HOW TO USE THE DICTIONARY
To look up an entry in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, use the search window above. For best results, after typing in the word, click on the “Search” button instead of using the “enter” key.
Some compound words (like bus rapid transit, dog whistle, or identity theft) don’t appear on the drop-down list when you type them in the search bar. For best results with compound words, place a quotation mark before the compound word in the search window.
THE USAGE PANEL
The Usage Panel is a group of nearly 200 prominent scholars, creative writers, journalists, diplomats, and others in occupations requiring mastery of language. Annual surveys have gauged the acceptability of particular usages and grammatical constructions.
AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY APP
The new American Heritage Dictionary app is now available for iOS and Android.
THE AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY BLOG
The articles in our blog examine new words, revised definitions, interesting images from the fifth edition, discussions of usage, and more.
INTERESTED IN DICTIONARIES?
Check out the Dictionary Society of North America at http://www.dictionarysociety.com
v. flowed, flow·ing, flows v.intr. 1. a. To move or run smoothly with unbroken continuity, as in the manner characteristic of a fluid. b. To issue in a stream; pour forth: Sap flowed from the gash in the tree. 2. To circulate, as the blood in the body. 3. To move with a continual shifting of component particles: wheat flowing into the bin; traffic flowing through the tunnel. 4. To proceed steadily and easily: The preparations flowed smoothly. 5. To exhibit a smooth or graceful continuity: The poem's cadence flowed gracefully. 6. To hang loosely and gracefully: The cape flowed from his shoulders. 7. To rise. Used of the tide. 8. To arise; derive: Many conclusions flow from this hypothesis. 9. a. To be abundant; teem: coffers flowing with treasure; wine flowing at the celebration. b. To move from one place to another in large numbers: Contributions flowed in from all parts of the country. 10. To menstruate. 11. To undergo plastic deformation without cracking or breaking. Used of rocks, metals, or minerals. v.tr. 1. To release as a flow: trees flowing thin sap. 2. To cause to flow: "One of the real keys to success is developing a system where you can flow traffic to yourselves" (Marc Klee). n. 1. a. The act of flowing. b. The smooth motion characteristic of fluids. 2. a. A stream or current. b. A flood or overflow. c. A residual mass that has stopped flowing: a hardened lava flow. 3. a. A continuous output or outpouring: a flow of ideas; produced a steady flow of stories. b. A continuous movement or circulation: the flow of traffic; a flow of paperwork across his desk. 4. The amount that flows in a given period of time. 5. The rising of the tide. 6. Continuity and smoothness of appearance. 7. A general movement or tendency: a dissenter who went against the flow of opinion. 8. The sequence in which operations are performed. 9. An apparent ease or effortlessness of performance: "An athlete must learn to forget the details of his or her training to achieve the instinctive sense of flow that characterizes a champion" (Frederick Turner). 10. Menstrual discharge. flowing·ly adv. Synonyms: flow, current, flood, rush1, stream, tide1 These nouns denote something suggestive of running water, as in power of movement or abundance: a flow of thought; the current of history; a flood of ideas; a rush of sympathy; a stream of complaints; a tide of immigration. See Also Synonyms at stem1. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
