stream
n
2 any steady flow of water or other fluid
3 something that resembles a stream in moving continuously in a line or particular direction
4 a rapid or unbroken flow of speech, etc.
a stream of abuse
5 (Brit) any of several parallel classes of schoolchildren, or divisions of children within a class, grouped together because of similar ability
6 ♦
go (or drift) with the stream to conform to the accepted standards
7 ♦
off stream (of an industrial plant, manufacturing process, etc.) shut down or not in production
8 ♦
on stream (of an industrial plant, manufacturing process, etc.) in or about to go into operation or production
vb
9 to emit or be emitted in a continuous flow
his nose streamed blood
10 intr to move in unbroken succession, as a crowd of people, vehicles, etc.
11 intr to float freely or with a waving motion
bunting streamed in the wind
12 tr to unfurl (a flag, etc.)
13 intr to move causing a trail of light, condensed gas, etc., as a jet aircraft
14 when intr, often foll by: for (Mining) to wash (earth, gravel, etc.) in running water in prospecting (for gold, etc.), to expose the particles of ore or metal
15 (Brit. education) to group or divide (children) in streams (Old English; related to Old Frisian stram, Old Norse straumr, Old High German stroum, Greek rheuma) ♦
streamlet n ♦
streamlike adj
Gulf Stream
n
1 a relatively warm ocean current flowing northeastwards off the Atlantic coast of the U.S. from the Gulf of Mexico
2 another name for →
North Atlantic Drift
jet stream
n
1 (Meteorol) a narrow belt of high-altitude winds (about 12000 metres high) moving east at high speeds and having an important effect on frontogenesis
2 the jet of exhaust gases produced by a gas turbine, rocket motor, etc.
star stream
n one of two main streams of stars that, because of the rotation of the Milky Way, appear to move in opposite directions, one towards Orion, the other towards Ara
stream of consciousness
n
1 (Psychol) the continuous flow of ideas, thoughts, and feelings forming the content of an individual's consciousness. The term was originated by William James
a a literary technique that reveals the flow of thoughts and feelings of characters through long passages of soliloquy
b (as modifier)
a stream-of-consciousness novel