flow: Meaning and Definition of

flow

Pronunciation: (flō), [key]
— v.i.
  1. to move along in a stream: The river flowed slowly to the sea.
  2. to circulate: blood flowing through one's veins.
  3. to stream or well forth: Warmth flows from the sun.
  4. to issue or proceed from a source: Orders flowed from the office.
  5. to menstruate.
  6. to come or go as in a stream: A constant stream of humanity flowed by.
  7. to proceed continuously and smoothly: Melody flowed from the violin.
  8. to hang loosely at full length: Her hair flowed over her shoulders.
  9. to abound in something: The tavern flowed with wine.
  10. to rise and advance, as the tide (opposed to ebb).
—v.t.
  1. to cause or permit to flow: to flow paint on a wall before brushing.
  2. to cover with water or other liquid; flood.
—n.
  1. an act of flowing.
  2. movement in or as if in a stream.
  3. the rate of flowing.
  4. 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.
  5. something that flows; stream.
  6. an outpouring or discharge of something, as in a stream: a flow of blood.
  7. menstruation.
  8. an overflowing; flood.
  9. the rise of the tide (opposed to ebb).
  10. progressive distortion of a metal object under continuous service at high temperature.
  11. the transference of energy: heat flow.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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