Cur"ren*cy (k?r"r?n-c?), n.; pl. Currencies (-s&?;z). [Cf. LL. currentia a current, fr. L. currens, p. pr. of currere to run. See Current.]
1. A continued or uninterrupted course or flow like
that of a stream; as, the currency of time. [Obs.]
Ayliffe.
2. The state or quality of being current; general acceptance or reception; a passing from person to person, or
from hand to hand; circulation; as, a report has
had a long or general currency; the currency of bank notes.
3. That which is
in circulation, or is given and taken as
having or representing value; as, the
currency of a country; a specie currency;
esp., government or bank notes circulating as a substitute for metallic money.
4. Fluency; readiness of utterance. [Obs.]
5. Current value; general estimation; the rate at which
anything is generally valued.
He . . . takes greatness of kingdoms according to their bulk and currency, and not after
intrinsic value.
Bacon.
The bare name
of Englishman . . . too often gave a transient currency
to the worthless and ungrateful.
W.
Irving.
Hear it pronounced