drain

[dreyn]

verb (used with object)

1. to withdraw or draw off (a liquid) gradually; remove slowly or by degrees, as by filtration.

   to drain oil from a crankcase.

2. to withdraw liquid gradually from; make empty or dry by drawing off liquid.

   to drain a crankcase.

3. to exhaust the resources of.

   to drain the treasury.

4. to deprive of strength; tire.

verb (used without object)

1. to flow off gradually.

2. to become empty or dry by the gradual flowing off of liquid or moisture.

   This land drains into the Mississippi.

noun

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

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

3. gradual or continuous outflow, withdrawal, or expenditure.

4. something that causes a large or continuous outflow, expenditure, or depletion.

   Medical expenses were a major drain on his bank account.

5. an act of draining.

6. Physical Geography.

   1. an artificial watercourse, as a ditch or trench.

   2. a natural watercourse modified to increase its flow of water.

drain

/ dreɪn /

noun

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

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

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

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

5. wasted

verb

1. to draw off or remove (liquid) from

   to drain water from vegetables

   to drain vegetables

2. to flow (away) or filter (off)

3. (intr) to dry or be emptied as a result of liquid running off or flowing away

   leave the dishes to drain

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

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

6. (intr) to disappear or leave, esp gradually

   the colour drained from his face

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

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

Other Word Forms

• drainable adjective
• drainer noun
• overdrain verb
• undrainable adjective
• undrained adjective
• well-drained adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of drain¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of drain¹

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

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. go down the drain,

   1. to become worthless or profitless.

   2. to go out of existence; disappear.

see brain drain; down the drain.

Example Sentences

In October, investors saw liquidity drain out of the financial system at the fastest pace since 2022, according to an indicator produced by Wells Fargo Securities.

Read more on MarketWatch

Plus, there’s been somewhat of a “brain drain” from Apple’s AI ecosystem, Favuzza added.

Read more on MarketWatch

Suddenly, I remember the colors draining from the sky and the woman exploding … and I avert my gaze.

Read more on Literature

It was as if all the pluck and hope and optimism in the world had just gurgled down the bathtub drain, and there was nothing left anywhere but gloom.

Read more on Literature

It’s emotionally and psychologically draining to be present for a situation like this, particularly over an extended period of time.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bleed 
• consume 
• deplete 
• diminish 
• divert 
• dry 
• empty 
• exhaust 
• pump 
• reduce 
• sap 
• siphon 
• strain 
• suck 
• tap 
• use up