flow

[ floh ]

/ floʊ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR flow ON THESAURUS.COM

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.

to hang loosely at full length: Her hair flowed over her shoulders.

to abound in something: The tavern flowed with wine.

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

Machinery. progressive distortion of a metal object under continuous service at high temperature.

Physics. the transference of energy: heat flow.

Nearby words

Origin of flow

before 900; (v.) 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 v.

SYNONYMS FOR flow

1. 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. 7. run. 9. teem.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR flow ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formsflow·a·ble, adjectiveflow·a·bil·i·ty, nounre·flow, noun, verbun·der·flow, noun

Can be confusedfloe flow (see synonym study at the current entry)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for flow

Ebb and flow, checks and balances, the center would hold, et cetera.
A Veteran’s View: NYC Cold War Between Cops and City Hall|Matt Gallagher|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But before a new tide of tourists can flow from Miami to Havana, Cuba will need to build more runways.
Goodbye, Bahamas. Hello, Havana!|Clive Irving|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If DNSIB can target these 100 “bad” gun stores, it could reduce the flow of guns into the hands of criminals.
Can God Beat the NRA?|Dean Obeidallah|November 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Analyzing the ebb and flow of the race, Howie said Weiland has positive momentum but Rounds is collapsing.
South Dakota's Bizarre Four-Way (Senate Election, That Is)|Ben Jacobs|October 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Now, there are no cliffhangers, just an expectation from the audience that the blood will flow.
Sex, Blood and Maroon 5: Pop Culture’s Wounds Run Deep|Lizzie Crocker|October 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They flow wideningly around the hard turnings of the house with the grace of a rivulet.
The Amateur Garden|George W. Cable
Engines so crude that one could watch the flow of their fuel!
The Black Star Passes|John W Campbell
In the median band of both wings the spots do not flow together, but are separate and moderately heavy.
The Butterfly Book|William Jacob Holland
He brought a towel back with him and staunched the flow of blood from the leg with a clumsily fashioned bandage.
Across the Mesa|Jarvis Hall
In one case the fluid would not flow in, and only distended the veins of the arm injected.
A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I|Various

British Dictionary definitions for flow

flow

/ (fləʊ) /

verb (mainly intr)

(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 streamthe crowd flowed into the building

to proceed or be produced continuously and effortlesslyideas flowed from her pen

to show or be marked by smooth or easy movement

to hang freely or looselyher hair flowed down her back

to be present in abundancewine flows at their parties

an informal word for menstruate

(of tide water) to advance or riseCompare ebb (def. 1)

(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 flowinga 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

Scot

a marsh or swamp
an inlet or basin of the sea
(capital when part of a name)Scapa Flow

flow of spirits natural happiness

Word Origin for flow

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for flow

flow

Old English flowan "to flow, stream, issue; become liquid, melt; abound, overflow" (class VII strong verb; past tense fleow, past participle flowen), from Proto-Germanic *flo- (cf. Middle Dutch vloyen, Dutch vloeien "to flow," Old Norse floa "to deluge," Old High German flouwen "to rinse, wash"), probably from PIE *pleu- "flow, float" (see pluvial). The weak form predominated from 14c., but strong past participle flown is occasionally attested through 18c. Related: Flowed; flowing.

flow

mid-15c., "action of flowing," from flow (v.). Meaning "amount that flows" is from 1807. Flow chart attested from 1920.

Medicine definitions for flow

flow

[ flō ]

v.

To move or run smoothly with unbroken continuity.

To circulate, as the blood in the body.

To menstruate.

n.

The smooth motion characteristic of fluids.

The volume of fluid or gas passing a given point per unit of time.

Menstrual discharge.

Idioms and Phrases with flow

flow

see ebb and flow; go with the flow.

flow

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

noun

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of flow

Examples from the Web for flow

flow

verb (mainly intr)

noun

Word Origin for flow

flow

flow

flow

v.

n.

flow