From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishflowflow1 /fləʊ $ floʊ/ ●●● S3 W2 noun 1 liquid/gas/electricity [countable usually singular]LIQUID a smooth steady movement of liquid, gas, or electricityflow of He struggled to swim against the flow of the water. I tied a towel round his leg to try to stem the flow of blood.2 traffic [countable usually singular, uncountable]PROVIDE the steady movement of traffic a new road system to improve traffic flow through the city centre3 goods/people/information [countable usually singular] the movement of goods, people, or information from one place to anotherflow of the flow of funds from the US to Europe There has been a steady flow of people leaving the area. They have accused the government of trying to block the free flow of information. an attempt to stem the flow of refugees across the border4 speech/writing [uncountable]CONTINUOUS the continuous stream of words or ideas when someone is speaking, writing, or thinking about something I didn’t want to interrupt her flow, so I said nothing.5 of the sea [singular]DN the regular movement of the sea towards the land the ebb and flow of the tide 6 → in full flow7 → go with the flow8 → go against the flow → cash flow, → ebb and flow at ebb1(3)
Examples from the Corpus
flow• the ebb and flow of the tide• And it is bad for his cash flow.• Sink mixers have divided flow so that the hot and cold water do not mix until they have left the tap.• a lava flow• The momentum derives not from a lulling flow or titillating suspense but from astoundingly acrobatic leaps from perch to perch.• Money flow measures the volume of shares traded every time a stock goes up or down.• The civil war has severely disrupted the flow of humanitarian aid to the region.• Under the function-oriented approach to the flow of authority, the night cashiers work for a head cashier.• the flow of oil from the Middle East• The road repairs should not affect traffic flow.stem ... flow• Rose stemmed the flow, encouraged the ebb, and he allowed it to be that way.• She stemmed the flow of tears that came, knowing they would sting his body.• After the game Kasparov said that Karpov had to play 24 ... d3 to stem the flow of the White attack.• But that is not likely to do much to stem the flow.• The brigadier tried to stem the flow with a tourniquet.• Sandbags were used to stem the flow but several corridors were soon under water.• To stem the flow, he advocates strict trade protections, including high tariffs on imported goods.stem ... flow• Rose stemmed the flow, encouraged the ebb, and he allowed it to be that way.• She stemmed the flow of tears that came, knowing they would sting his body.• After the game Kasparov said that Karpov had to play 24 ... d3 to stem the flow of the White attack.• But that is not likely to do much to stem the flow.• The brigadier tried to stem the flow with a tourniquet.• Sandbags were used to stem the flow but several corridors were soon under water.• To stem the flow, he advocates strict trade protections, including high tariffs on imported goods.interrupt ... flow• Remember here that some people do not like seeing you write down their words for it interrupts their flow of thought.• At least it interrupts the flow of retired vice- marshalls.• I had to interrupt her flow of catastrophes to suggest that we try to understand what was going on beneath the surface.• Do this as a separate routine after writing if you are concerned not to interrupt the flow of composition.• For example, Dickens is fond of parenthetical constructions which allow the generalizing authorial voice to interrupt the narrative flow.• There are some folks who believe the two two-minute intermissions unnecessarily interrupted the flow of the film.• The pads can be inserted into an undergravel set up as a gravel tidy without interrupting the free flow of water.ebb and flow• There is always an ebb and flow, an inner energy used to enhance mood and expression.• But he related well to me, although his engagement ebbed and flowed.• Inside the room I saw the pulsing ebb and flow of light that meant a fire.• In the harbour you got a secondary ebb and flow between the main tides.• A moaning north wind that ebbed and flowed like the sound of surf and ocean waves.• Nixon always will remain a vivid figure for those of us who watched the ebb and flow of his remarkable career.• The ebb and flow of controversy in television news items did not produce corresponding trends in public interest and discussion.• It was ebb and flow, up and down, punch and counterpunch that didn't want to end.flowflow2 ●●● W3 verb [intransitive] 1 liquid/gas/electricityDNGO when a liquid, gas, or electricity flows, it moves in a steady continuous streamflow over/down/through etc These gates regulate the amount of water flowing into the canal. If the windows are shut, air cannot flow freely through the building.2 goods/people/information [always + adverb/preposition]GO if goods, people, or information flow from one place to another, they move there in large numbers or amounts SYN pour, flood Money has been flowing into the country from Western aid agencies. The number of refugees flowing into the area is still increasing.3 trafficTTEASY if traffic flows, it moves easily from one place to another The new one-way system should help the traffic to flow better.4 alcoholDRINK if alcohol flows at a party, people drink a lot and there is a lot available Beer and whisky flowed freely as the evening wore on.5 words/ideasCONTINUOUS if conversation or ideas flow, people talk or have ideas steadily and continuously, without anything stopping or interrupting them Everyone was relaxed and the conversation flowed freely. 