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flow Definition

flow (flō)

intransitive verb

  1. to move as a liquid does; move in a stream, like water
  2. to move in a way suggestive of a liquid; stream crowds flowed past
    1. to move gently, smoothly, and easily; glide
    2. to have smooth and pleasing continuity the lines in the painting flowed
  4. to stream forth; pour out
  5. to be derived; spring; proceed
  6. to fall in waves; hang loose her long hair flowed down her back
  7. to come in; rise, as the tide
  8. to be overflowing or plentiful
  9. Geol. to change in shape under pressure without breaking or splitting, as ice in a glacier or rocks deep in the earth

Etymology: ME flouen < OE flowan, akin to ON floa, to flood, OHG flouwen, to wash < IE base *pleu-, to run, flow, fly > flood, fly, flee, fleet, float, L pluere, to rain

transitive verb

  1. to overflow; flood
  2. Archaic to cause to flow

noun

  1. the act or manner of flowing
  2. the rate of flowing
  3. anything that flows; stream or current
  4. a continuous production a flow of ideas
  5. the rising of the tide

flow Related Forms

flow′·ingly adverb

flow Idioms

go with the flow

Informal to conform to or accept, rather than resist, a trend, condition, development, etc.

flow Synonyms

flow

n.

current, movement, progress, stream, tide, run, river, flood, ebb, gush, spurt, surge, spout, leakage, dribble, oozing, flux, outpouring, overflow, emanation, issue, discharge, effusion, outflow, drift, course, draft, downdraft, up-current, draw, wind, breeze, indraft, slipstream, race.

flow Synonyms

flow

v.

  1. To move in one direction

    stream, course, slide, slip, glide, move, progress, proceed, run, pass, float, sweep, rush, whirl, surge, roll, tumble, march, continue, swell, ebb.

  2. To issue forth

    pour out, spurt, squirt, flood, jet, spout, rush, gush, emerge, spring, well out, drop, drip, seep, emanate, trickle, overflow, spill, run, sputter, spew, stream, brim, cascade, teem, swell, gurgle, surge, leak, exudate, run out, ooze, regurgitate, splash, distill, dribble, percolate, exude, pour forth, bubble.

  3. To keep up a circular motion

    swirl, eddy, ripple, circle, circulate, percolate, whirl, purl, slosh. See syn. study at arise.arise.

flow Telecom Definition

  1. Movement in a manner suggestive of a liquid. Movement in a smooth and gentle manner, like water in a stream. See also stream-oriented.
  2. In telecommunications, a sequence of bits, bytes, datagrams, or packets between common endpoints identified by features such as network addresses and port numbers. See also bit, byte, datagram, endpoint, packet, and port.

flow Usage Examples

Object

robe: The flowing white robes of the United Arab Emirates ( were they really going to sail in that gear?

Converse of object

  • stem: Jargon: is there anything we can do to stem the flow?
  • restrict: A dam is built across a river to restrict the flow of water.

Adjective modifier

  • steady: This will form the basis for steady cash flows for a number of years.
  • turbulent: AF causes turbulent blood flow in the heart chambers.
  • fluid: On the other hand, a filter with tiny pores can trap small particles at the expense of inhibiting fluid flow.
  • tidal: These next shots demonstrate the severe power of the tidal flows on the Severn Estuary!
  • pyroclastic: On 25 June 1997, pyroclastic flows from an eruption resulted in the first deaths directly caused by the volcano.
  • constant: Edwards sent a constant flow of reports to the authorities.

Modifies a noun

  • cytometry: The popularity of these antibodies is, in part, a result of their usefulness for the analysis of PNH cells by flow cytometry.
  • chart: He has used a flow chart to plan routes through the information.
  • meter: Only peak flow meters that meet the new standard will be reimbursed.
  • diagram: My areas of expertise and areas I wish to develop here are outlined in the ' flow diagram, below.
  • velocity: The higher the flow velocity of the gas being monitored, the more rapidly a change in moisture is detected.

Noun used with modifier

  • cash: Do you manage cash flow only in a crisis?
  • blood: AF causes turbulent blood flow in the heart chambers.
  • lava: There is a huge ridge deep below the sea's surface that was created by the lava flow from a volcano.
  • traffic: The traffic flow works only on a courtesy system down Foster lane.
  • air: Vane anemometers or heated head air meters may be used to measure air flow in ducts.
  • river: Upstream of the tidal weir, river flow has the greatest impact on flooding.

Browse dictionary entries near flow

  1. ‹ flout
  2. ‹ floury
  3. ‹ flourishing
  4. ‹ flourish
  5. ‹ flour
  6. ‹ flounder
  7. ‹ flouncing
  8. ‹ flounce
  9. ‹ flotsam
  10. ‹ Flotow
  1. flow control ›
  2. flow of funds report ›
  3. flow sheet ›
  4. flowage ›
  5. flowchart ›
  6. flower ›
  7. flower bud ›
  8. flower child ›
  9. flower girl ›
  10. flower head ›