FLOW Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

View synonyms for

flow

[floh]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

verb (used without object)

to move along in a stream.
The river flowed slowly to the sea.
to circulate.
blood flowing through one's veins.
to stream or well forth.
Warmth flows from the sun.
to issue or proceed from a source.
Orders flowed from the office.
to menstruate.
to come or go as in a stream.
A constant stream of humanity flowed by.
to proceed continuously and smoothly.
Melody flowed from the violin.
Synonyms:
to hang loosely at full length.
Her hair flowed over her shoulders.
to abound in something.
The tavern flowed with wine.
Synonyms:
to rise and advance, as the tide (ebb ).

verb (used with object)

to cause or permit to flow.
to flow paint on a wall before brushing.
to cover with water or other liquid; flood.

noun

an act of flowing.
movement in or as if in a stream.
the rate of flowing.
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.
something that flows; stream.
an outpouring or discharge of something, as in a stream.
a flow of blood.
menstruation.
an overflowing; flood.
the rise of the tide (ebb ).
Machinery.��progressive distortion of a metal object under continuous service at high temperature.
Physics.��the transference of energy.
heat flow.

flow

/ �ڱ�əʊ /

verb

(of liquids) to move or be conveyed as in a stream
(of blood) to circulate around the body
to move or progress freely as if in a stream
the crowd flowed into the building
to proceed or be produced continuously and effortlessly
ideas flowed from her pen
to show or be marked by smooth or easy movement
to hang freely or loosely
her hair flowed down her back
to be present in abundance
wine flows at their parties
an informal word for menstruate
(of tide water) to advance or rise Compare ebb
(tr) to cover or swamp with liquid; flood
(of rocks such as slate) to yield to pressure without breaking so that the structure and arrangement of the constituent minerals are altered

noun

the act, rate, or manner of flowing
a fast flow
a continuous stream or discharge
continuous progression
the advancing of the tide
a stream of molten or solidified lava
the amount of liquid that flows in a given time
an informal word for menstruation
1. a marsh or swamp
2. an inlet or basin of the sea
3. ( capital when part of a name )
  Scapa Flow
natural happiness

Discover More

Other 51�Թ� Forms

flowable adjective
flowability noun
reflow noun
underflow noun

Discover More

51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of flow¹

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

Discover More

51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of flow¹

Old English �ڱ�ō�ɲ�� ; related to Old Norse �ڱ�ō�� , Middle Low German ��ō�� , Greek plein to float, Sanskrit plavate he swims

Discover More

Idioms and Phrases

see ebb and flow; go with the flow.

Discover More

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.

Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

It is a quintessentially British tennis experience: punters dressed in their finery, Pimm's in full flow and a beautiful setting, with as much care taken of the flowers and greenery as the pristine courts.

From

Russell eased Bath nerves with a penalty but neither side could get into their flow in the midst of a stuttering start.

From

And is love in its purest and simplest form enough in a world dictated by cash flow and ruled by big egos?

From

In addition to Blue Creek, the land includes other streams that flow into the Klamath.

From

“It speaks to the various paradoxes around this — it’s a movement that ebbs and flows,” he said.

From

Related 51�Թ�s

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

Discover More

When To Use

What is basic definition of��flow?

Flow means to move along in a stream, as water does. Flow also means to circulate, as air does. Flow is used as a noun to mean movement as if in a stream. Flow has several other senses as a verb and a noun.When something flows, it moves like water in a stream. When used literally, flow is almost always used to describe the movement of liquids or things that act like fluids. Flow is also often used figuratively to mean to move smoothly like water or a liquid.

Real-life examples: Water flows through pipes. Magma flows out of a volcano. People hope traffic flows through a city so they don’t get stuck in a traffic jam.

Used in a sentence: Roger lied so much that the lies flowed out of his mouth.

Flow is also used in this sense as a noun to mean an act of flowing.

Used in a sentence: The huge dam redirects the flow of the river away from the city.

Flow can also mean to circulate, especially in reference to liquids.

Used in a sentence: The heart makes sure blood flows throughout the body.

As a noun, flow means a continuous motion, like the flow of a stream. It usually refers to liquids but can refer to anything, literally or figuratively.

Used in a sentence: A flow of shoppers streamed into the mall.

flout flowage

Browse