FLASH (4)

Flash, a. 1. 1. Showy, but counterfeit; cheap, pretentious, and vulgar; as, flash jewelry; flash finery.
2. 2. Wearing showy, counterfeit ornaments; vulgarly pretentious; as, flash people; flash men or women; — applied especially to thieves, gamblers, and prostitutes that dress in a showy way and wear much cheap jewelry.
Flash house, a house frequented by flash people, as thieves and whores; hence, a brothel. “A gang of footpads, reveling with their favorite beauties at a flash house.” Macaulay.