Movement in people or things characterized with a continuous motion, involving either a non solid mass or a multitude.
2
The movement of a real or figurative fluid.
Mr. Cooke at once began a tirade against the residents of Asquith for permitting a sandy and generally disgraceful condition of the roads. So roundly did he vituperate the inn management in particular, and with such a loud flow of words, that I trembled lest he should be heard on the veranda.1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, page 48:
3
Mathematics, Sciences A formalization of the idea of the motion of particles in a fluid, as a group action of the real numbers on a set.
The notion of flow is basic to the study of ordinary differential equations.
4
The rising movement of the tide.
5
Smoothness or continuity.
The room was small, but it had good symmetry and flow.
6
The amount of a fluid that moves or the rate of fluid movement.
Turn on the valve and make sure you have sufficient flow.
Other devices measure water flow in streams fed by melted ice.
7
A flow pipe, carrying liquid away from a boiler or other central plant (compare with return pipe which returns fluid to central plant).
8
Human sciences, Psychology, Sciences A mental state characterized by concentration, focus, and enjoyment of a given task.
The point about flow is that it is enjoyable. As research has shown "the more often athletes experienced flow, the happier they were." But the second is that entering flow actually improves performance.2014 January 14, Alex Lockwood, “How to achieve a state of flow when running”, in The Guardian:
9
The emission of blood during menstruation.
Tampons can be small or large, slender or thick. From “slender” to “super”, you can pick the size that matches your flow.
10
The ability to skillfully rap along to a beat.
Rap music jargon
The production on his new mixtape is mediocre but his flow is on point.
Now shawty said she feelin' my style, she feelin' my flow […] / My flow, my show brought me the dough / That bought me all my fancy things2003, “In da Club”, in Get Rich or Die Tryin', performed by 50 Cent:
11
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences, Software The sequence of steps taken in a piece of software to perform some action.
login flow
search flow
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I'm setting up event tracking for a pretty standard, multi-step signup flow, and I'm wondering [...]2015, Dan, “Best practices for tracking progress through a sign up flow”, in snowplow-user mailing list:
Etymology 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.
Wrex: I need to get my blood flowing. Find me something to kill!2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC:
2
To proceed; to issue forth; to emanate.
Wealth flows from industry and economy.
Thoſe thouſand decencies that daily flow ¶ From all her words and actions, mixt with Love1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC, signature Ee, verso, lines 1238–1239:
3
To move or match smoothly, gracefully, or continuously.
The writing is grammatically correct, but it just doesn't flow.
[…]Virgil,[…]is[…]ſweet and flowing in his Hexameters.1697, Virgil, “Dedication”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page [183]:
4
To have or be in abundance; to abound, so as to run or flow over.
[…]in that day, that[…]the hils ſhall flow with milke,[…]a fountaine ſhall come forth of the houſe of the Lord,[…]1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Joel 3:18–18, signature Ffff3, verso, columns 1–2:
the exhilaration of a night that needed not the influence of the flowing bowl1844, John Wilson, Essay on the Genius, and Character of Burns:
5
To hang loosely and wave.
a flowing mantle
flowing locks
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[…]the imperial purple flowing in his train.1788, Publius [pseudonym; Alexander Hamilton], “Number LXVII. Concerning the Conſtitution of the Preſident: A groſs Attempt to miſrepreſent this Part of the Plan detected..”, in The Federalist: A Collection of Essays, Written in Favour of the New Constitution, […] , volume II, New York, N.Y.: […] J. and A. M‘Lean, […], →OCLC, page 222:
6
To rise, as the tide; opposed to ebb.
The tide flows twice in twenty-four hours.
The Riuer hath thrice flow’d, no ebbe betweene:c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]. Epilogue.”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iv], page 93, column 2, line 125:
7
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences To arrange (text in a wordprocessor, etc.) so that it wraps neatly into a designated space; to reflow.
8
To allow (a liquid) to flow.
The action is usually progressive, and as a certain amount of oil is flowed from the tubing it lowers the pressure on the remaining oil and liberates more gas, thus causing additional oil to flow from the tubing.1932, Carl Ernest Reistle, Paraffin and Congealing-Oil Problems, volumes 340-349, page 45:
9
To cover with water or other liquid; to overflow; to inundate; to flood.
Etymology Uncertain. Perhaps from Old Norse flói (“a large bay, firth”), see floe. Compare Scots flow (“peat-bog, marsh”), Icelandic flói (“marshy ground”).
1
Scotland A bog or mire, especially a rough, waterlogged one.
[…] there are other extensive mosses in this district, commonly called flowes, which it is not probable ever will, or ever can be, converted into arable land. Some of these flowes are found to be 20, 25, or 30 feet deep, and are, besides, such a dead level, that the water has little or no descent; and even supposing they should be cast, or burnt to the bottom, standing pools of dirty water could only stand in their place.1794, John Sinclair, The Statistical Account of Scotland, volume 10, page 328:
Ye'll stick in some flow, Or, ye'll melt in a thow1871, Alexander Boswell, Poetical Works, page 213:
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Had been roughly laid with bog-wood dug from the flowes,1895, Crockett, Moss-Hags page xlii