Trickle
/ˈtrɪkəl/
nounverbB1
Definition
As a noun, trickle is a small, thin, and slow flow of liquid, like water moving gently and in small drops. As a verb, it means to flow or move slowly in small amounts, often not steady or strong. It can also describe small amounts of things like people, money, or information moving slowly.
Was this helpful?
See It in Action
Noun: A small, slow flow of liquid
- •There was a trickle of water running down the wall after the rain.
- •A trickle of sweat appeared on his forehead during the hot day.
- •The trickle of oil from the bottle was hard to control.
Verb: To flow slowly in small amounts
- •Water trickled from the faucet that was not fully closed.
- •People trickled into the room one by one before the meeting started.
- •Information about the event trickled out slowly over several days.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of 'trickle' like 'flow' (A1 word), but very slow and small, not fast or large
- ✓Picture a tiny stream of water slowly moving down a window after rain, just a few drops sliding gently
- ✓It's the quiet feeling when a few people slowly arrive at a party instead of many all at once
- ✓Sounds like 'trick-le' → imagine a little trick (small secret) slowly leaking out drop by drop
- ✓Think of a story where a small river slowly feeds a big lake, starting with just a small trickle of water
- ✓NOT like 'rush' (fast, strong movement), trickle is slow and gentle
- ✓NOT like 'pour' (large amount falling quickly), trickle is small and slow
- ✓NOT like 'drip' (single drops falling one by one), trickle is a small continuous flow, more than just drops
Try Other Words
- •Drip: small drops falling one by one (Use when focusing on single drops rather than a slow continuous flow)
- •Seep: liquid slowly passing through small openings or holes (Use when liquid moves slowly through a surface)
- •Stream: a small, continuous flow of liquid (Use when the flow is larger or steadier than a trickle)
- •Ooze: to flow slowly and thickly (Use when the liquid is thick or sticky, not clear water)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: No clear prefix or suffix; 'trickle' is a simple root word
- •Etymology: From Old English 'triccan' meaning to pass or move in drops or small quantities
- •Historical development: Originally used to describe small flows of liquid; later extended to small amounts of other things like people or information
- •Modern usage: Commonly used to describe slow, small flows of water or other liquids and also slow movement of people or things
Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of a time when something important came to you only in a trickle rather than all at once? How did that feel?
•How does the idea of a trickle help us understand slow or small changes in life or nature?
Fill in the blanks
1.After the storm, water trickled ___ the cracks in the wall, causing small damp spots.
2.The audience trickled ___ the theater slowly before the show started.
3.Unlike a flood, a trickle means the liquid moves ___ and in small amounts.
4.Information about the surprise party trickled ___ over several days before the event.
5.The faucet was not fully closed, so water kept trickling ___ even when it should have stopped.
6.Sweat trickled ___ his face during the hot afternoon, showing how tired he was.
7.Unlike a drip, a trickle is a ___ flow of liquid, not just single drops falling.