Definition Definition

stream - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'stream' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Stream [ n.]
- A current of 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.
- A beam or ray of light.
- Anything issuing or moving with continued succession of parts; as, a stream of words; a stream of sand.
- A continued current or course; as, a stream of weather.
- Current; drift; tendency; series of tending or moving causes; as, the stream of opinions or manners.
2 . Stream [ v. i.]
- 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.
- To pour out, or emit, a stream or streams.
- To issue in a stream of light; to radiate.
- To extend; to stretch out with a wavy motion; to float in the wind; as, a flag streams in the wind.
3 . Stream [ v. t.]
- To send forth in a current or stream; to cause to flow; to pour; as, his eyes streamed tears.
- To mark with colors or embroidery in long tracts.
- To unfurl.

Meaning of 'stream' (Princeton's WordNet)

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