Gulf Stream
Preserved but no longer current.
The great, warm ocean current which flows out of the Gulf of Mexico (whence its name) and, passing by the eastern coast of the United States, is, near the banks of New- foundland, deflected across the Atlantic to modify the climate of Western Europe as far north as Spitzbergen and Nova Zembla. It washes the shores of the British Isles.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Gulf Stream” mean?
The great, warm ocean current which flows out of the Gulf of Mexico (whence its name) and, passing by the eastern coast of the United States, is, near the banks of New- foundland, deflected across the Atlantic to modify the climate of Western Europe as far north as Spitzbergen and Nova Zembla. It washes the shores of the British Isles.
Is “Gulf Stream” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.