) Instantaneously, extremely quickly. adverb.
Has one foot got a grave?
Definition of ‘have one foot in the grave’ If you say that someone has one foot in the grave, you mean that they are very old or very ill and will probably die soon.
What is a shot in the dark?
A wild, unsubstantiated guess; also, an attempt that has little chance for success. For example, It was a shot in the dark, but the engineers had a hunch that replacing the valve would make the system work, or You can try looking for your key on the beach, but I think it’s a shot in the dark. [ Colloquial; late 1800s]
What does the idiom’flash in the pan’mean?
a flash in the pan. 1. If an achievement or success is a flash in the pan, it is unlikely to be repeated or to last. In the days following Beckon’s victory, the British establishment has gone out of its way to try and dismiss the result as a flash in the pan.
Is the young pop star just another flash in the Pan?
With only one hit song, it was obvious that the young pop star was going to be just another flash in the pan. The new startup created a lot of buzz, but it ended up being just another flash in the pan, out of business after just two years. Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
Who was Alan Moore’s Flash in the Pan?
Downing has come in for considerable stick from the crowd and on the moan-ins and message boards in recent weeks, accused of being a Big Time Charlie, a flash in the pan Alan Moore figure who peaked too early and of lacking passion and commitment. “I felt that two-bagger was a flash in the pan ,” recounted Waddell.
Where did the phrase’panning out’come from?
‘Panning out’ can be traced to US prospectors and was used in that context by the early 20th century; for example, Paul Haworth’s Trailmakers of the Northwest, 1921: “The Colonel had told them that a cubic foot of gravel would pan out twenty dollars in gold.”.