noun
1.
water that is condensed from the aqueous vapor in the atmosphere and falls to earth in drops more than 1 / 50 in. (0.5 mm) in diameter. Compare drizzle ( def 6 ).
4.
weather marked by steady or frequent rainfall: We had rain most of last summer.
5.
a heavy and continuous descent or inflicting of anything: a rain of blows; a rain of vituperation.
verb (used without object)
6.
(of rain) to fall (usually used impersonally with it as subject): It rained all night.
7.
to fall like rain: Tears rained from their eyes.
8.
to send down rain: The lightning flashed and the sky rained on us in torrents.
00:10
Rain
is one of our favorite verbs.
So is bowdlerise. Does it mean:
| to expurgate (a written work) by removing or modifying passages considered vulgar or objectionable. |
| to run away hurriedly; flee. |
verb (used with object)
Verb phrases 9.
to send down in great quantities, as small pieces or objects: People on rooftops rained confetti on the parade.
10.
to offer, bestow, or give in great quantity: to rain favors upon a person.
11.
to deal, hurl, fire, etc., repeatedly: to rain blows on someone's head.
12.
Idioms rain out, to cause, by raining, the cancellation or postponement of a sports event, performance, or the like: The double-header was rained out yesterday.
13.
rain cats and dogs, Informal. to rain very heavily or steadily: We canceled our picnic because it rained cats and dogs.
Origin:
before 900; (noun) Middle English rein; Old English regn, rēn, cognate with Dutch, German regen, Old Norse regn, Gothic rign; (v.) Middle English reinen, Old English regnian
before 900; (noun) Middle English rein; Old English regn, rēn, cognate with Dutch, German regen, Old Norse regn, Gothic rign; (v.) Middle English reinen, Old English regnian
Related forms
rain·less, adjective
rain·less·ness, noun
Synonyms
10. lavish, shower, pour.
10. lavish, shower, pour.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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|
Link To rain
Collins
World English Dictionary
rain (reɪn) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | a. precipitation from clouds in the form of drops of water, formed by the condensation of water vapour in the atmosphere |
| b. a fall of rain; shower | |
| c. (in combination): a raindrop Related: hyetal, pluvious | |
| 2. | a large quantity of anything falling rapidly or in quick succession: a rain of abuse |
| 3. | rain or shine, come rain or shine |
| a. regardless of the weather | |
| b. regardless of circumstances | |
| 4. | informal (Brit) right as rain perfectly all right; perfectly fit |
| —vb (often with it | |
| 5. | (intr |
| 6. | to fall or cause to fall like rain: the lid flew off and popcorn rained on everyone |
| 7. | (tr) to bestow in large measure: to rain abuse on someone |
| 8. | informal rain cats and dogs to rain heavily; pour |
| 9. | rained off cancelled or postponed on account of rain |
| Related: hyetal, pluvious | |
| [Old English regn; related to Old Frisian rein, Old High German regan, Gothic rign] | |
| 'rainless | |
| —adj | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
rain
O.E. regn, from P.Gmc. *regna- (cf. O.S. regan, O.N. regn, O.Fris. rein, M.Du. reghen, Ger. regen, Goth. rign "rain"), with no certain cognates outside Gmc., unless it is from a presumed PIE *reg- "moist, wet," which may be the source of L. rigare "to wet, moisten" (cf.
irrigate). The verb is O.E. regnian, usually contracted to rinan. Transf. and fig. use of other things that fall as rain (blessings, tears, etc.) is recorded from c.1200. Rainbow is O.E. renboga (common Gmc. compound, cf. O.N. regnbogi, Du. regenboog, see bow (n.)). Raindrop is O.E. rendropa; first record of raincheck is from 1884, originally of tickets to rained-out baseball games. Raincoat attested from 1830. Rainmaker first recorded 1775, in ref. to tribal magicians. Phrase to rain cats and dogs is attested from 1738 (variation rain dogs and polecats is from 1652), of unknown origin, despite intense speculation. One of the more idiotic assertions is that it refers to pets sliding off sod roofs when the sod got too wet during a rainstorm. Ever see a cat react to a rainstorm by climbing up on an exposed roof? To rain on (someone's) parade is attested from 1941.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
rain  (rān) Pronunciation Key
Water that condenses from water vapor in the atmosphere and falls to Earth as separate drops from clouds. Rain forms primarily in three ways: at weather fronts, when the water vapor in the warmer mass of air cools and condenses; along mountain ranges, when a warm mass of air is forced to rise over a mountain and its water vapor cools and condenses; and by convection in hot climates, when the water vapor in suddenly rising masses of warm air cools and condenses. See also hydrologic cycle. |
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Easton
Bible Dictionary
Rain definition
There are three Hebrew words used to denote the rains of different seasons, (1.) Yoreh (Hos. 6:3), or moreh (Joel 2:23), denoting the former or the early rain. (2.) Melqosh, the "latter rain" (Prov. 16:15). (3.) Geshem, the winter rain, "the rains." The heavy winter rain is mentioned in Gen. 7:12; Ezra 10:9; Cant. 2:11. The "early" or "former" rains commence in autumn in the latter part of October or beginning of November (Deut. 11:14; Joel 2:23; comp. Jer. 3:3), and continue to fall heavily for two months. Then the heavy "winter rains" fall from the middle of December to March. There is no prolonged fair weather in Palestine between October and March. The "latter" or spring rains fall in March and April, and serve to swell the grain then coming to maturity (Deut. 11:14; Hos. 6:3). After this there is ordinarily no rain, the sky being bright and cloudless till October or November. Rain is referred to symbolically in Deut. 32:2; Ps. 72:6; Isa. 44:3, 4; Hos. 10:12.
Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
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American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases
rain
In addition to the idioms beginning with rain, also see come in out of the rain; it never rains but it pours; right as rain.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Example sentences
Next time it rains, think about how much water you could be collecting in a rain barrel.
Don't forget to water plants growing under house eaves where rain doesn't reach.
As the world warms, more precipitation will fall as rain and less as snow, so this storage system may break down.
Rain is liquid precipitation: water falling from the sky.
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