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Glite Dictionary
to flow downstream

to flow downstream

1 2.6
Move with a river's current toward a lower place
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : fluir río abajo
  • As the rain poured, the water began to flow downstream towards the valley.

So many of these problems flow downstream from that.

Examples

  • As the wave pulled him under, he dove for the bottom where he knew the water was flowing downstream.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • The dam also trapped sediments that had previously flowed downstream and were deposited in the channel's floodplains, fertilizing the soils.

    Academic text (2005)

  • Within minutes, the ice began to break up and flow downstream.

    Academic text (1991)

  • As the wave pulled him under, he dove for the bottom where he knew the water was flowing downstream.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • It just goes straight in and flows downstream without even spreading out.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • That chemical waste flows downstream and gets into the crops, making them inedible.

    Blog text (28)

  • The water boiled, and streaks of oil flowed downstream.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • Consequently, the full surge of the eastbound water could flow downstream through the bypass south of the original, now truncated tunnels.

    Academic text (1994)

  • Downstream effects of ice plug: if the pipe was returned to service prior to allowing the ice plug to completely melt, the plug could flow downstream and severely damage equipment and piping.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Most important for riparian communities, the dam traps rich sediments that would have flowed downstream and been deposited in the river's floodplains.

    Academic text (2005)

Synonyms

to flow
vsto flow downstream
333 1.0

To move steadily in a stream like a liquid or gas

is specifically movement toward a lower point or the mouth
to run down
vsto flow downstream
31 2.5

To flow down a surface like water on a window

moves along a river's direction toward a lower point instead of only down a surface
to feed
vsto flow downstream
27 2.5

To flow into another river, lake, or sea

moves toward a lower point rather than only ending in another body
to stream
vsto flow downstream
18 3.4

To trail out in a long, flowing way behind something

moves toward lower points along a river rather than waving outward in air
to flow out
vsto flow downstream
16 2.9

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

goes toward a lower point or mouth rather than outward from a source
to wash down
vsto flow downstream
4 3.3

To move along with a strong flow of water

moves along the river flow toward a mouth or lower point
to flow off
vsto flow downstream
3.2

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

moves specifically toward lower points along a watercourse rather than away

Surface Forms

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

Morphology

flow + downstream

The meaning 'to move in the direction that a river or stream is flowing' is directly and compositionally derived from 'flow' (to move steadily in a current) plus 'downstream' (in the direction of the river's current). This verb + directional adverb pattern is cross-linguistically common and follows standard English composition, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily understand the MWE.

Etymology

Flow downstream comes from the picture of water or objects moving with the river: they flow and go downstream toward lower ground or the sea. So, it means 'to move in the direction that a river is flowing'.