Trickle Meaning
/ˈtɹɪkəl/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounA very thin river.
nounA very thin flow; the sound of such a flow.
Sentence Examples
I felt the sweat trickle down my brow.
A trickle of blood ran down his neck.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
A small ____ of water dripped from the leaky faucet all night.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
A small ____ of water was flowing from the rusty pipe in the basement, so we had to call a plumber today.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English triklen, likely a rebracketing (e.g. teres strikled > teerys trikled (“tears trickled”)) of Middle English striklen (“to trickle”), equivalent to strike + -le. For other similar cases of incorrect division, see also apron, daffodil, newt, nickname, orange, umpire.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The streams that run south and east from the mountains to the coast are short and rapid torrents after a storm, but at other times dwindle to feeble trickles of mud."
— 1897, James Bryce, Impressions of South Africa:
"Her white night-dress was smeared with blood, and a thin stream trickled down the man's bare chest which was shown by his torn-open dress."
— 1897, Bram Stoker, Dracula, Westminster [London]: Archibald Constable and Company, […], →OCLC:
"The period of intensive traffic is over by about 5.30 p.m. and for the rest of the evening steadily diminishes, the main activity being the Channel Islands boat trains which trickle in after about 6.30 p.m. and depart again for Weymouth an hour or so later."
— 1962 April, J. N. Faulkner, “Summer Saturday at Waterloo”, in Modern Railways, page 265:
"Some [marbles] were found in a child's grave at Nagada, Egypt […] together with a set of ninepins and three rectangular bricks which could have formed an arch through which to trickle the balls."
— 1971, Gwen White, Antique Toys And Their Background, page 32:
"They gather one by one, trickling into the shady courtyard, the familiar hum of Mass. Ave. wafting in from behind brick buildings and iron gates."
— 2005 June 9, Michael M. Grynbaum, “An Entryway That Eats Together Stays Together”, in The Harvard Crimson, archived from the original on 25 Jan 2025:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
A small ____ of water dripped from the leaky faucet all night.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
A small ____ of water was flowing from the rusty pipe in the basement, so we had to call a plumber today.