1. To
move with a continual
change of
seat among the particles or parts, as a fluid; to
change seat or circulate, as a liquid; as, rivers
flow from springs and lakes;
tears flow from the eyes.
2. To
become liquid; to melt. "The mountains flowed
down at thy presence." (Is. Lxiv. 3)
3. To pproceed; to issue forth; as, wealth flows from
industry and economy. "Those thousand decencies that daily
flow From all her words and actions." (Milton)
4. To
glide along smoothly,
without harshness or asperties; as, a
flowing period;
flowing numbers; to
sound smoothly to the ear; to be uttered easily. "Virgil is sweet and flowingin
his hexameters." (Dryden)
5. To have or be in abundance; to abound; to full, so as to
run or
flow over; to be copious. "In that
day . . . The hills shall
flow with milk." (Joel III. 18) "The exhilaration of a
night that needed not the
influence of the
flowing bowl." (Prof. Wilson)
6. To hang
loose and waving; as, a
flowing mantle;
flowing locks. "The imperial purple
flowing in
his train." (A. Hamilton)
7. To rise, as the tide; opposed to ebb; as, the
tide flows
twice in twenty-four hours. "The
river hath thrice flowed, no
ebb between." (Shak)
8. To
discharge blood in
excess from the uterus.
Origin: AS. Flowan;
akin to D. Vloeijen, OHG. Flawen to wash, Icel. Floa to deluge, Gr. To float, sail, and prob. Ultimately to E. Float, fleet. 80. Cf. Flood.
1. A stream of
water or another fluid; a current; as, a
flow of water; a
flow of blood.
2. A
continuous movement of something abundant; as, a
flow of words.
3. Any gentle,
gradual movement or procedure of thought, diction, music, or the like, resembling the calm, steady
movement of a river; a stream. "The
feast of
cause and the
flow of soul." (Pope)
4. The
tidal setting in of the
water from the
ocean to the shore. See Ebb and flow,
under Ebb.
5. A low-lying
piece of watery earth; called
also flow moss and
flow bog.
Source: Websters Vocabulary