flow

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To move steadily and smoothly, the way a liquid does.

   The river flows gently through the valley.

2. 2
   noun

   The steady movement of a liquid, or the rate at which it moves.

   Turn on the tap and check that the flow of water is strong.

3. 3
   verb

   To move or pass along freely, as if in a stream.

   The crowd flowed out of the stadium after the match.

4. 4
   noun

   A smooth, continuous movement of ideas, words, or events.

   The room was small, but it had a nice sense of space and flow.

From Middle English flowen, from Old English flōwan (“to flow”), from Proto-West Germanic *flōan, from Proto-Germanic *flōaną (“to flow”), from Proto-Indo-European *plōw-, lengthened o-grade form of *plew- (“to fly, flow, run”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian flouje (“to flow”), West Frisian floeie (“to flow”), Dutch vloeien (“to flow”), Norwegian flo (“to flow”). Compare also English float. Not cognate with Latin fluō despite similarity.

Topics