Definitions for current
ˈkɜr ənt, ˈkʌr-cur·rent

Princeton's WordNet(2.45 / 18 votes)Rate this definition:

1. current, electric currentnoun

   a flow of electricity through a conductor

   "the current was measured in amperes"

2. current, streamnoun

   a steady flow of a fluid (usually from natural causes)

   "the raft floated downstream on the current"; "he felt a stream of air"; "the hose ejected a stream of water"

3. stream, flow, currentadjective

   dominant course (suggestive of running water) of successive events or ideas

   "two streams of development run through American history"; "stream of consciousness"; "the flow of thought"; "the current of history"

4. currentadjective

   occurring in or belonging to the present time

   "current events"; "the current topic"; "current negotiations"; "current psychoanalytic theories"; "the ship's current position"

Wiktionary(2.00 / 6 votes)Rate this definition:

1. currentnoun

   The part of a fluid that moves continuously in a certain direction.

2. currentnoun

   The time rate of flow of electric charge.

3. currentnoun

   A tendency or a course of events.

4. currentadjective

   Existing or occurring at the moment.

5. currentadjective

   Generally accepted, used, practiced, or prevalent at the moment.

6. Etymology: From curraunt, from curant (French: courant), present participle of courre, from currere, present active infinitive of curro.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. CURRENTadjective

   Etymology: currens, Latin.

   1. Circulatory; passing from hand to hand.

   Shekels of silver, current money with the merchant. Gen.

   That there was current money in Abraham’s time is past doubt, though it is not sure that it was stampt; for he is said to be rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. Arbuthnot.

   2. Generally received; uncontradicted; authoritative.

   Many strange bruits are received for current. Philip Sidney.

   Because such as openly reprove supposed disorders of state, are taken for principal friends to the common benefit of all, under this fair and plausible colour, whatsoever they utter passeth for good and current. Richard Hooker, b. i.

   I have collected the facts, with all possible impartiality, from the current histories of those times. Jonathan Swift.

   3. Common; general.

   They have been trained up from their infancy in one set of notions, without ever hearing or knowing what other opinions are current among mankind. Isaac Watts, Improvement.

   About three months ago we had a current report of the king of France’s death. Joseph Addison, Spectator.

   4. Popular; such as is established by vulgar estimation.

   We are also to consider the difference between worth and merit, strictly taken; that is, a man’s intrinsick; this, his current value; which is less or more, as men have occasion for him. Nehemiah Grew, Cosmol. b. ii. c. 7. sect. 34.

   5. Fashionable; popular.

   Oft leaving what is natural and fit,
   The current folly proves our ready wit;
   And authors think their reputation safe,
   Which lives as long as fools are pleas’d to laugh. Alexander Pope.

   6. Passable; such as may be allowed or admitted.

   Fouler than heart can think thee, thou canst make
   No excuse current, but to hang thyself. William Shakespeare, Rich. III.

   7. What is now passing; what is at present in its course; as, the current year.

2. Currentnoun

   1. A running stream.

   The current, that with gentle murmur glides,
   Thou know’st, being stopp’d, impatiently doth rage;
   But his fair course is not hindered:
   He makes sweet musick with th’ enamel’d stones. William Shakespeare.

   These inequalities will vanish in one place, and presently appear in another, and seem perfectly to move like waves, succeeding and destroying one another; save that their motion oftentimes seems to be quickest, as if in that vast sea they were carried on by a current, or at least by a tide. Boyle.

   Heav’n her Eridanus no more shall boast,
   Whose fame in thine, like lesser currents lost;
   Thy nobler streams shall visit Jove’s abodes,
   To shine among the stars, and bathe the gods. John Denham.

   Not fabled Po more swells the poet’s lays,
   While through the sky his shining current strays. Alexander Pope.

   2. [In navigation.]Currents are certain progressive motions of the water of the sea in several places, either quite down to the bottom, or to a certain determinate depth; by which a ship may happen to be carried more swiftly or retarded in her course, according to the direction of the current, with or against the way of the ship. John Harris

Webster Dictionary(3.00 / 7 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Currentadjective

   running or moving rapidly

2. Currentadjective

   now passing, as time; as, the current month

3. Currentadjective

   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

4. Currentadjective

   commonly estimated or acknowledged

5. Currentadjective

   fitted for general acceptance or circulation; authentic; passable

6. Currentadjective

   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

7. Currentadjective

   general course; ordinary procedure; progressive and connected movement; as, the current of time, of events, of opinion, etc

8. Etymology: [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.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(4.50 / 4 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Current

   kur′ent, adj. running or flowing: passing from person to person: generally received: now passing: present.—n. a running or flowing: a stream: a portion of water or air moving in a certain direction: course.—n. Curr′ency, circulation: that which circulates, as the money of a country: general estimation.—adv. Curr′ently.—n. Curr′entness, state of being current: general acceptance.—Pass current, to be received as genuine. [L. currens, -ent-is—currĕre), to run.]

