Cur"rent , n. [Cf. F. courant. See Current, a. ]
1. A flowing or
passing; onward motion. Hence: A body of fluid moving continuously in a certain direction; a stream; esp., the swiftest part of it; as, a current of water or of air; that which resembles a stream in motion; as, a
current of electricity.
Two such silver currents, when they join,
Do glorify the banks that bound them in.
Shak.
The surface of the ocean
is furrowed by currents, whose direction . . . the navigator should know.
Nichol.
2. General course; ordinary procedure; progressive and connected movement; as, the current of time, of
events, of opinion,
etc.
Current meter, an instrument for measuring the velocity, force, etc., of currents. -- Current
mill, a mill driven by a current
wheel. -- Current
wheel, a wheel dipping into the water and driven by the
current of a stream or by the ebb and flow of the tide.
Syn. -- Stream; course. See Stream.
Cur"rent (k?r"rent), a. [OE. currant,
OF. curant, corant, p. pr. of curre, corre, F.
courre, courir, to run, from L.
currere; perh. akin to E. horse. Cf. Course, Concur,
Courant, Coranto.]
1. Running or moving rapidly. [Archaic]
Like the current fire, that renneth
Upon a cord.
Gower.
To chase a creature that was current then
In these wild woods, the hart with
golden horns.
Tennyson.
2. Now passing, as time; as, the
current month.
3. Passing from person to person, or from hand to
hand; circulating through the community; generally received; common;
as, a current coin; a current report; current history.
That there was current money in Abraham's time is past doubt.
Arbuthnot.
Your fire-new
stamp of honor is scarce current.
Shak.
His current value, which is less
or more as men have occasion for him.
Grew.
4. Commonly estimated or
acknowledged.
5. Fitted for general acceptance or circulation; authentic; passable.
O Buckingham, now do I play the touch
To try if thou be current gold indeed.
Shak.
Account current. See under Account. -- Current money, lawful money.
Abbott.
Hear it pronounced