[-ING2.] That streams, in senses of the verb.
1. Of a liquid, a river, etc.: Flowing copiously. Of a source, surface, etc.: Overflowing, running or dripping with moisture.
1579. Spenser, Sheph. Cal., Nov., 61. Let streaming teares be poured out in store. Ibid. (1590), F. Q., III. iv. 17. And with his streaming gore Distaines the pillours and the holy grownd.
1600. Fairfax, Tasso, XIII. lxxvii. The streaming showres … which heau’n shed on the thirstie lands.
1655. J. S., Bonarelli’s Filli di Sciro, III. ii. 52. That little streaming Brook.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 784. From the slain Victims pour the streaming Blood.
1797. Ht. Lee, Canterb. T., Frenchm. T. (1799), I. 263. Constance … fixed her streaming eyes upon him.
1828. Lights & Shades, II. 256. With clasped hands and streaming cheeks she implores us to give up our design.
1850. Tennyson, In Mem., lxxii. 4. Blasts that … lash with storm the streaming pane.
transf. and fig. 1784. Cowper, Task, VI. 150. Laburnum, rich In streaming gold.
1856. Emerson, Eng. Traits, i. Wks. (Bohn), II. 6. With a streaming humour, which floated everything he looked upon.
2. Of light or other effluence: Issuing in a full stream. Of a luminous body: Emitting a stream of rays or beams.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., A. 115. Stremande sternez.
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 3796. As ai stremand sternes stared all þaire wedis.
1513. Bradshaw, St. Werburge, II. 1656. Anone a stremyng sterre appered sodaynlye.
1600. Tourneur, Transf. Metam., lxxxv. D vj. Her streaming rayes haue pierc’d the cloudie skies.
1634. Milton, Comus, 340. Som gentle taper … visit us With thy long levell’d rule of streaming light.
1735. Somerville, Chase, IV. 73. If haply then he cross the streaming Scent, Away he flies vain glorious.
1757. W. Wilkie, Epigoniad, I. 4. As, from the setting skies, At ev’n’s approach, a streaming meteor flies.
1887. Bowen, Virg. Æneid, III. 151. Clear in the streaming light they showed.
3. Of a flag, hair, etc.: see STREAM v. 3, 3 b.
1567. Turberv., Epit., etc. 40 b. In steade of streaming sayles hee Wishes hanges aloft.
1575. Fenton, Gueuara’s Golden Epist. (1582), 14. Thou mayest see in mine [house] many streaming ensignes.
1781. Gibbon, Decl. & F., xix. II. 143. Their streaming banners of silk … waved round the person of the emperor.
1792. S. Rogers, Pleas. Mem., I. 214. The mild Tupia … Long watch’d the streaming signal from the mast.
1836. C. Wordsworth, Athens, ii. (1855), 11. Their braided hair falls over the back in two long streaming folds.
1855. Poultry Chron., II. 519. The male bird … with his white streaming feathers.
4. Of persons or animals: Moving in a continuous stream.
1852. Tennyson, Ode Death Wellington, 9. Here, in streaming London’s central roar.
1895. M. Hewlett, Earthwork out of Tuscany, 38. Streaming processions of virgins and young boys.
1900. Westm. Gaz., 12 Jan., 3/1. A fox … went away … with the streaming pack on fairly good terms.
5. That ‘streams’ for tin: see STREAM v. 12.
1778. W. Pryce, Min. Cornub., 132. When a Streaming Tinner observes a place favourable in situation, he takes a lease … of the land owner or lord of the fee.
6. Biol. Of protoplasm: cf. STREAMING vbl. sb. e.
1894. E. A. Minchin, trans. Bütschli’s Investig. Microsc. Foams, 124. The structural relations of the streaming protoplasm of the vegetable cell.
Hence Streamingly adv.
a. 1500. Medulla Gram., Coactim, stremyngly.
1585. Higins, Junius’ Nomencl., 404/2. At the burning of Corinth the veins of copper, brasse, golde, and siluer did runne streamingly together, and become mixed.
a. 1608. Dee, Relat. Spir., I. (1659), 362. Now goeth fire out of his mouth streamingly.
1677. Coles, Eng.-Lat. Dict., Streamingly, profluenter.
1710. Fuller, Pharmacop., 152. This of Turbith … brings off … thin Lympha … plentifully and streamingly.
