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to flow

to flow

1 8.0
To have a monthly loss of blood during a period
  • verb
  • /floʊ/
: menstruar
  • She was relieved when her cycle started to flow again after several months.

Examples

  • Sylvie, with the tears flowing down her cheeks, had done what he'd asked.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Many women experience cramps when their period begins to flow.

  • I remember when it used to flow every Wednesday.

  • It's time to get the blood flowing.

  • The blood is flowing out of me, pumping out of me.

  • It kind of gets the blood flowing and it feels really nice.

  • I really got the blood flowing this morning as I went up and down the stairs about three times trying to clean up a massive hairball.

  • She lost her virginity and the blood flowed.

  • Your blood flows, Kahn.

  • As the month progressed, she knew it was almost time for her body to flow once more.

Synonyms

to menstruate
vsto flow
11 5.1

To bleed from the womb as part of a woman's monthly period

is limited to human women and is a less clinical expression

Phrasal Verbs

33 3.4

To happen because of something that came before

27 2.9

Move or pour out in a steady stream, often a liquid

3 3.2

Water moves away slowly in a steady stream

2 3.2

To move away from a surface in a steady stream, like water does

Move with a river's current toward a lower place

Compounds

cash flow
  • Specialized
71 3.4

Money that comes into and goes out of a business or person during a period

flow rate
  • Specialized
9 3.6

The amount of liquid or gas that passes a point in one minute

air flow
  • Specialized
6 2.8

Movement of air through a space or system

5 3.4

A diagram that shows the steps and decisions in a process using boxes and arrows

work flow
  • Specialized
3 3.5

The order and speed that tasks are done at work

2 2.6

Air moving through a place or system

rate of flow
  • Specialized
2 3.7

How much liquid passes a point in a given time

laminar flow
  • Specialized
1 6.4

A liquid or gas moves in smooth layers that flow side by side with little mixing

flow sheet
  • Specialized
1 4.7

A diagram that shows the order of steps in a process, like a computer program or accounting system

turbulent flow
  • Specialized
1 7.9

Fast, changing movement of water or air that makes swirls

1 3.6

Movement of sea or river water caused by the rising and falling tides

flow diagram
  • Specialized
1 3.8

A diagram that shows the order of steps in a process like a computer program

menstrual flow
  • Specialized
1 3.9

Blood that comes from inside a woman's body each month during her period

flow meter
  • Specialized
1 3.9

A device that measures how much liquid or gas moves through a pipe

1 8.4

A fast loss of money that puts a company at risk

streamline flow
  • Specialized
1 5.2

A steady flow of a liquid or gas where speed stays the same at every point

axial flow turbine
  • Specialized
6.1

A machine with spinning blades that lets air or water flow along the shaft

7.2

A clean room where air moves in smooth parallel layers to keep tiny particles away during work like making microchips

A stream that never stops and cannot be controlled

How Heavy

to hemorrhage
  • US
51 7.8
to flow
1 8.0
to bleed
782 1.0

Surface Forms

flow infinitive
flowed past
flowed past participle
flowing present participle
flows third person singular

Etymology

Flow comes from old English flōwan meaning 'to run' and was used for liquids, which is why to 'flow' can also mean a woman is having her monthly 'flow'—the blood moves in a steady way.