Cur"ren*cy (k?r"r?n-c?), n.;
pl. Currencies (-s&?;z). [Cf. LL.
currentia a current, fr. L. currens, p. pr. of
currere to run. See Current.] 1.
A continued or uninterrupted course or flow like that of a
stream; as, the currency of time. [Obs.]
Ayliffe.
2. The state or quality of being current;
general acceptance or reception; a passing from person to person,
or from hand to hand; circulation; as, a report has had a long or
general currency; the currency of bank
notes.
3. That which is in circulation, or is
given and taken as having or representing value; as, the
currency of a country; a specie currency; esp.,
government or bank notes circulating as a substitute for metallic
money.
4. Fluency; readiness of utterance.
[Obs.]
5. Current value; general estimation; the
rate at which anything is generally valued.
He . . . takes greatness of kingdoms according to
their bulk and currency, and not after intrinsic
value.
Bacon.
The bare name of Englishman . . . too often gave a
transient currency to the worthless and ungrateful.
W. Irving.
