a mere flash in the pan
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
All sound and fury, signifying nothing; like the attempt to dis- charge an old flint-lock gun that ends with a flash in the lock-pan, the gun itself "hanging fire." lilat* One who is not sharp.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “a mere flash in the pan” mean?
All sound and fury, signifying nothing; like the attempt to dis- charge an old flint-lock gun that ends with a flash in the lock-pan, the gun itself "hanging fire." lilat* One who is not sharp.
Is “a mere flash in the pan” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.