trickle

trick|le¹ [ˈtrıkəl] v [I always + adverb/preposition]

[Date: 1300-1400; Origin: Perhaps from the sound]

1.) if liquid trickles somewhere, it flows slowly in drops or in a thin stream

trickle down/into/out

▪ The tears trickled down her cheeks.

2.) if people, vehicles, goods etc trickle somewhere, they move there slowly in small groups or amounts

trickle in/into/away

▪ The first few fans started to trickle into the stadium.

trickle down phr v

if money trickles down, it moves slowly from the richest people to the poorest people in a society, or from the richest countries to the poorest countries

trickle up phr v

if money trickles up, it moves slowly from the poorest people to the richest people in a society, or from the poorest countries to the richest countries

trickle ²

trickle² n

1.)

a thin slow flow of liquid

▪ The water in the stream had been reduced to a trickle.

2.) [singular]

a movement of people, vehicles, goods etc into a place in very small numbers or amounts

▪ Recent legislation has reduced immigration to a trickle.

trickle of

▪ a trickle of cars on the highway