Citations:flash in the pan

English citations of flash in the pan

• 1687, Elkanah Settle, Reflections on several of Mr. Dryden's plays:

  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.

• 1705, Willem Bosman, A new and accurate description of the coast of Guinea, divided into the Gold, the Slave, and the Ivory Coasts:

  Beyond Axim a Negroe that was accustomed to the Elephant-Chase, and had killed several, endeavouring to shoot at one, but missing his shot by a flash in the Pan, the Elephant grew so enraged, that he pursu'd, set on him and broke him and his Musquet to pieces.

• 1705, Mr. Tho. Brown, A New collection of poems relating to state affairs, from Oliver Cromwel to this present time.:

  Then to make up the Breach all your Strength you must rally
  And labour and sweat like a Slave in a Gaily;
  And still you must charge, O blessed Condition
  Tho' you know, to your cost, you have no more Ammunition
  Till at last the poor Tool of a mortified Man,
  Is unable to make a poor Flash in the Pan.
  Fire, Flood, and Female, begin with a Letter,
  But for all the World's not a Farthing the better

• 1741, Henry, Earl of Pembroke, A method of breaking horses, and teaching soldiers to ride, page 68:

  To use a horse to fire-arms, first put a pistol or carabine in the manger with his feed; then use him to the sound of the lock and the pan; after which, when you are upon him, shew the piece to him, presenting it forwards, sometimes on one side, sometimes on the other: when he is thus far reconciled, proceed to flash in the pan; […]

• 1890, Richard Brinsley Sheridan Knowles, “Glencoonoge”, in The Month:

  It beats gold-digging. Few gold-diggers get rich, and fewer keep their money. Success in the gold-fields is demoralizing; it is a flash in the pan. The luck, the suddenness, the ease, the excitement, all carry a man off his legs and lessen his patience and self-control. Perhaps it is fortunate that so few succeed. I have tried my hand at it myself, but was never lucky.

• 1995, Richard Powers, Galatea 2.2, New York: Farrar, Straus, Giroux, →ISBN:

  Slow and Steady, respected co-authors, in constant battle with their archrival, Flash-in-the-Pan.

• 2015 December 1, Ruth Fajemirokun, “The Rise of Trapstar London”, in Menswear Style‎^[1]:

  I remember when Trapstar and their peers in the London urban and streetwear market, like VA-G and Benjart, first started making waves within the cool kids’ circuit in London Town. I won't lie to you, I thought they were all flash in the pans, but boy was I wrong.