Episode 279: Flash in the Pan

This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, flash in the pan. Bonus: Hubble taking pictures of long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away, Epic burns of the 1600s, and Texas: the America of America.

It's free to join our Patreon, patreon.com/bunnytrailspod

On our Patreon you have direct access to reach Shauna and Dan, plus join our weekly chats and polls. Paid tiers have even more perks, like early access and name recognition on the show. So join us on Patreon!
patreon.com/bunnytrailspod

Shownotes are always available on our website, bunnytrailspod.com

Copyright 2025 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

 

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast
Episode 279: Flash in the Pan
Record Date: May 26, 2025
Air Date: June 4, 2025

Intro

Dan:
Welcome to Bunny Trails, a whimsical adventure of idioms and other turns of phrase.

I’m Dan Pugh

Shauna:
And I’m Shauna Harrison

Each week we take an idiom or other turn of phrase and try to tell the story from its entry into the English language, to how it’s used today.


Opening Hook
My friend thought she was going to get into the college program she wanted—she felt that rush of hope and excitement when she first heard back. But then the news changed, and the moment slipped away. That’s the strange beauty behind a ‘flash in the pan.’

Meaning

According to Oxford English Dictionary, the figurative use of the phrase “flash in the pan” means:

Quote
to fail after a showy effort, to fail to ‘go off’
End quote
https://www.oed.com/dictionary/flash_v1?tab=meaning_and_use#4341435

The word in this phrase that really carries the meaning is “flash”. It started being used in the English language around the mid-1500s.

According to Oxford English Dictionary, “flash” means,

Quote
Literal - A sudden outburst or issuing forth of flame or light; a sudden, quick, transitory blaze.
Figurative - an abortive effort or outburst.
End quote
https://www.oed.com/dictionary/flash_n2?tab=meaning_and_use#4338055

1566
In the 1566 work Palace of Pleasure by William Painter, we find an example of this,

Quote
Astonned like one that had been stroken, with a flashe of lightenyng
End quote
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A08838.0001.001/1:7.41?rgn=div2;view=fulltext;q1=Italian+literature+--++Translations+into+English

Painter’s work is a collection of tales full of wit, social commentary, a healthy dose of cynicism, and excellent story-telling. The collection consists of translations with slight adjustments into English from older tales of the continental European region. His work had a hand in inspiring future authors and playwrights, like the well-known William Shakespeare. And we’re going to delve a little more into this in our behind the scenes which airs every Friday on Patreon, which you can find by visiting patreon.com/BunnyTrailspod

We know what it means and the keyword flash, but…

What's the origin of the phrase 'Flash in the pan'?
That is the title of Gary Martin’s article on phrases.org.uk. He discusses a rather popular theory about the Gold Rush. Let’s hear from the language expert himself:

Quote
There’s reason to believe that this phrase derives from the Californian Gold Rush of the mid 19th century. Prospectors who panned for gold supposedly became excited when they saw something glint in the pan, only to have their hopes dashed when it proved not to be gold but a mere ‘flash in the pan’. This is an attractive and plausible notion, in part because it ties in with another phrase related to disappointment – ‘it didn’t pan out’. ‘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.”

Nevertheless, gold prospecting isn’t the origin of ‘a flash in the pan’. The phrase did have a literal meaning, that is, it derives from a real flash in a real pan, but not a prospector’s pan.
End quote
https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/flash-in-the-pan.html

Oxford English Dictionary provides the literal usage of the phrase, “flash in the pan” as,

Quote
said of a gun, when the priming powder is kindled without igniting the charge
End quote
https://www.oed.com/dictionary/flash_v1?tab=meaning_and_use#4341435

Misfires were a common issue with early firearms. This happened because in flintlock firearms, the gunpowder in the small pan is ignited by a spark from the flint striking steel. If the spark lights the powder in the pan but the flame doesn't reach or ignite the main powder charge inside the barrel—due to damp powder, poor powder placement, or a blocked touch hole—the gun doesn’t fire properly. It produces a literal flash in the pan, but no shot.

