noun

• 1North American An electric torch.

  ‘If you plan to rely on flashlights or electric lanterns for emergency lighting, be sure to keep plenty of fresh batteries on hand.’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Rogers, the electrician, held a flashlight in one hand and was digging through the box with the other.’
  • ‘The numerous torches and flashlights held by the soldiers was a blinding sight.’
  • ‘Most of us have experienced a temporary loss of electricity and know the helpless feeling of fumbling around for a flashlight or matches and candles.’
  • ‘Keep a flashlight, candles and matches in the glove box.’
  • ‘They use flashlights to search the ground near buildings and streetlights.’
  • ‘Emily took candles, flashlights, and blankets and sat on the couch.’
  • ‘The dim haze of flashlights bounced around the sharp turn in the tunnel.’
  • ‘The opposition group met later with candles and flashlights to select a new interim governor.’
  • ‘Five barefooted girls in pajamas made their way across the street with flashlights in hand.’
  • ‘We grabbed our flashlights and lanterns and waited to see, or hear what would be next.’
  • ‘Bright gas lanterns are better than flashlights.’
  • ‘‘Power outage,’ I grumbled, picking up the flashlight and drawing shapes with it on the wall.’
  • ‘He looked at his charts with his pen flashlight.’
  • ‘Melody looked at him confused, then to her flashlight.’
  • ‘He shines his flashlight in my eyes, twists my head and leaves.’
  • ‘Putting the flashlight down on the chair next to him, he pulled the painting off the wall and let it fall unceremoniously to the floor.’
  • ‘Chris held up a flashlight so he could see where the hatch was.’
  • ‘He got out the flashlight and turned it on and shone it inside.’
  • ‘I found myself wishing for a flashlight when I distinctly heard someone or something on the path ahead.’

  Synonyms

  lamp, flashlight

• 2A flashing light used for signals and in lighthouses.

  ‘Hundreds and hundreds of flashlights are signalling us… strobe lights, flares.’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Behind there was the lighthouse sweep of flashlights traversing empty space.’

  Synonyms

  distress signal, rocket, Very light, beacon, light, flashlight, signal

• 3

  another term for flashgun

  ‘Though it is good that there is interest in the turtles, the beach is awash with flashlights and flashbulbs, causing considerable disturbance to the turtles.’

  More example sentences

  • ‘It all came true with a Prince's Trust loan of £2,000 which allowed her to buy a medium format camera and studio flashlights with enough left over to turn her garden shed into a light-sealed dark room and to advertise.’
  • ‘A short foray into the spotlights, the briefest dance with immortality and then exit stage left in a body bag illuminated by a thousand camera flashlights.’
  • ‘There are also flashlights for spotlighting details.’
  • ‘The flashlights are popping off her and the roar of the crowd smashes into her stomach.’
  • ‘They had all brought their cameras with them and the flashlights lit up the murky Manchester sky almost as though it was the paparazzi pursuing a cat-walk model down the runway.’