flow

[ floh ]

verb (used without object)

1. to move along in a stream:

   The river flowed slowly to the sea.

2. to circulate:

   blood flowing through one's veins.

3. to stream or well forth:

   Warmth flows from the sun.

4. to issue or proceed from a source:

   Orders flowed from the office.

5. to menstruate.
6. to come or go as in a stream:

   A constant stream of humanity flowed by.

7. to proceed continuously and smoothly:

   Melody flowed from the violin.

   Synonyms: run

8. to hang loosely at full length:

   Her hair flowed over her shoulders.

9. to abound in something:

   The tavern flowed with wine.

   Synonyms: teem

10. to rise and advance, as the tide ( ebb ).

verb (used with object)

1. to cause or permit to flow:

   to flow paint on a wall before brushing.

2. to cover with water or other liquid; flood.

noun

1. an act of flowing.
2. movement in or as if in a stream.
3. the rate of flowing.
4. the volume of fluid that flows through a passage of any given section during a unit of time:

   Oil flow of the well was 500 barrels a day.

5. something that flows; stream.
6. an outpouring or discharge of something, as in a stream:

   a flow of blood.

7. menstruation.
8. an overflowing; flood.
9. the rise of the tide ( ebb ).
10. Machinery. progressive distortion of a metal object under continuous service at high temperature.
11. Physics. the transference of energy:

    heat flow.

flow

/ fləʊ /

verb

1. (of liquids) to move or be conveyed as in a stream
2. (of blood) to circulate around the body
3. to move or progress freely as if in a stream

   the crowd flowed into the building

4. to proceed or be produced continuously and effortlessly

   ideas flowed from her pen

5. to show or be marked by smooth or easy movement
6. to hang freely or loosely

   her hair flowed down her back

7. to be present in abundance

   wine flows at their parties

8. an informal word for menstruate
9. (of tide water) to advance or rise Compare ebb
10. tr to cover or swamp with liquid; flood
11. (of rocks such as slate) to yield to pressure without breaking so that the structure and arrangement of the constituent minerals are altered

noun

1. the act, rate, or manner of flowing

   a fast flow

2. a continuous stream or discharge
3. continuous progression
4. the advancing of the tide
5. a stream of molten or solidified lava
6. the amount of liquid that flows in a given time
7. an informal word for menstruation
8. 1. a marsh or swamp
   2. an inlet or basin of the sea
   3. ( capital when part of a name )

      Scapa Flow

9. flow of spirits
   natural happiness

Other Words From

• flowa·ble adjective
• flowa·bili·ty noun
• re·flow noun verb
• under·flow noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of flow¹

First recorded before 900; (verb) Middle English flowen, Old English flōwan; akin to Middle Low German vlōien, Old Norse flōa; (noun) late Middle English: “surge of a wave,” derivative of the verb

Word History and Origins

Origin of flow¹

Old English flōwan ; related to Old Norse flōa , Middle Low German vlōien , Greek plein to float, Sanskrit plavate he swims

Idioms and Phrases

see ebb and flow ; go with the flow .

Synonym Study

Flow, gush, spout, spurt refer to certain of the movements characteristic of fluids. Flow is the general term: Water flows. A stream of blood flows. To gush is to rush forth copiously from a cavity, in as large a volume as can issue therefrom, as the result of some strong impelling force: The water will gush out if the main breaks. Spout and spurt both imply the ejecting of a liquid from a cavity by some internal impetus given to it. Spout implies a rather steady, possibly well-defined, jet or stream, not necessarily of long duration but always of considerable force: A whale spouts. Spurt implies a forcible, possibly sudden, spasmodic, or intermittent issue or jet: The liquid spurted out suddenly when the bottle cap was pushed in. Spout applies only to liquids; the other terms apply also to gases.

Example Sentences

In 40% of institutions, cash flow may become so tight there will only be enough money in the bank to cover one month at a time of bills including salaries.

From BBC

It’s crucial that the flow of people into homelessness stop.

From Los Angeles Times

County’s Hansen Spreading Grounds, where it will flow into basins and percolate into the groundwater aquifer for storage.

From Los Angeles Times

Currently, treated effluent from the plant is released into the Los Angeles River in the Sepulveda Basin, providing a significant portion of the river’s flow in the area during dry times.

From Los Angeles Times

The water recycling project was designed so that even as purified water is piped away, a stream of treated wastewater will still flow to sustain the L.A.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cascade
• circulate
• continue
• discharge
• ebb
• flood
• glide
• gush
• leak
• overflow
• percolate
• pour
• proceed
• rush
• slide
• spill
• splash
• stream
• sweep
• swell