Meaning & Definition of word "Trickle"

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    Trickle

    /ˈtrɪkəl/

    noun:

    • 1. a small, slender stream.
      • Example: A gentle trickle of water was heard from the nearby brook.
    • 2. a slow and gradual flow or movement.
      • Example: There was a trickle of information coming from the press.

    verb:

    • 1. to flow in a thin stream or in a slow and unsteady manner.
      • Example: The water began to trickle down the side of the mountain.
    • 2. to come or go slowly in small amounts.
      • Example: Visitors will trickle in throughout the day.

    Etymology

    Middle English tricolen, frequentative of tricke, a variant of trick; akin to Old English trēocan to drip.

    Common Phrases and Expressions

    trickle down effect:

    The way benefits or resources gradually flow from the top levels of a hierarchy to the lower levels.

    trickle in:

    To enter or arrive gradually.

    make a trickle:

    To create a small, slow flow of something.

    Related Words

    drip:

    To fall in drops.

    leak:

    To allow liquid or gas to escape.

    flow:

    To move along in a steady stream.

    Slang Meanings of trickle

    Meaning: To move slowly or in a relaxed manner.

    Example Sentence: I was just trickling through the park, enjoying the day.

    Meaning: To come in slowly, often used in reference to people arriving.

    Example Sentence: The party started slow; people were trickling in one by one.