The Standard Electrical Dictionary(3.75 / 4 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Current

   The adjustment, or effects of a continuous attempt at readjustment of potential difference by a conductor, q. v., connecting two points of different potential. A charged particle or body placed in a field of force tends to move toward the oppositely charged end or portion of the field. If a series of conducting particles or a conducting body are held so as to be unable to move, then the charge of the field tends, as it were, to move through it, and a current results. It is really a redistribution of the field and as long as such redistribution continues a current exists. A current is assumed to flow from a positive to a negative terminal; as in the case of a battery, the current in the outer circuit is assumed to flow from the carbon to the zinc plate, and in the solution to continue from zinc to carbon. As a memoria technica the zinc may be thought of as generating the current delivering it through the solution to the carbon, whence it flows through the wire connecting them. (See Ohm's Law--Maxwell's Theory of Light--Conductor-Intensity.) [Transcriber's note: Supposing electric current to be the motion of positive charge causes no practical difficulty, but the current is actually the (slight) motion of negative electrons.]

Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms(1.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. current

   A body of water moving in a certain direction and caused by wind and density differences in water. The effects of a current are modified by water depth, underwater topography, basin shape, land masses, and deflection from the earth

CrunchBase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. CURRENT

   CURRENT, a Germantown, MD-based provider of core smart grid infrastructure and software solutions.

Dictionary of Nautical Terms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. current

   A certain progressive flowing of the sea in one direction, by which all bodies floating therein are compelled more or less to submit to the stream. The setting of the current, is that point of the compass towards which the waters run; and the drift of the current is the rate it runs at in an hour. Currents are general and particular, the former depending on causes in constant action, the latter on occasional circumstances. (See DIRECTION.)

2. current

   Depends on several circumstances. First, the tide varies with the state of the moon, running strongest at the springs, and the force of the ebb is much increased by rains, land freshes, &c. The currents also vary, especially when wind and tide combine to accelerate their action.

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. current

   A flow of electricity through a conductor.

   Rhe battery current was very efficient.

   
   

   Submitted by MaryC on December 28, 2019  

2. ---

   current

   A movement of energy.

   The air current at the coast and inland was moderate and calm.

   
   

   Submitted by MaryC on January 13, 2020  

3. ---

   current

   The present moment.

   The current love, solidarity and unity we all share is creating the loving, just and fair solutions we choose from our hearts.

   
   

   Submitted by MaryC on May 2, 2020  

Matched Categories

1. • Electrical Phenomenon
   • Flow

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'current' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #727

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'current' in Written Corpus Frequency: #1248

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'current' in Nouns Frequency: #2139

4. Adjectives Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'current' in Adjectives Frequency: #84

How to pronounce current?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say current in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of current in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of current in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of current in a Sentence

1. Med Jones:

   The forces of the Power Cycles work over time to distributes the power and wealth among nations. Every nation and every political party must go through the cycles of expansion and contraction. This is true for all past, current and future powers. The only difference is that this power cycle got accelerated tremendously with the introduction of the Internet and global communications.

2. Robert F. Kennedy, South Africa, 1966:

   It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.

3. Maher Osta:

   When you are trying to protect nature in a country where 90% of people don't care, it is not just like swimming against the current, it is like swimming against a tsunami, but things are changing...slowly.

4. Attorney General Loretta Lynch:

   As the conversation around the Supreme Court vacancy progressed, Attorney General determined that the limitations inherent in the nomination process would curtail Justice Department spokeswoman Melanie Newman effectiveness in Justice Department spokeswoman Melanie Newman current role, given the urgent issues before the Department of Justice, Justice Department spokeswoman Melanie Newman asked not to be considered for the position.While Justice Department spokeswoman Melanie Newman is deeply grateful for the support and good wishes of all those who suggested Justice Department spokeswoman Melanie Newman as a potential nominee, Justice Department spokeswoman Melanie Newman is honored to serve as Attorney General, and Justice Department spokeswoman Melanie Newman is fully committed to carrying out the work of the Department of Justice for the remainder of Justice Department spokeswoman Melanie Newman term.

5. Asbel Kiprop:

   I have worked so hard to build a career since 2003 when I was 13 years old. The achievements I made are crumbling before my own eyes, for a crime that I have not committed, in the court of public opinion, as an advocate of clean sports, I know I am very innocent. I am accused of something that I have never committed. Athletics runs deep in Kiprop's family. His father David Kebenei represented Kenya at the 1987 All Africa Games in Nairobi, where he finished fourth in the 1,500 meters. Kebenei ran in the golden era of British middle-distance running, competing against current IAAF President Sebastian Coe in the early 1980s. Kiprop's brother Victor Kebenei is an upcoming 800 meters runner.

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