flash-bang n. an explosive device that emits noise and light but is not intended to cause damage. Editorial Note: Flash-bang grenade is the full, more common, form. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
A flashlight doesn’t flash. It provides a steady beam of light. So why is it called a flashlight? The earliest versions lit up only briefly before the batteries gave out and required a recharge, so they were literally “flash lights...
In 1971, when a new public library opened in Troy, Michigan, famous authors and artists were invited to write letters to the city’s youngest readers, extolling the many benefits of libraries. One of the loveliest was from E.B. White, author of...
Tom Clancy uses this word alot in his earlier books.
Also a commonly used term in theatrical and film special effects.