ə flæʃ ɪn ðə pæn
- Literally:
- A brief flash of gunpowder in the pan of a flintlock gun
What does "a flash in the pan" mean?
- A thing or person whose sudden success is not repeated
- Something promising that quickly fails or disappears
Examples
- Many thought she'd be a flash in the pan, but she proved them wrong.
- The band's first album was a hit, but they turned out to be a flash in the pan.
- Don't dismiss him as a flash in the pan—he's got real talent.
Origin
From the firing mechanism of flintlock muskets in the 17th century. Sometimes the gunpowder in the pan would flash but fail to ignite the main charge, producing a startling flash with no shot. This described something that seemed promising but failed to deliver.
How to use it
Often used in sports, entertainment, and business to describe short-lived success. Can be used to describe people or things.
Similar expressions
Opposites
Related idioms
- actions speak louder than words
What people do is more important than what they say
- better safe than sorry
It's better to be careful and prevent problems than to take risks
- so far so good
Things have gone well up to now
- easier said than done
Something is more difficult to do than to talk about
- make a long story short
To summarize or get to the point
- to make matters worse
In addition to existing problems
Use it in a practice answer
Try "a flash in the pan" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.