Definition of flow | Collins English Dictionary

flow (fləʊ)

(of liquids) to move or be conveyed as in a stream
(of blood) to circulate around the body
to move or progress freely as if in a stream ⇒ the crowd flowed into the building
to proceed or be produced continuously and effortlessly ⇒ ideas flowed from her pen
to show or be marked by smooth or easy movement
to hang freely or loosely ⇒ her hair flowed down her back
to be present in abundance ⇒ wine flows at their parties
an informal word for menstruate
(of tide water) to advance or rise Compare ebb (sense 1)
(tr) to cover or swamp with liquid; flood
(of rocks such as slate) to yield to pressure without breaking so that the structure and arrangement of the constituent minerals are altered

the act, rate, or manner of flowing ⇒ a fast flow
a continuous stream or discharge
continuous progression
the advancing of the tide
a stream of molten or solidified lava
the amount of liquid that flows in a given time
an informal word for menstruation
Scottish
1. a marsh or swamp
2. an inlet or basin of the sea
3. ((capital when part of a name) ⇒ Scapa Flow
See flow of spirits

Old English flōwan ; related to Old Norse flōa , Middle Low German vlōien , Greek plein to float, Sanskrit plavate he swims

View thesaurus entry

British English: flow If a liquid, gas, or electrical current flows somewhere, it moves there steadily and continuously.A stream flowed gently down into the valley.fləʊ VERB A stream flowed gently down into the valley.
Spanish: fluir v
French: couler vi
German: fließen v
Chinese: 流动 v
Arabic: يَتَدَفَّقُ vi
Portuguese: fluir v
Russian: течь v
Croatian: teći v
Czech: proudit v
Danish: strømme v
Dutch: stromen v
Finnish: virrata v
Greek: κυλώ v
Italian: scorrere v
Japanese: 流れる v
Korean: 흐르다 v
Norwegian: strømme v
Polish: popłynąć v płynąć
Brazilian Portuguese: fluir v
European Spanish: fluir v
Swedish: flyta v
Thai: ไหล v
Turkish: akmak v
Vietnamese: chảy v

Lirael bowed in return, feeling the tears she had held back flow freely down her cheeks.
Garth Nix, LIRAEL: DAUGHTER OF THE CLAYR (2001)
The system underpins the flow of internet traffic, with around 12,000 routers using BGP to direct traffic between 130,000 networks.
New Scientist (2003)
A 10-cent (U. S.) increase in the copper price will add about 33 cents (Canadian) to cash flow , she said.
Globe and Mail (2003)
Even the knowledge that you are not having to endure alone will be insufficient to stem the flow.
Glasgow Herald (2001)
That, along with sleeping bags stuffed in some of the cracks, helped stem the water flow.
Rob Mundle, FATAL STORM (2001)