1687
An early usage of the phrase is found in Elkanah Settle’s 1687 work, Reflections on Dryden's Plays. He provides a review and commentary on some of the works of John Dryden. Bold move. Here is an excerpt,

Quote
If Cannons were so well bred in his Metaphor as only to flash in the Pan, I dare lay an even wager that Mr. Dryden durst venture to Sea.
End quote
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A59339.0001.001/1:8?rgn=div1;view=fulltext

Settle is saying that if Dryden's metaphors were like cannons that only made a harmless flash (but didn’t actually fire), then it would be safe enough for Dryden to go to sea—even with those "weapons" around.

It’s a sarcastic jab at Dryden’s style, implying that it’s all noise and no substance. It’s a little scathing isn’t it?

And it was clearly a figurative usage.

1778
The Works of Thomas Brown Serious and Comical in Prose and Verse were published in 1778. Our phrase is found in the poem A Satire on Marriage.

Quote
If at night you're unactive, and fail of performing, Enter thunder and lightning, and bloodshed next morning, Cries the bone of your side, thanks, dear Mr. Horner, This comes of your finning with Crape in a corner. Then to make up the breach, all your strength you must And labour and sweat like a slave at the galley. Yet still you must charge, oh blessed condition! Tho' you know, to your cost, you've no ammunition. "Till at last, my dear mortify'd tool of a man, You're not able to make a poor flash in the pan.
End quote
https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Works_of_Thomas_Brown/09VCOz3kVMUC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22flash+in+the+pan%22&pg=PA58&printsec=frontcover

That one is a tad crude, though clever.

1814
In the Portland gazette and Maine advertiser, October 17, 1814, out of Maine USA, we find the following article,

Quote
Blaze of Eloquence and Patriotism!!!
As the General Court is in session, we have a right about this this time to expect another flash from the pan of John Holmes. It is said, that some time this week he will deliver in the senate chamber an immense Speech, embracing in one cluster all the various beauties of fancy, and powers of argument, that have decorated the columns of the Boston Patriot, Chronicle, and Yankee, during the last three months! The speech will probably be his greatest effort, for his own election to Congress may depend upon it.
End quote
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83016082/1814-10-17/ed-1/seq-4/#date1=1800&index=5&rows=20&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&words=flash+pan&proxdistance=5&date2=1825&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=flash+in+the+pan&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1


1890
Next, we go to the Kansas agitator, dated December 29, 1890, out of Kansas, USA.

Quote
The farmers and laboring men have a set of ideas that are held by individuals in political society at large. If these ideas are properly reduced in the crucible the great political party of the immediate future may result, or, which is not improbable, the new party, if not a mere flash in the pan, may influence both the old parties, and impress itself thus on the legislation of the future, without destroying either of the great existing organizations.
End quote
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83040052/1890-12-29/ed-1/seq-7/#date1=1850&index=4&rows=20&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&words=flash+pan&proxdistance=5&date2=1895&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=flash+in+the+pan&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1

While we’ve seen attempt after attempt to form a third party in the US with an equivalent following to that of the two primary parties, most of these have not been successful. Individually, they would mostly be labeled as a flash in the pan.

1916
In the October 26, 1916 edition of The Day Book, out of Illinois, USA we find the phrase in the sports section.

Quote
Although the practice of Yale, Harvard, and Princeton being defeated by small teams has become rather common in late years, one of the greatest surprises in football history came when the little Tufts college team defeated Harvard.
Just to show that it was not a flash in the pan, Tufts came back the following Saturday and held Princeton to a 3 to 0 score, the game being saved to the Tigers by Tibbetts’ drop kick in the final period. The next week Tufts smashed Boston college 13-0.
End quote
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045487/1916-10-26/ed-1/seq-11/#date1=1900&index=1&rows=20&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&words=flash+pan&proxdistance=5&date2=1920&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=flash+in+the+pan&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1


1955
The next excerpt comes from an article by Cynthia Lowry, published in The Lincoln times out of North Carolina, USA, September 08, 1955.

