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Collocations for flow - noun

ADJECTIVE

heavy, large, massive
good
adequate
poor
Our shower doesn't work very well because of the poor water flow.
main
increased, increasing
decreased, reduced
ceaseless, constant, continuous, endless
free, uninterrupted
the uninterrupted flow of traffic
even, smooth, steady
to maintain an even flow of work through the department
easy, natural
I liked the concerto for its natural flow.
outward
the outward flow of investment from the country
annual, daily, seasonal
data, information
air, gas, heat
blood, menstrual
lava, river, water
traffic
capital, cash, financial, investment, production, trade, work
narrative

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VERB + flow

have
Big pension funds have a constant flow of cash.
get, obtain
Squeeze the tube slowly to obtain an even flow.
allow
We like to allow a free flow of ideas in our company.
create, generate, produce, provide
The system provides a continuous flow of information to the market.
keep, maintain
He kept up a flow of chatter.
ensure
Use a wide pipe to ensure an adequate flow of water.
control, manage, regulate
follow
encourage, facilitate, stimulate
to encourage the flow of revenue into the country
enhance, improve, increase, restore
The company is trying to enhance its cash flow.
affect
disrupt, impede, reduce, restrict, slow, slow down
The continual bombing disrupted the flow of supplies to the ground troops.
block, break, break up, cut, cut off, halt, interrupt, staunch, stem, stop
They tried to staunch the flow of blood.
direct
divert
The main flow of water has been diverted to a new course.
join
measure

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flow + NOUN

rate
The flow rate was measured at 9.5 gallons per second.
chart, diagram

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PREPOSITION

against the flow
They have to swim against the flow of the river.
flow among
information flow among all the different groups
flow from
First cut off the water flow from the boiler.
flow into
She joined the flow of immigrants to the country.
flow of
a constant flow of information
flow through
the flow of data through the system

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PHRASES

the ebb and flow
the ebb and flow of the tide
He was at the mercy of the ebb and flow of public opinion. (figurative)
in full flow
She tried to interrupt his speech, but he was already in full flow (= talking continuously).
the rate of flow
the rate of flow of water through the pipe

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Collocations for flow - verb

ADVERB

easily, effortlessly, freely, smoothly
We talked, and the conversation flowed freely.
Wine and beer flowed freely.
seamlessly
The songs flow seamlessly into one another.
gently, gracefully
fast, quickly, rapidly, swiftly
The river flows very fast here.
slowly, steadily
naturally, nicely, well
In a good production of the play, the action and the words flow naturally.
directly
Some of these changes will flow directly from the legislation.
constantly, continuously
away, back, in, out, past
together

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VERB + flow

seem to
begin to, start to
continue to
Imported food aid continued to flow in.

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PREPOSITION

across, along, between, down
a small stream that flowed down the hillside
from
Blood was still flowing from the wound.
into
One day seemed to flow into the next.
out of, over, through
Information flows continuously through the network.
to
to get blood flowing to the brain

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PHRASES

ebb and flow
The sea ebbed and flowed.
The number of buyers has ebbed and flowed. (figurative)
flow in a … direction
The best thing is when ideas flow in both directions.
flow in the breeze, flow in the wind
Her long hair flowed in the wind as she ran.

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Flow is used with these nouns as the subject:
adrenalin, air, beer, blood, champagne, cloak, conversation, current, electricity, hair, idea, information, liquid, music, refugee, river, saliva, sap, stream, tear, traffic, water, waterfall, wine, word

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