sheet metal shaped and attached to a roof for strength and weatherproofing
"The roofer spent all morning cutting the flashing around the chimney to ensure no rain could seep into the attic."
A sudden blazing or bursting, as of fire or water.
"The storm clouds flashed with lightning before thunder cracked overhead."
In plain English: Flashing is when someone shows off their wealth or looks by wearing expensive clothes or jewelry to impress other people.
"The flashing on his uniform caught everyone's attention during the parade."
Usage: Use "flashing" to describe a sudden, brilliant burst of light or fire rather than a continuous beam. It refers specifically to the brief, intense moment of illumination itself.
present participle of flash
"The camera light was flashing brightly while he tried to take a photo in the dark room."
In plain English: To flash means to move something quickly across someone's view so they can see it for just a moment.
"The camera was flashing pictures of the party guests."
Usage: Use "flashing" to describe something that emits light in quick bursts or moves rapidly across a surface. Do not use it to mean revealing hidden information or behaving recklessly, which are entirely different contexts.
The word flashing comes from the verb flash combined with the suffix -ing. It originally referred to weatherproofing made of reflective metal like copper or aluminum, which was used because it would catch and reflect flashes of sunlight.