Quote
How fickle are the nation’s small fry?
Millions of dollars are riding on the answer to one question:
Is Davy Crockett a real buckskin hero or a flash-in-the-pan idol the nation’s youngsters will abandon as fast as they grabbed him up?
End quote
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn93065779/1955-09-08/ed-1/seq-7/#date1=1935&sort=relevance&date2=1963&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&index=13&words=Flash+flash+flash-in-the-pan+Flash-ln-The-Pan+Pan+pan&proxdistance=5&rows=20&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=flash+in+the+pan&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=2

The title of that article sounds a bit like it could be in today’s media, Is Davy Crockett Real Hero or Flash-In-The-Pan Idol?  

1961
The phrase was used in an article discussing music titled Top Tunes - Dum Dum by Harry Bacas. The article was published in the Teen section of the July 14, 1961 edition of the Evening star, out of Washington, D.C. USA

Quote
Little Brenda Lee, who was called a flash in the pan after her first success has produced one hit record after another ever since.
End quote
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1961-07-14/ed-1/seq-59/#date1=1935&sort=relevance&date2=1963&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&index=14&words=flash+pan&proxdistance=5&rows=20&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=flash+in+the+pan&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=3

Clearly, she proved them wrong. And it sounds like… if you’re trying to become famous and someone calls you a flash in the pan… maybe you’ll be just fine.

We have several modern uses to cover and we’ll get to those, right after we say thank you to our sponsors.

A Quick Thank You
This episode is sponsored by our amazing Patrons on Patreon. And the cool thing about Patreon is it is 100% free to join the Bunny Trails community!

We have new things every weekday on the feeds. On Monday’s we have a conversation about what movies, shows, books, podcasts and whatever else everyone is enjoying, Tuesday see early access to the weeks podcast, Wednesdays have all the links, books, songs, and other content mentioned in the weeks episode, Thursday has patron’s only polls, and Friday’s are our lightly-edited behind the scenes video featuring all the cut content, goofs, and bonus facts you could imagine.

We’ve got some other pretty cool stuff, too, like Original Digital Artwork once a month, made by Shauna, and direct access to talk with us. No algorithm’s getting in the way of what we see or don’t see. Plus, you can get awesome name recognition like Pat Rowe does every episode. And our top spot is currently occupied by the amazing Mary Halsig Lopez.

You can join the Bunny Trails community for free at bunny trails pod on Patreon.

That’s patreon.com/bunnytrailspod

Modern Uses

1976
Flash and the Pan were an Australian new wave musical group (essentially an ongoing studio project) formed in 1976 by Harry Vanda and George Young; they were a production and songwriting team as Vanda & Young.
https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCwQLpELlxZTo07LK6M2W0Jg

I love when people put a spin on a phrase like this. One simple word change makes it stand out as something different.


2009
Flash in the Pan: Life and Death of an American Restaurant is a 2009 novel by David Blum. Typically, I would read the synopsis but I thought it was fitting to read the review provided by Anthony Bourdain, author of Kitchen Confidential.

Quote
Finally back in print, Flash in the Pan is the original—and still the best—reportage on the life and death of an American restaurant, a ground level view of every phase of its life. From the early, hope filled planning stages to the last, humiliating moments, it's a tragi-comic epic of hubris and human folly. Painfully hilarious and even more painfully true. This is a welcome reissue of a restaurant classic that should be read by every culinary and food service student in America and sit comfortably next to Orwell's Down and Out on every shelf.
End quote
https://www.amazon.com/Flash-Pan-Death-American-Restaurant/dp/1439193770


2017
The article Flash in the Pan was posted on the periodical The Online Photographer on March 20, 2017. The site states it is edited by Mike Johnston and this piece was signed, Mike and in parentheses: Thanks to Jimmy L. Day. It talks about a few products and technological releases in the world of photography

Quote
Flash in the Pan

The company GoPro, currently experiencing contraction and layoffs, looks to be an exaggerated version of the accelerated business cycle typical of today. It's beginning to look a tad like all of digital photography—as we know it, anyway—might itself be a sort of extended flash in the pan*; but at least it has lasted a good twenty years and will certainly stick around for a while more. GoPro was the hero camera company (sorry) just a few years ago. That was a fast transit from latest thing to yesterday's news.

