drizzle

American  

[driz-uhl] / ˈdrɪz əl /

verb (used without object)

drizzled, drizzling

1. to rain gently and steadily in fine drops; sprinkle.

   It drizzled throughout the night.

2. to fall in fine drops.

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verb (used with object)

drizzled, drizzling

1. to pour in a fine stream.

   Drizzle melted butter over the breadcrumb topping.

2. to rain or let fall in fine drops or particles; sprinkle.

   He then drizzled grated cheese over the hot pasta.

noun

1. a very light rain.

2. Meteorology. precipitation consisting of numerous minute droplets of water less than 0.02 inch (0.5 millimeter) in diameter.

drizzle British  

/ ˈdrɪzəl /

noun

1. very light rain, specifically consisting of droplets less than 0.5 mm in diameter

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verb

1. (intr) to rain lightly

2. (tr) to moisten with tiny droplets

Other Word Forms

• drizzly adverb

Etymology

Origin of drizzle

First recorded in 1535–45; perhaps back formation from dryseling, dissimilated variant of Middle English drysning “fall (of dew)”; akin to Old English drēosan “to fall”; cognate with Old Saxon driosan, Gothic driusan

Example Sentences

As I approach the building, a few men and women from the four-to-midnight shift step out into the drizzle.

From Literature

A drizzle of soy sauce, a scatter of scallions, and always — always — some lemon zest, which cuts through the yolk’s richness and, once blended, produces what my brain now registers as lazy hollandaise.

From Salon

Elsewhere, the weather remains generally cloudy and breezy, with rain and drizzle.

From BBC

A light drizzle fell Tuesday morning on the city of Concepcion, about 500 kilometers south of Santiago in Biobio, one of two regions where entire neighborhoods have been gutted by fires since Saturday.

From Barron's

Slap-bang in the middle of a month that is all about freezing drizzle and self-denial, the third Monday in January is notoriously the gloomiest day of the year.

From BBC

Related Words

• dribble
• spray
• sprinkle