stream Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth
    watercourse.
  2. noun dominant course (suggestive of running water) of successive events or ideas
    current; flow.
    • two streams of development run through American history
    • stream of consciousness
    • the flow of thought
    • the current of history
  3. noun the act of flowing or streaming; continuous progression
    flow.
  4. noun something that resembles a flowing stream in moving continuously
    flow.
    • a stream of people emptied from the terminal
    • the museum had planned carefully for the flow of visitors
  5. noun a steady flow of a fluid (usually from natural causes)
    current.
    • the raft floated downstream on the current
    • he felt a stream of air
    • the hose ejected a stream of water
  6. verb to extend, wave or float outward, as if in the wind
    • their manes streamed like stiff black pennants in the wind
  7. verb exude profusely
    • She was streaming with sweat
    • His nose streamed blood
  8. verb move in large numbers
    swarm; teem; pour; pullulate.
    • people were pouring out of the theater
    • beggars pullulated in the plaza
  9. verb rain heavily
    rain cats and dogs; pelt; rain buckets; pour.
    • Put on your rain coat-- it's pouring outside!
  10. verb flow freely and abundantly
    well out.
    • Tears streamed down her face

WordNet

Stream noun
Etymology
AS. streám; akin to OFries. stram, OS. strom, D. stroom, G. strom, OHG. stroum, strm, Dan. & Sw. ström, Icel. straumr, Ir. sroth, Lith. srove, Russ. struia, Gr. a flowing, to flow, Skr. sru. *174. Cf. Catarrh, Diarrhea, Rheum, Rhythm.
Definitions
  1. A current water or other fluid; a liquid flowing continuously in a line or course, either on the earth, as a river, brook, etc., or from a vessel, reservoir, or fountain; specifically, any course of running water; as, many streams are blended in the Mississippi; gas and steam came from the earth in streams; a stream of molten lead from a furnace; a stream of lava from a volcano.
  2. A beam or ray of light. "Sun streams." Chaucer.
  3. Anything issuing or moving with continued succession of parts; as, a stream of words; a stream of sand. "The stream of beneficence." Atterbury. "The stream of emigration." Macaulay.
  4. A continued current or course; as, a stream of weather. "The very stream of his life." Shak.
  5. Current; drift; tendency; series of tending or moving causes; as, the stream of opinions or manners. Syn. -- Current; flow; rush; tide; course. -- Stream, Current. These words are often properly interchangeable; but stream is the broader word, denoting a prevailing onward course. The stream of the Mississippi rolls steadily on to the Gulf of Mexico, but there are reflex currents in it which run for a while in a contrary direction.
Stream intransitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Streamed ; present participle & verbal noun Streaming
Definitions
  1. To issue or flow in a stream; to flow freely or in a current, as a fluid or whatever is likened to fluids; as, tears streamed from her eyes.
    Beneath those banks where rivers stream. Milton.
  2. To pour out, or emit, a stream or streams.
    A thousand suns will stream on thee. Tennyson.
  3. To issue in a stream of light; to radiate.
  4. To extend; to stretch out with a wavy motion; to float in the wind; as, a flag streams in the wind.
Stream transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To send forth in a current or stream; to cause to flow; to pour; as, his eyes streamed tears.
    It may so please that she at length will stream Some dew of grace into my withered heart. Spenser.
  2. To mark with colors or embroidery in long tracts.
    The herald's mantle is streamed with gold. Bacon.
  3. To unfurl. Shak.

Webster 1913