drain

[ dreyn ]

/ dreɪn /

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See synonyms for: drain / drained / draining on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to withdraw or draw off (a liquid) gradually; remove slowly or by degrees, as by filtration: to drain oil from a crankcase.

to withdraw liquid gradually from; make empty or dry by drawing off liquid: to drain a crankcase.

to exhaust the resources of: to drain the treasury.

to deprive of strength; tire.

verb (used without object)

to flow off gradually.

to become empty or dry by the gradual flowing off of liquid or moisture: This land drains into the Mississippi.

noun

something, as a pipe or conduit, by which a liquid drains.

Surgery. a material or appliance for maintaining the opening of a wound to permit free exit of fluids.

gradual or continuous outflow, withdrawal, or expenditure.

something that causes a large or continuous outflow, expenditure, or depletion: Medical expenses were a major drain on his bank account.

an act of draining.

Physical Geography.

an artificial watercourse, as a ditch or trench.
a natural watercourse modified to increase its flow of water.

QUIZ

SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?

Should you take this quiz on “shall” versus “should”? It should prove to be a quick challenge!

Question 1 of 6

Which form is used to state an obligation or duty someone has?

shall

should

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about drain

go down the drain,

to become worthless or profitless.
to go out of existence; disappear.

Origin of drain

before 1000; Middle English dreynen,Old English drēhnian,drēahnian to strain, filter; akin to dry

OTHER WORDS FROM drain

drain·a·ble, adjectivedrainer, nouno·ver·drain, verbun·drain·a·ble, adjective

un·drained, adjectivewell-drained, adjective

Words nearby drain

dragsville, Draguignan, drag up, drahthaar, drail, drain, drainage, drainage basin, drainage tube, drainageway, drainboard

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use drain in a sentence

If chips get too hot they malfunction, so this is already a major obstacle for further miniaturizing electronics, and it’s also an unsustainable resource drain on big technology companies with lots of hardware.
This Microchip Has Its Own Built-In Cooling System|Edd Gent|September 14, 2020|Singularity Hub
As decisions are now more likely to come at the last minute and advertisers want buyers to tweak plans much more frequently, it means longer hours and a drain on buyers who say the new expectations are having a negative effect on their mental health.
‘Seemingly nonstop’: Constant requests to replan and retool campaigns is getting to media buyers|Kristina Monllos|September 2, 2020|Digiday
These efforts will combine to create the most detailed map ever of Miami’s topography, its patchwork of sea walls, and the hidden web of drains, pipes, and pumps that keep its streets dry.
Miami’s high-tech flood map will help decide which neighborhoods get saved|Nicolás Rivero|September 1, 2020|Quartz
A major remaining source of pollution are storm drains, which allow sewage, toxins, and fertilizer to flow into the river during heavy rains.
51 Years Later, the Cuyahoga River Burns Again|Wes Siler|August 28, 2020|Outside Online

The current waste policies are a drain on general funds, are unequipped to meet the city’s zero waste goals and are an unfair burden on those who are excluded.
It’s Time to Revisit This Garbage City Policy|Joe Bettles, Marianna Garcia, Elise Hanson, Jack Christensen and Aurora Livingston|June 25, 2020|Voice of San Diego
Drain immediately and immerse the beans in ice water to stop the cooking.
The Barefoot Contessa’s Tasty Trip to Paris|Ina Garten|November 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The drain clogs in the shower every few days, and the clump of tangled brown hair is springy between my fingers.
Birth Control Made My Hair Fall Out, and I’m Not the Only One|Molly Oswaks|October 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The assumption is that President Obama is a drain on Democrats desperate to survive his unpopular numbers in key states.
What the GOP Will Do If It Wins Congress|Stuart Stevens|October 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Having sufficiently wet ourselves, we viewers are left with a chilling, black-and-white image of blood circling the shower drain.
Sex, Blood and Maroon 5: Pop Culture’s Wounds Run Deep|Lizzie Crocker|October 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At the very least, this indictment will be an enormous distraction and drain on Perry's time, money and attention.
Peak 'Oops': Explaining the Perry Indictment|Mark McKinnon|August 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The formula would be: “The pump invented—Drain a well ,” or Water raised in a hollow.
Assimilative Memory|Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)
The night was pitch-dark, it rained in torrents, there was mud and water everywhere, and the ground was too flat to drain.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
Then crouching low, he crossed the room to where the strainer top of the sewer drain was placed in the concrete floor.
Hooded Detective, Volume III No. 2, January, 1942|Various
A rumbling sound that did not originate in the thunder caps above jerked Black Hood's attention from the drain.
Hooded Detective, Volume III No. 2, January, 1942|Various
He did not suspect that the quinine went into the fire, and the cholagogue down the drain-pipe from the washstand.
The Cromptons|Mary J. Holmes

British Dictionary definitions for drain

drain

/ (dreɪn) /

noun

a pipe or channel that carries off water, sewage, etc

an instance or cause of continuous diminution in resources or energy; depletion

surgery a device, such as a tube, for insertion into a wound, incision, or bodily cavity to drain off pus, etc

electronics the electrode region in a field-effect transistor into which majority carriers flow from the interelectrode conductivity channel

down the drain wasted

verb

(tr often foll by off) to draw off or remove (liquid) fromto drain water from vegetables; to drain vegetables

(intr often foll by away) to flow (away) or filter (off)

(intr) to dry or be emptied as a result of liquid running off or flowing awayleave the dishes to drain

(tr) to drink the entire contents of (a glass, cup, etc)

(tr) to consume or make constant demands on (resources, energy, etc); exhaust; sap

(intr) to disappear or leave, esp graduallythe colour drained from his face

(tr) (of a river, etc) to carry off the surface water from (an area)

(intr) (of an area) to discharge its surface water into rivers, streams, etc

Derived forms of drain

drainable, adjective

Word Origin for drain

Old English drēahnian; related to Old Norse drangr dry wood; see dry

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for drain

drain

[ drān ]

A device, such as a tube, inserted into the opening of a wound or into a body or dental cavity to facilitate discharge of fluid or purulent material.

To draw off a liquid gradually as it forms.

Other Idioms and Phrases with drain

drain

see brain drain; down the drain.

drain

Idioms about drain

Origin of drain

OTHER WORDS FROM drain

Words nearby drain

Words related to drain

How to use drain in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for drain

Derived forms of drain

Word Origin for drain

Medical definitions for drain

Other Idioms and Phrases with drain