A shallow metal container used historically in firearms to hold priming powder that would ignite the main charge.
Compound of 'flash' (the ignition spark) and 'pan' (a shallow metal container), used in flintlock and percussion-cap firearms from the 17th-19th centuries.
The flashpan is why we have the phrase 'a flash in the pan'—when the priming powder flashed but the main charge didn't ignite, the gun made a dramatic light but no actual shot fired.
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