flux

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A flow or flowing.
2. n. A continued flow; a flood. See Synonyms at flow.
3. n. The flowing in of the tide.
4. n. Medicine The discharge of large quantities of fluid material from the body, especially the discharge of watery feces from the intestines.
5. n. Physics The rate of flow of fluid, particles, or energy through a given surface.
6. n. Physics See flux density.
7. n. Physics The lines of force of an electric or magnetic field.
8. n. Constant or frequent change; fluctuation: "The newness and flux of the computer industry has meant many opportunities for women and minorities” ( Connie Winkler).
9. n. Chemistry & Metallurgy A substance that aids, induces, or otherwise actively participates in fusing or flowing, as:
10. n. Chemistry & Metallurgy A substance applied to a surface to be joined by welding, soldering, or brazing to facilitate the flowing of solder and prevent formation of oxides.
11. n. Chemistry & Metallurgy A mineral added to the metals in a furnace to promote fusing or to prevent the formation of oxides.
12. n. Chemistry & Metallurgy An additive that improves the flow of plastics during fabrication.
13. n. Chemistry & Metallurgy A readily fusible glass or enamel used as a base in ceramic work.
14. v. To melt; fuse.
15. v. To apply a flux to.
16. v. To become fluid.
17. v. To flow; stream.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The act of flowing; a flowing, as of a fluid; flow in general, but now most commonly an occasional flow; an outpouring or effusion of anything.
2. n. Hence Continual change; the mode of being of that which is instantaneous, ceasing to exist as soon as it begins to exist. This is specifically termed Heraclitan flux, from the doctrine of the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus that there is no being or permanence, but that all things are transitory and fleeting.
3. n. In pathology, a morbid or abnormal issue or discharge of matter, as blood, mucus, or pus, from any mucous surface of the internal vessels or viscera: as, the bloody flux (dysentery).
4. n. Matter which is discharged in a flux; defluxion; excrement.
5. n. A flowing together; concourse; confluence.
6. n. Fusion; conversion to a liquid state by the operation of heat.
7. n. In metallurgy, any substance or mixture used to promote the fusion of metals or minerals, as alkalis, borax, tartar, and other saline matter, or, in large operations, limestone or fluor-spar. Alkaline fluxes are either the crude, the white, or the black flux. When tartar is deflagrated with half its weight of niter, a mixture of charcoal and carbonate of potash remains, which is often called black flux; when an equal weight of niter is used, the whole of the charcoal is burned off, and carbonate of potassium remains, which, when thus procured, is called white flux.
8. n. In mathematics, a vector which is referred to a unit of area.
9. Flowing; changing; inconstant; variable.
10. To flood; overflow.
11. In medicine, to cause a flux or evacuation from; salivate; purge.
12. To clear or clean out by or as if by an evacuation; relieve by purging, literally or figuratively.
13. To melt; fuse; make fluid.
14. To flow or change.
15. n. Continuous motion.
16. n. In enameling, a colorless vitreous base, composed of silica mixed with minium or red lead and potash or carbonate of soda. See fondant, 2.
17. n. In botany, the slimy exudation from wounds in the bark of various trees.

Wiktionary

1. n. A state of ongoing change.
2. n. A chemical agent for cleaning metal prior to soldering or welding.
3. n. physics The rate of transfer of energy (or another physical quantity) through a given surface, specifically electric flux, magnetic flux.
4. n. archaic A disease which causes diarrhea, especially dysentery.
5. v. To use flux.
6. v. To melt.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. The act of flowing; a continuous moving on or passing by, as of a flowing stream; constant succession; change.
2. n. The setting in of the tide toward the shore, -- the ebb being called the reflux.
3. n. The state of being liquid through heat; fusion.
4. n. (Chem. & Metal.) Any substance or mixture used to promote the fusion of metals or minerals, as alkalies, borax, lime, fluorite.
5. n. A fluid discharge from the bowels or other part; especially, an excessive and morbid discharge. See Bloody flux.
6. n. The matter thus discharged.
7. n. (Physics) The quantity of a fluid that crosses a unit area of a given surface in a unit of time.
8. adj. Flowing; unstable; inconstant; variable.
9. v. To affect, or bring to a certain state, by flux.
10. v. To cause to become fluid; to fuse.
11. v. (Med.) To cause a discharge from; to purge.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. in constant change
2. n. the rate of flow of energy or particles across a given surface
3. n. excessive discharge of liquid from a cavity or organ (as in watery diarrhea)
4. v. move or progress freely as if in a stream
5. n. the lines of force surrounding a permanent magnet or a moving charged particle
6. v. become liquid or fluid when heated
7. v. mix together different elements
8. n. a state of uncertainty about what should be done (usually following some important event) preceding the establishment of a new direction of action
9. n. a flow or discharge
10. n. (physics) the number of changes in energy flow across a given surface per unit area
11. n. a substance added to molten metals to bond with impurities that can then be readily removed