a small, narrow river that flows continuously
A wooden bridge crossed the bubbling stream near the cottage.
Children skipped stones across the shallow stream at the edge of the forest.
✦ Old English strēam, of Germanic origin, related to Dutch stroom and German Strom, meaning a flowing body of water.
a continuous flow of things such as liquid, people, or ideas
There was a constant stream of visitors at the art gallery opening.
She talked in a rapid stream of words, barely pausing for breath.
a continuous broadcast or transmission of audio or video data over the Internet
They watched the football match on a live stream during lunch.
The video stream kept buffering because of the weak signal.
to flow steadily like water in a stream
Tears streamed down his face when he heard the news.
Morning sunlight streams through the stained-glass windows of the cathedral.
to transmit or receive audio or video data over the Internet in real time
We decided to stream the movie instead of downloading it.
She streams her cooking classes every Friday evening.
the ideas, activities, or tastes that are accepted by the largest group of people at a particular time
While indie films often take risks, Hollywood blockbusters usually aim for the mainstream.
K-pop used to be niche, but it has now entered the global mainstream.
✦ From main (“principal”) + stream (“current, direction of flow”), first used metaphorically in the 19th century for the dominant course of opinion.
to cause someone or something to become accepted as normal, especially by integrating it into the dominant group or system
The school aims to mainstream students with disabilities into regular classrooms.
Streaming services helped mainstream independent films that once struggled for theater space.
the continuous flow of blood as it circulates through the body
Caffeine enters the bloodstream within minutes of drinking coffee.
The nurse took a sample of his blood to learn what was moving through his bloodstream.
✦ blood + stream (late 19th century): literally “a stream of blood”
a figurative network through which something spreads quickly and widely, like blood through a body
Smartphones have put the internet into the cultural bloodstream of everyday life.
Rumors can race through the political bloodstream faster than verified facts.
✦ Extended figurative use from the literal sense, first recorded in early 20th century business and political writing.
the part of a river or stream near its mouth or flowing towards the sea.
Salmon return to the downstream after spawning.
The village in the river downstream flooded first.
✦ Late Middle English: from DOWN adv. + STREAM n., originally describing the direction of water flow.