Now it's drones, apparently.

Relative to flashes in the pan, what's your take on mirrorless cameras with oversized sensors? The big Fuji system and the new little big Hasselblad seem to be the hottest topics in photography right now. Everybody's talking them up, although I feel a little like most of us are teenagers debating whether Lamborghini or Ferrari is better. Is that going to last, though? Are the big, expensive medium-format mirrorless cameras going to saturate their market pretty quickly and move on to being yesterday's heroes—ignite brightly and then disappear in a poof of smoke that would be—or will they carve out a sustainable niche, thrive and grow, and open up a new migration path away from FF DSLRs?

It will be interesting to watch.
End quote
https://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2017/03/flash-in-the-pan.html

I personally use two different mirrorless cameras - one higher-end and the other designed for amateurs. As expected, the higher-end Lumix takes incredible portraits and great photos generally. I use it at events, for building construction and design photography, and a host of other things. The one for amateurs… I use daily.

I also have a DSLR and I love it as well. Sometimes, I feel my photos have more depth than with the mirrorless camera. But technology improves all the time, so we’ll see where things go from here.


2019
Not surprisingly, this phrase is a popular title for recipe books. A Flash in the Pan: simple, speedy, stovetop recipes by John Whaite was published in 2019. Here’s a little about the book,

Quote
There are opportunities to be found in a fast paced kitchen environment, where exceptional dishes can be rustled up without an oven. Pans and a stove are all you need to feed you, your friends and family convenience food, with class. This book celebrates the simplicity of simple, stunning recipes that can be prepared and cooked on the stove in under 45 minutes.

And in true John Whaite-style, A Flash in the Pan is brimming with interesting and innovative combinations - from Marmalade Brulée French Toast and Bloody Mary Prawn Tacos to Saag Halloumi and
Apricot, Whisky & Honey Cheesecake.
End quote
https://www.amazon.com/Flash-Pan-Speedy-stovetop-recipes/dp/0857836730

2019
A flash in the pan is a painting by Georgia Argyropoulos from South Africa. The work was created in 2019 and is viewable on SaatchiArt. Here’s a description from the artist,

Quote
Inspired by an old shelf in a very old traditional kitchen. It evokes a feeling of nostalgia for the impermanence of our lives, our ways, our traditions, our loves and passions... It all passes away like a flash in a pan. Both vessels featured here were designed to take great heat and be functional in creating hedonistic feasts. But they are on the shelf. Unused and abandoned to their original purpose. Now they are ornamental and pleasing in how they reflect light in an otherwise dark corner
End quote
https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-A-flash-in-the-pan/1255927/6770895/view

This piece is a greyscale work that depicts two cooking pans on a wooden surface.


2021
Another artwork done in a completely different style is the oil on canvas painting by Lana Frey of the Czech Republic titled, Flash in the pan. Lana says,  

Quote
Give a person everything he desires, and at the same moment everything will not be everything. I.Kant.
End quote
https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-Flash-in-the-pan/819650/8516693/view

Kant is spelled k-a-n-t like the philosopher. This piece is a pop art style with bright, bold colors that work together to create a portrait of a female. The skin tones are created with varying colors - pink, orange, light blue, lilac. The hair is primarily purple. It’s a really bold piece and the subject’s emotion can really be seen.  



Current
Flash in the Pan is a restaurant in Northern Ireland. Here’s a bit about it from their Google business page.

