Current — Defs

01 a. Running or moving rapidly.

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.

Phrases & compounds

Account current — See under Account.

Current money — lawful money.

02 n. A flowing or passing; onward motion. Hence: A body of fluid moving continuously in a certain direction; a stream; esp., the swiftest part o…

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.

Phrases & compounds

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.