River Meaning
River Definition & Usage
A large, flowing body of water, typically freshwater, that flows towards an ocean, sea, or lake.
Examples
- "The river carved deep valleys over millions of years."
- "They spent the afternoon kayaking down the river."
- "We followed the river for miles, trying to find a place to camp."
- "The river flooded after the heavy rain, covering the surrounding fields."
- "A small wooden bridge crosses over the river near our house."
A continuous flow of something, such as information, people, or events, often implying abundance or unstoppable movement.
Examples
- "There was a river of emotions rushing through her as she listened to the news."
- "The river of complaints seemed endless, overwhelming the customer service team."
- "The town experienced a river of tourists during the summer season."
- "He poured a river of praise on his colleagues for their hard work."
- "A river of data was coming in from the new experiment, needing to be analyzed."
To flow or move in a manner similar to a river.
Examples
- "The streams of people rivered through the narrow streets of the festival."
- "She watched the crowd river through the doors as the concert began."
- "The parade rivers down the main street every year."
- "Voices rivered through the hall as the debate grew heated."
- "His thoughts rivered back to the summer he spent by the lake."
Cultural Context
Rivers have held significant cultural importance throughout history. They are not only vital to ecosystems and human civilizations but also appear in mythology, literature, and art. For example, the Nile River is central to the development of ancient Egyptian civilization. In many cultures, rivers are symbols of life, rebirth, and even death (e.g., the River Styx in Greek mythology).
The River of Time
Story
The River of Time
It was a warm summer evening when Ella and her brother, Max, decided to visit the old river behind their grandmother’s house. The river had always fascinated Ella. She remembered how, as a child, she would sit by its bank and watch the water flow endlessly, sometimes as calm as glass, other times rushing wildly after a storm. Today, the river was quiet, gently lapping at the stones along the shore. "I wonder if the river remembers us," Max said, kicking a rock into the water. Ella smiled. "Maybe it does. Maybe it's seen a lot of people come and go." Max nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, like it’s a river of time. Always moving, never stopping. It's kind of like us, isn’t it?" As they walked along the riverbank, their conversation turned to their childhood memories. "Do you remember the summer when we tried to build that raft?" Ella asked. Max laughed. "We thought it was going to take us down the whole river. It barely made it across the pond!" They both chuckled. Later that evening, as they sat under the stars by the river, the sound of the water seemed to fill the silence between them. Ella thought of all the years she’d spent here, the people who had come and gone. The river, like a silent witness, had carried on, flowing through the seasons of their lives. "You know," Max said, breaking the stillness, "I think the river does remember. Maybe not in the way we think, but in its own way, it holds everything that’s ever been." Ella nodded, her gaze fixed on the water. She could feel it—this river of memories, of time itself, constantly moving, yet always here. The river had, indeed, become a metaphor for the passage of time and the memories they cherished, much like the stories that flow endlessly down its current.
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