flow imp. sing. of Fly, v. i.(Chaucer.)v. i.[AS. flwan; akin to D. vloeijen, OHG. flawen to wash, Icel. fla to deluge, Gr. plw`ein to float, sail, and prob. ultimately to E. float, fleet. 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.()2. To become liquid; to melt.()The mountains flowed down at thy presence. (Is. lxiv. 3.)3. To proceed; to issue forth; as, wealth flows from industry and economy.()Those thousand decencies that daily flow
From all her words and actions. (Milton.)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.()Virgil is sweet and flowingin his hexameters. (Dryden.)5. To have or be in abundance; to abound; to full, so as to run or flow over; to be copious.()In that day . . . the hills shall flow with milk. (Joel iii. 18.)The exhilaration of a night that needed not the influence of the flowing bowl. (Prof. Wilson.)6. To hang loose and waving; as, a flowing mantle; flowing locks.()The imperial purple flowing in his train. (A. Hamilton.)7. To rise, as the tide; -- opposed to ebb; as, the tide flows twice in twenty-four hours.()The river hath thrice flowed, no ebb between. (Shak.)8. To discharge blood in excess from the uterus.()v. t.1. To cover with water or other liquid; to overflow; to inundate; to flood.()2. To cover with varnish.()n.1. A stream of water or other fluid; a current; as, a flow of water; a flow of blood.()2. A continuous movement of something abundant; as, a flow of words.()3. Any gentle, gradual movement or procedure of thought, diction, music, or the like, resembling the quiet, steady movement of a river; a stream.()The feast of reason and the flow of soul. (Pope.)4. The tidal setting in of the water from the ocean to the shore. See Ebb and flow, under Ebb.()5. A low-lying piece of watery land; -- called also flow moss and flow bog.(Jamieson.)