noun
flow
FLOH
noun
1
The continuous, smooth movement of a liquid, gas, or stream of things.
"The dam controls the flow of water into the valley."
"Traffic flow eased once rush hour ended."
2
A state of complete focus and absorption in an activity, often called "being in the zone."
"While painting, she often loses herself in a state of flow."
verb
1
To move steadily and continuously, like a liquid.
"The river flows south toward the coast."
"Ideas flowed easily once she got past the first paragraph."
How to Use Flow
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA smooth, continuous movement — of water, traffic, conversation, or even someone's mental focus.
Common pairings
flow of information
cash flow
go with the flow
in a state of flow
Word Forms
flowed past tense, flows plural, flows plural, flows singular
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The dam controls the _____ of water into the valley.
Etymology
From Old English flowan ("to flow"). The psychological sense of total, effortless focus was coined by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in 1975.