dictionary definitions for "flowing"


From WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003) [wn]:

  flowing
      adj 1: smooth and unconstrained in movement; "a long, smooth
             stride"; "the fluid motion of a cat"; "the liquid
             grace of a ballerina"; "liquid prose" [syn: fluent,
             fluid, liquid, smooth]
      2: (of water) rising to the surface under internal hydrostatic
         pressure; "an artesian well"; "artesian pressure" [syn:
         artesian] [ant: subartesian]
      3: moving smoothly and continuously; "crowds flowing through
         the canyons of the streets"; "fan streaming into the
         concert hall" [syn: streaming]
      4: (of liquids) moving freely; "a flowing brook" [syn:
         streaming]
      n : the motion characteristic of fluids (liquids or gases) [syn:
           flow]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Flow \Flow\ (fl[=o]), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Flowed (fl[=o]d); p.
     pr. & vb. n. Flowing.] [AS. fl[=o]wan; akin to D. vloeijen,
     OHG. flawen to wash, Icel. fl[=o]a to deluge, Gr. plw`ein to
     float, sail, and prob. ultimately to E. float, fleet.
     [root]80. Cf. Flood.]
     1. To move with a continual change of place among the
        particles or parts, as a fluid; to change place or
        circulate, as a liquid; as, rivers flow from springs and
        lakes; tears flow from the eyes.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To become liquid; to melt.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The mountains flowed down at thy presence. --Is.
                                                    lxiv. 3.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. To proceed; to issue forth; as, wealth flows from industry
        and economy.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Those thousand decencies that daily flow
              From all her words and actions.       --Milton.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Virgil is sweet and flowingin his hexameters.
                                                    --Dryden.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     5. To have or be in abundance; to abound; to full, so as to
        run or flow over; to be copious.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              In that day . . . the hills shall flow with milk.
                                                    --Joel iii.
                                                    18.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The exhilaration of a night that needed not the
              influence of the flowing bowl.        --Prof.
                                                    Wilson.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     6. To hang loose and waving; as, a flowing mantle; flowing
        locks.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The imperial purple flowing in his train. --A.
                                                    Hamilton.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     7. To rise, as the tide; -- opposed to ebb; as, the tide
        flows twice in twenty-four hours.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The river hath thrice flowed, no ebb between.
                                                    --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     8. To discharge blood in excess from the uterus.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Flowing \Flow"ing\, a.
     That flows or for flowing (in various sense of the verb);
     gliding along smoothly; copious.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Flowing battery (Elec.), a battery which is kept constant
        by the flowing of the exciting liquid through the cell or
        cells. --Knight.
  
     Flowing furnace, a furnace from which molten metal, can be
        drawn, as through a tap hole; a foundry cupola.
  
     Flowing sheet (Naut.), a sheet when eased off, or loosened
        to the wind, as when the wind is abaft the beam. --Totten.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Flowing \Flow"ing\,
     a. & n. from Flow, v. i. & t.
     [1913 Webster]


online dictionary by shmop.net