flash back

To suddenly and vividly remember a past event or experience, often triggered by a sensory cue; also used in film and literature to describe a scene that shifts to an earlier time.

• 🇪🇸Recuerdo vívido y repentino de un evento o experiencia pasada, a menudo provocado por un estímulo sensorial; también se usa en cine y literatura para una escena que traslada a un tiempo anterior.

1. Sudden memory recall B2 informal

   To have a sudden, vivid memory of a past event, often triggered by something in the present.

   • The smell of the sea made him flash back to his childhood vacations.
   • She flashed back to the accident every time she heard a loud noise.
   • The old song caused him to flash back to his high school prom.

   🇪🇸reviviscencia

2. Narrative technique B2 formal

   A scene in a story, movie, or play that shows events that happened earlier in time.

   • The director used a flash back to show the character's childhood.
   • The novel begins with a flash back to the protagonist's youth.
   • The movie's flash back revealed the mystery behind the crime.

   🇪🇸Escena retrospectiva