stream

[[t]stri͟ːm[/t]]

♦♦♦

streams, streaming, streamed

1) N-COUNT A stream is a small narrow river.

There was a small stream at the end of the garden.

...a mountain stream.

Syn:

brook

2) N-COUNT: with supp, usu N of n A stream of smoke, air, or liquid is a narrow moving mass of it.

He breathed out a stream of cigarette smoke...

Add the oil in a slow, steady stream.

3) N-COUNT: with supp, usu N of n A stream of vehicles or people is a long moving line of them.

There was a stream of traffic behind him.

4) N-COUNT: with supp, usu N of n A stream of things is a large number of them occurring one after another.

The discovery triggered a stream of readers' letters.

...a never-ending stream of jokes...

We had a constant stream of visitors.

Syn:

flood

5) VERB If a liquid streams somewhere, it flows or comes out in large amounts.

[V prep/adv] Tears streamed down their faces...

[V prep/adv] She came in, rain streaming from her clothes and hair.

6) VERB: usu cont If your eyes are streaming, liquid is coming from them, for example because you have a cold. You can also say that your nose is streaming.

Her eyes were streaming now from the wind...

[V-ing] A cold usually starts with a streaming nose and dry throat.

7) VERB If people or vehicles stream somewhere, they move there quickly and in large numbers.

[V prep/adv] Refugees have been streaming into Travnik for months...

[V prep/adv] The traffic streamed past him...

[V prep/adv] The clock in the church struck twelve, and soon after people began to stream out.

8) VERB When light streams into or out of a place, it shines strongly into or out of it.

[V prep/adv] Sunlight was streaming into the courtyard.

9) VERB If something such as a flag or someone's hair streams in the wind, it is blown so that it is almost horizontal.

[V prep/adv] She was wearing a flimsy pink dress that streamed out behind her...

He had been greeted by the sight of his mother, her red hair wildly streaming.

10) N-COUNT: with supp In a school, a stream is a group of children of the same age and ability who are taught together. [BRIT]

Examinations may be used to choose which pupils are to move into the top streams.

(in AM, use track)

11) VERB To stream pupils means to divide them into groups according to their ability. [BRIT]

[V n] He advocates streaming children, and educating them according to their needs. [Also V]

Derived words:

streaming N-UNCOUNT

There's no streaming at St Benedict's school.

(in AM, use track)

12) → See also jet stream