Flow
Old English flōwan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vloeien, also to flood.
wiktionary
From Middle English flowe, from the verb (see below).
From Middle English flowen, from Old English flōwan(“to flow”), from Proto-West Germanic *flōan, from Proto-Germanic *flōaną(“to flow”), from Proto-Indo-European *plōw-, lengthened o- grade form of *plew-(“to fly, flow, run”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian flouje(“to flow”), West Frisian floeie(“to flow”), Dutch vloeien(“to flow”), Norwegian flo(“to flow”). Compare also English float.
Uncertain. Perhaps from Old Norse flói(“a large bay, firth”), see floe. Compare Scots flow(“peat-bog, marsh”), Icelandic flói(“marshy ground”).
etymonline
flow (v.)
Old English flowan "to flow, stream, issue; become liquid, melt; abound, overflow" (class VII strong verb; past tense fleow, past participle flowen), from Proto-Germanic *flowan "to flow" (source also of Middle Dutch vloyen, Dutch vloeien, vloeijen "to flow," Old Norse floa "to deluge," Old High German flouwen "to rinse, wash"), from PIE root *pleu- "to flow." The weak form predominated from 14c., but strong past participle flown is occasionally attested through 18c. Related: Flowed; flowing.
flow (n.)
mid-15c., "action of flowing," from flow (v.). Meaning "amount that flows" is from 1807. Sense of "any strong, progressive movement comparable to the flow of a river" is from 1640s. Flow chart attested from 1920 (flow-sheet in same sense from 1912). To go with the flow is by 1977, apparently originally in skiing jargon.
Go with the flow, enjoy the forces, let ankles, knees, hips and waist move subtly to soak up potential disturbances of acceleration and deceleration. [Ski magazine, November 1980]