Quote
Flash in the Pan is a traditional fish and chip shop located in the heart of Bushmills, cooking and serving an extensive menu full of delicious options for our customers to feast on throughout the week. Whether you're popping in for lunch, collecting dinner for the whole family or simply feeling peckish throughout the day, our team of staff are dedicated to providing the friendliest of services, ensuring you are catered to throughout your time here with us.

From battered cod and haddock, to burgers, kebabs and sausages, these are simply a few of the appetising choices available, with something to suit everybody. Having won an award for our fish and chips, it's no wonder we have a reputation all over town for the tasty options available on our menu.
End quote
https://www.facebook.com/people/Flash-in-the-Pan-Bushmills/100057054416019/  

It sounds sort of amazing.

Wrap up:
A flash in the pan may sound like failure—but there’s something more human beneath it. The phrase holds that feeling of sudden hope, brief glory—a spark that flares before it has the chance to become something more. I think that’s what ‘flash in the pan’ is about: the space between hope and permanence. And sometimes, what seems like a flicker is actually the start of something much bigger.


Shauna:
That’s about all we have for today. If you have any thoughts on the show, or pop culture references we should have included, reach out to us on Patreon, patreon.com/bunnytrailspod, or comment on our website, bunnytrailspod.com

Dan:

It’s poll time!

Recently we asked our Patrons, “Which insulated cups do you prefer?”

The top choice for insulated cups is Yeti, receiving 60% of the votes, followed by Hydroflask with 20% and other generic brands, also with 20%. Distant other choices included Stanley, Simple Modern, and Owala. Though Stanley has certainly had a resurgence in the early ‘20s.  

Mary says:
Quote
Truthfully, I was a bit addicted to them. I love the designs. I love  the ones that keep things hot or cold for a really long time.. Finally, my daughter, Charlie, introduced me to the Iron Flask brand. I ordered three because they are pretty and keep things either hot or cold. I have a blue one for kombucha, a yellow fading to red for my coffee, and a tall maroon one for water that is now lost. But I have hope that it will emerge from that safe place. Now, when I want a new one, I remind myself of the iron flasks I already own and grab my Starbucks tumbler full of Spice Merchant coffee and head for the door.
End Quote

Shauna:
I do have a yeti that I received from a sponsor at a work event and it works quite well. My favorite brand is by a company called Rogue and Wolf. They fit my vibe from a style standpoint. I have a tall tumbler and a 32oz airtight water bottle. They’re cute. Black with a simple white moon and stars design. Both keep things cold for at least 20 hours. I’ve had the bigger water bottle keep water cold through an entire day trip in Costa Rica… 6am to 8pm and there was still ice in it when I got back to my hotel.

Dan:
I have a few Yeti brand cups, which work well. They'll keep ice all day, assuming I use the magnet lids. I also like that they are sold all over. One time when traveling I lost a lid because I left it on the food tray at the facility I was at and threw it in the dumpster. By the time I realized it the lid was so far under other people’s food waste that I decided I’d spend the $10 to buy another one. That feels like a lot for a lid, but the other option was digging around in 500 other people’s food waste in the hopes of finding it. I opted to buy a replacement. A quick search showed me an Ace hardware store down the street sold Yeti products and it was super easy to replace. They are expensive though. I've never used my own money, except for that one replacement lid, but as I said that was more about paying to avoid becoming a real life Oscar the Grouch. Every Yeti product I own was a gift, either giving as the item itself or bought with gift cards.

I also really like my 32 oz wide mouth hydroflask, also a gift card purchase, which is my de facto refillable water bottle when I’m on the go.


As a reminder, our silly polls mean absolutely nothing and are not scientifically valid. And patrons of all levels, including our free tiers, can take part. Head over to patreon.com/bunnytrailspod to take this week’s poll!

Outro

Dan:
Thanks for joining us. We’ll talk to you again next week. Until then remember,

Together:
Words belong to their users.