6 sea when the sea flows, it moves towards the land We watched the tide ebb and flow.7 feelingsFEEL HAPPY/FRIGHTENED/BORED ETC if a feeling flows through you or over you, you feel it stronglyflow through/over She felt hot rage flowing through her.8 clothes/hairDCBGRACEFUL if clothing or hair flows, it falls or hangs loosely and gracefully Her long hair flowed down her back.9 → flow from somethingTHESAURUSflow if liquid flows, it moves in a steady continuous streamBlood flowed from his hand.The river flows very quickly at this point.run to flow – used when saying that something flows in a particular directionWater was running down the walls of the room.Sweat ran off his nose.The river runs into the sea.come out to flow out of somethingYou couldn't drink any of the water that came out of the tap.pour to flow in large quantitiesThe rain poured down.Blood was pouring from a wound on his head.gush to flow out quickly in very large quantitiesWater was gushing out at more than 3000 gallons a minute.spurt to flow out suddenly with a lot of forceOil was spurting from a small hole in the pipe.trickle to flow slowly in drops or in a thin streamClare felt sweat trickling down the back of her neck.leak to flow in or out through a small hole or crack, usually when this is not meant to happenOil was leaking from the engine.ooze to flow from something very slowly – used about blood or a thick liquidBlood was oozing from the wound.Jam oozed out as she bit into the cake.drip to fall in dropsWater dripped from the tap continuously.cascade to flow down the side of something in large amountsWater cascades down the hillside. → See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
flow• The widened freeway should help keep traffic flowing.• If I change this paragraph, do you think it will flow better?• Tears flowed down her cheeks as she hugged her children.• Everyone got along well, and the scripts flowed easily.• Boswell's unhappiness flowed from his own unsteady and volatile character.• The conversation flowed from one topic to another.• Oil flowed from the tanker into the sea.• The managers were responsible for seeing that information and resources flowed in both directions, as needed.• Applications have been flowing into the Manor Ground but no moves have yet been made.• The river flows more slowly here and it is safe to swim.• Here in the slow movement she allowed the gentle principal theme to flow naturally and above all musically.• From here, factory waste flows straight into the sea.• Does he agree that that contrasts with the breath of fresh air that is now flowing through our universities and polytechnics?• Natural gas fed through the spud drillings are rapidly and intimately mixed with combustion air flowing through the burner throat.• The professor was likable, it was the sixties, not having your creative juices flowing was understandable.flow freely• Cecilia viuda is highly charged emotionally and tears flow freely.• In Berlin, Friedrichstrasse meets Zimmerstrasse at a very ordinary road junction across which traffic flows freely.• Beer and whisky flowed freely, amid much back-slapping and bonhomie.• Watch the blood flow freely and smoothly through the muscles.• Information can flow freely between members, as a result of the personal contacts established within these groups.• Blood welled, flowed freely down the corpse's sides.• John Carroll rightly reminded others that Catholic blood had flowed freely during the war.• But the fountain was flowing freely this morning.• Tears still flow freely when Sara thinks of her mother.flowed freely• From there on, they all relaxed and conversation flowed freely.• Over the previous five years, where had the greatest money flowed freely?• The festivities began with cocktails in the candlelit general manager's room where Prosecco and Martini flowed freely.• Beer and whisky flowed freely, amid much back-slapping and bonhomie.• Talk flowed freely around the table.• Blood welled, flowed freely down the corpse's sides.• John Carroll rightly reminded others that Catholic blood had flowed freely during the war.• The wine flowed freely, my pile of silver grew.flowed freely• From there on, they all relaxed and conversation flowed freely.• Over the previous five years, where had the greatest money flowed freely?• The festivities began with cocktails in the candlelit general manager's room where Prosecco and Martini flowed freely.• Beer and whisky flowed freely, amid much back-slapping and bonhomie.• Talk flowed freely around the table.• Blood welled, flowed freely down the corpse's sides.• John Carroll rightly reminded others that Catholic blood had flowed freely during the war.• The wine flowed freely, my pile of silver grew.ebb and flow• But he related well to me, although his engagement ebbed and flowed.• There is always an ebb and flow, an inner energy used to enhance mood and expression.• In the harbour you got a secondary ebb and flow between the main tides.• A moaning north wind that ebbed and flowed like the sound of surf and ocean waves.• The ebb and flow of controversy in television news items did not produce corresponding trends in public interest and discussion.• Nixon always will remain a vivid figure for those of us who watched the ebb and flow of his remarkable career.• Inside the room I saw the pulsing ebb and flow of light that meant a fire.• It was ebb and flow, up and down, punch and counterpunch that didn't want to end.flow through/over• The Drina River flows through Gorazde and there are wells.• The defeat opened the sluice gates and venom flowed through in raging torrents.• I went down like a diver submerging, the floor flowed over my head.• So I Nureyeved the front steps and flowed through the door in a single motion of Yale and Chubb.• After the gas has flowed through the indoor coil and given up its heat, it condenses back to a liquid state.• More important, the pores in some rocks are either large or join up so that water can flow through them easily.• However, any benefit from this will not flow through until later in the year.From Longman Business Dictionaryflowflow /fləʊfloʊ/ verb [intransitive]1if money flows somewhere, such as into a bank account or into a particular country, it is moved thereflow from/into/between etcA record $10 billion in foreign capital flowed into Mexican stocks last year.Throughout the summer, new savings flowed away from building society accounts.Investment trust money has been flowing back into blue chip companies such as Sony and Honda.2formal if an event or action flows from something, it is caused by itflow fromThe regulations which flowed from the Charities Act forced charities to improve their accounts.3if information or ideas flow, people start to exchange information or their ideas so that they can discuss themThe meeting was relaxed and suggestions soon started to flow.→ See Verb tableOrigin flow2 Old English flowan 