flash crowd

Definitions

1. A large audience for a sporting event that is unexpected because of large numbers of game-day ticket sales rather than advance tickets.
2. A crowd that forms suddenly.
3. The fashionable public.
   obsolete

Examples

“As mentioned in the Introduction, it is crucial to enhance content delivery during flash⟳ crowd events.”

“Sure, you'll get⟳ trapped once in a while with a flash⟳ crowd. Like⟳ the first time Satchel Paige pitched in Cleveland. We thought we'd get⟳ 55,000, and we ended up with 78,000.”

“It was almost like⟳ a flash⟳ crowd at a sporting event. In all, we had more than 90 attendees, plus 32 instructors from around the country.”

“When they did, they were flash⟳ crowds-—not much advance tickets, but lots of game-day sales.”

“The mall riot was the first successful riot in twenty years. “The police can get⟳ to a riot before it's a riot,” said McCord. “We call⟳ them flash⟳ crowds, and we watch⟳ for them.””

“From now on at the first word the police get⟳ of a flash⟳ crowd, of a mall riot—type⟳ crowd, the emergency switches are thrown at headquarters and they close⟳ down the displacement booths in the vicinity.”

“Indeed, without any form⟳ of social media other than word of mouth, flash⟳ crowds materialize almost spontaneously.”

“They had real power now, commanding flash⟳ crowds to appear⟳ anywhere on issues that touched them.”

“Later flash⟳ crowds involved getting dozens of people to perch on a stone ledge in Central Park⟳ all making bird noises, a “Zombie walk⟳” in San Francisco, and a silent dance⟳ party at London's Victoria Station.”

“A new type⟳ is the flash⟳ crowd (or flash⟳ mob). Flash⟳ crowds might gather, for example, to engage⟳ in a pillow fight⟳.”

“To see⟳ the Hurst with tents encamp'd on, Look⟳ around Lawrence's at Hampton, Join⟳ the flash⟳ crowd (the horse being led Into the yard, and clean'd and fed); Talk⟳ to Dav. Hudson and Cy. Davis.”

“It was a low-grade, flash⟳ crowd with barrels of money and all as crooked as a switch-back railway, men and women both, so that one fine night when a second-story worker handed me a proposition for opening the back door I said, "All right, ...”

“There is a legend about each; she is either an angel of purity and light⟳, or a beautiful monster of iniquity; she has turned the heads of kings—'kings' in a vaguely royal plural— completely round on their shoulders, or she has built out of her earnings a hospital for crippled children; the watery-sentimental eye of the flash⟳ crowd in its cups sees in her a Phryne, a Mrs. Fry, or a Saint Cecilia.”

CEFR level