flow automatically; drift freely
Meanings
2 senses · 7 examplesverb
to flow automatically; to flow by gravity
Used in technical contexts such as hydrology and irrigation to describe water flowing without mechanical pumping.
This is an artesian well; water flows out automatically.
Gravity-fed irrigation systems can save a lot of electricity.
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The spring water flows down naturally, forming this stream.
verb
to develop freely without constraint; to drift along unchecked
Figurative usage describing people, situations, or phenomena developing without guidance, often with negative connotations of neglect or laissez-faire attitudes.
If you let children drift without guidance, they might turn bad.
We cannot let negative phenomena go unchecked; we must correct them in time.
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On this issue, we cannot adopt a laissez-faire attitude.
The market cannot be completely unregulated and left to its own devices.