The term 'EBB and FLOW' is a phrase used to describe the cyclical nature of tides. It is derived from the Old English word ebba, which means 'EBB, ' and flōwan, which means 'FLOW.' The EBB is the outgoing tide, when the water recedes from the shore, and the FLOW is the incoming tide, when the water rises up onto the shore. This cycle of EBB and FLOW is caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun on the Earth's oceans.