current

A stream or flow of fluid, air, or electricity. [L. currens, pres. p. of curro, to run]

- action c. an electrical c. induced in muscle fibers when they are effectively stimulated; normally it is followed by contraction.

- after-c. aftercurrent.

- alternating c. (AC) a c. that flows first in one direction then in the other; e.g., 60-cycle c..

- anodal c. a c. produced in tissues under the anode when the circuit is closed.

- ascending c. the direction of c. flow in a nerve when the anode is placed peripheral to the cathode, in contrast to descending c.; the convention used is that c. flows from positive to negative. SYN: centripetal c..

- axial c. the central rapidly moving portion of the bloodstream in an artery.

- centrifugal c. SYN: descending c..

- centripetal c. SYN: ascending c..

- d'Arsonval c. SYN: high-frequency c..

- demarcation c. SYN: c. of injury.

- descending c. the direction of c. flow in a nerve when the cathode is placed peripheral to the anode, in contrast to ascending c.. SYN: centrifugal c..

- direct c. (DC) a c. that flows only in one direction; e.g., that derived from a battery; sometimes referred to as galvanic c.. SEE ALSO: galvanism.

- electrotonic c. electrotonus.

- galvanic c. direct c., galvanism (1).

- high-frequency c. an alternating electric c. having a frequency of 10,000 or more cycles per second; it produces no muscular contractions and does not affect the sensory nerves. SYN: d'Arsonval c., Tesla c..

- c. of injury the c. generated when an injured part of a nerve, muscle, or other excitable tissue is connected through a conductor with the uninjured region; the injured tissue is negative to the uninjured. SYN: demarcation c..

- labile c. an electrical c. applied to the body by means of electrodes that are constantly shifted about.

- Tesla c. SYN: high-frequency c..

* * *

cur·rent 'kər-ənt, 'kə-rənt n

1) the part of a fluid body (as air or water) moving continuously in a certain direction

2) a flow of electric charge also the rate of such flow

* * *

cur·rent (kurґənt) [L. currens running] 1. anything that flows. 2. electric c.