- flow
- [[t]flo͟ʊ[/t]]
♦♦flows, flowing, flowed1) VERB If a liquid, gas, or electrical current flows somewhere, it moves there steadily and continuously.
[V adv/prep] A stream flowed gently down into the valley...
[V adv/prep] The current flows into electric motors that drive the wheels.
...compressor stations that keep the gas flowing.
N-VAR: with suppFlow is also a noun.It works only in the veins, where the blood flow is slower.
2) VERB If a number of people or things flow from one place to another, they move there steadily in large groups, usually without stopping.[V prep/adv] Large numbers of refugees continue to flow from the troubled region into the no-man's land...
[V prep/adv] Troops would patrol major roads to ensure that traffic flows freely throughout the country.
Syn:N-VAR: with suppFlow is also a noun.She watched the frantic flow of cars and buses along the street... It would monitor traffic flows and provide feedback to motorists.
3) VERB If information or money flows somewhere, it moves freely between people or organizations.→ See also cash flow[V prep/adv] A lot of this information flowed through other police departments...
An interest rate reduction is needed to get more money flowing and create jobs.
N-VAR: with suppFlow is also a noun....the opportunity to control the flow of information.
4) VERB If an emotion flows through someone, they feel it very intensely, often so that other people notice it. [LITERARY][V prep] In that moment a surge of hatred flowed through my blood...
[V prep] Waves of emotion flowed across his huge face.
Syn:5) VERB If a quality or situation flows from something, it comes from it or results naturally from it.[V from n] Undesirable consequences flow from these misconceptions.
[V from n] ...the psychological effects that can flow from childhood experiences of sexual abuse.
Syn:result from6) VERB If someone's words flow, they are spoken smoothly and continuously.His words flowed more readily.
7) VERB If someone's hair or clothing flows about them, it hangs freely and loosely. [LITERARY][V prep] ...a long white dress which flowed over her body.
[V-ing] ...long black flowing hair.
8) VERB If you say that something flows or that a place flows with it, you are indicating that there is a great deal of that thing in the place.The wine flowed and we danced the night away...
[V with n] The square was packed, and the cobbled streets flowed with coloured petals.
9) PHRASE: v-link PHR Someone who is in full flow is talking easily and continuously and seems likely to go on talking for some time.He had been replying for some 40 minutes already and was still in full flow.
10) PHRASE: v-link PHR If you say that an activity, or the person who is performing the activity, is in full flow, you mean that the activity has started and is being carried out with a great deal of energy and enthusiasm.Lunch at Harry's Bar was in full flow when Irene made a splendid entrance...
The Everton keeper needed all his courage to thwart a charging Vinny Jones in full flow.
11) PHRASE: V inflects If you go with the flow, you let things happen or let other people tell you what to do, rather than trying to control what happens yourself.There's nothing I can do about the problem, so I might as well go with the flow.
English dictionary. 2008.
