A: What do you see in the technology company whose stakes you are investing in? B: We’re hoping that this is a long-term opportunity, and not just a flash in the pan. Note: This idiom refers to something which disappoints by failing to deliver anything of value, despite a showy beginning. There’s reason to believe that this phrase derives from the Californian Gold Rush of the mid 19th century. Prospectors who panned for gold supposedly became excited when they saw something glint in the pan, only to have their hopes dashed when it proved not to be gold but a mere “flash in the pan.” |