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ebb and flow


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Also see: ebb | and

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
flow /floʊ/USA pronunciation   v. [no object]
  1. to move in a stream:The river flows to the sea.
  2. to circulate:Blood flows through our veins.
  3. to stream or come forth:Tears flowed from his eyes.
  4. to issue or proceed from a source:Orders flowed from the office.
  5. to proceed continuously and easily:The words flowed from his pen.
  6. to hang loosely at full length:her long hair flowing down her back.
  7. to abound:The land flowed with plentiful harvests.
  8. to rise and advance, such as the tide (opposed to ebb).

n. [countable* usually singular]
  1. an act of flowing.
  2. movement in or as if in a stream:the flow of traffic.
  3. the rate or volume of flow:an oil flow of 500 barrels a day.
  4. an outpouring or discharge of something, as in a stream:a flow of blood.
  5. the rise of the tide (opposed to ebb).
  6. Physicsthe transference of energy:heat flow.
Idioms
  1. Idioms go with the flow, [no obj] to follow popular trends:It's no use fighting these new ways; we may as well go with the flow.


WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
flow  (flō),USA pronunciation v.i. 
  1. to move along in a stream:The river flowed slowly to the sea.
  2. to circulate:blood flowing through one's veins.
  3. to stream or well forth:Warmth flows from the sun.
  4. to issue or proceed from a source:Orders flowed from the office.
  5. Physiologyto menstruate.
  6. to come or go as in a stream:A constant stream of humanity flowed by.
  7. to proceed continuously and smoothly:Melody flowed from the violin.
  8. to hang loosely at full length:Her hair flowed over her shoulders.
  9. to abound in something:The tavern flowed with wine.
  10. to rise and advance, as the tide (opposed to ebb).

v.t. 
  1. to cause or permit to flow:to flow paint on a wall before brushing.
  2. to cover with water or other liquid;
    flood.

n. 
  1. an act of flowing.
  2. movement in or as if in a stream.
  3. the rate of flowing.
  4. the volume of fluid that flows through a passage of any given section during a unit of time:Oil flow of the well was 500 barrels a day.
  5. something that flows;
    stream.
  6. an outpouring or discharge of something, as in a stream:a flow of blood.
  7. menstruation.
  8. an overflowing;
    flood.
  9. the rise of the tide (opposed to ebb).
  10. Mechanical Engineering[Mach.]progressive distortion of a metal object under continuous service at high temperature.
  11. Physicsthe transference of energy:heat flow.
  • bef. 900; (verb, verbal) Middle English flowen, Old English flōwan; akin to Middle Low German vlōien, Old Norse flōa; (noun, nominal) late Middle English: surge of a wave, derivative of the verb, verbal
flow′a•ble, adj. 
flow′a•bil′i•ty, n. 
    1. Flow, gush, spout, spurt refer to certain of the movements characteristic of fluids. Flow is the general term:Water flows. A stream of blood flows.To gush is to rush forth copiously from a cavity, in as large a volume as can issue therefrom, as the result of some strong impelling force:The water will gush out if the main breaks.Spout and spurt both imply the ejecting of a liquid from a cavity by some internal impetus given to it. Spout implies a rather steady, possibly well-defined, jet or stream, not necessarily of long duration but always of considerable force:A whale spouts.Spurt implies a forcible, possibly sudden, spasmodic, or intermittent issue or jet:The liquid spurted out suddenly when the bottle cap was pushed in.Spout applies only to liquids; the other terms apply also to gases. 7. run. 9. teem.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
flow /fləʊ/ vb (mainly intr)
  1. (of liquids) to move or be conveyed as in a stream
  2. (of blood) to circulate around the body
  3. to move or progress freely as if in a stream: the crowd flowed into the building
  4. to proceed or be produced continuously and effortlessly: ideas flowed from her pen
  5. to show or be marked by smooth or easy movement
  6. to hang freely or loosely: her hair flowed down her back
  7. to be present in abundance: wine flows at their parties
  8. an informal word for menstruate
  9. (of tide water) to advance or rise Compare ebb
  10. (of rocks such as slate) to yield to pressure without breaking so that the structure and arrangement of the constituent minerals are altered
 n
  1. the act, rate, or manner of flowing: a fast flow
  2. a continuous stream or discharge
  3. continuous progression
  4. the advancing of the tide
  5. an informal word for menstruation
  6. Scot
    • a marsh or swamp
    • an inlet or basin of the sea
    • (capital when part of a name): Scapa Flow
Etymology: Old English flōwan; related to Old Norse flōa, Middle Low German vlōien, Greek plein to float, Sanskrit plavate he swims
'ebb and flow' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
tide - tideland

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