Flash in the pan
A flash in the pan is a metaphor , a phrase for a course of action or a circumstance that is characterized by a strong characteristic of an activity , such as a dense chain of events, which, however, only lasts for a short time. The decisive factor is that the causal trigger cannot keep an activity going for a long time in a motivating manner, even if it was initially able to cause a quite violent activity.
Straw burns quickly and big, but the fire quickly finds no more food because the substance has been used up.
The metaphor seems to go back to the Roman poet Virgil . He characterized attempts at sexual activity at an advanced age as "a huge fire in the straw with no effect".
The term flash in the pan is primarily understood and used pejoratively . In French , there is a similar saying: "ce n'est qu'un feu de paille", "this is just a flash in the pan".
There has long been a debate among politicians and economists , especially economists , as to whether economic stimulus programs can have more than a flash in the pan.
swell
- ↑ Virgil, Georgica 3.99: “in stipulis magnus sine viribus ignis”. To understand it, it is helpful to know that vires expressly also means fertility .
- ↑ Equivalences between French and German: [1]
- ↑ Examples: Heiner Flassbeck : Pro (PDF; 15 kB), Patrick Welter : Contra