Толковый словарь английского языка Oxford English Reference - flow

v. & n. --v.intr. 1 glide along as a stream (the Thames flows under London Bridge). 2 a (of a liquid, esp. water) gush out; spring. b (of blood, liquid, etc.) be spilt. 3 (of blood, money, electric current, etc.) circulate. 4 (of people or things) come or go in large numbers or smoothly (traffic flowed down the hill). 5 (of talk, literary style, etc.) proceed easily and smoothly. 6 (of a garment, hair, etc.) hang easily or gracefully; undulate. 7 (often foll. by from) result from; be caused by (his failure flows from his diffidence). 8 (esp. of the tide) be in flood; run full. 9 (of wine) be poured out copiously. 10 (of a rock or metal) undergo a permanent change of shape under stress. 11 (foll. by with) archaic be plentifully supplied with (land flowing with milk and honey). --n. 1 a a flowing movement in a stream. b the manner in which a thing flows (a sluggish flow). c a flowing liquid (couldn't stop the flow). d a copious outpouring; a stream (a continuous flow of complaints). 2 the rise of a tide or a river (ebb and flow). 3 the gradual deformation of a rock or metal under stress. 4 Sc. a bog or morass. Phrases and idioms flow chart (or diagram or sheet) 1 a diagram of the movement or action of things or persons engaged in a complex activity. 2 a graphical representation of a computer program in relation to its sequence of functions (as distinct from the data it processes). flow of spirits habitual cheerfulness. flow-on Austral. a wage or salary adjustment made as a consequence of one already made in a similar or related occupation. Etymology: OE flowan f. Gmc, rel. to FLOOD