rain

[reyn]

noun

1. water that is condensed from the aqueous vapor in the atmosphere and falls to earth in drops more than 0.02 inch (0.5 millimeters) in diameter.

2. a rainfall, rainstorm, or shower.

   We had a light rain this afternoon.

3. rains, the rainy season; seasonal rainfall, as in India.

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)

1. (of rain) to fall (usually used impersonally with it as subject).

   It rained all night.

2. to fall like rain.

   Tears rained from their eyes.

3. to send down rain.

   The lightning flashed and the sky rained on us in torrents.

verb (used with object)

1. to send down in great quantities, as small pieces or objects.

   People on rooftops rained confetti on the parade.

2. to offer, bestow, or give in great quantity.

   to rain favors upon a person.

   Synonyms: pour, shower, lavish

3. to deal, hurl, fire, etc., repeatedly.

   to rain blows on someone's head.

verb phrase

1. 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.

rain

/ reɪn /

noun

1. 1. precipitation from clouds in the form of drops of water, formed by the condensation of water vapour in the atmosphere

   2. a fall of rain; shower

   3. ( in combination )

      a raindrop

2. a large quantity of anything falling rapidly or in quick succession

   a rain of abuse

3. 1. regardless of the weather

   2. regardless of circumstances

4. informal,  perfectly all right; perfectly fit

verb

1. (intr; with it as subject) to be the case that rain is falling

2. to fall or cause to fall like rain

   the lid flew off and popcorn rained on everyone

3. (tr) to bestow in large measure

   to rain abuse on someone

4. informal,  to rain heavily; pour

5. cancelled or postponed on account of rain

rain

1. 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.

2. See also hydrologic cycle

Other Word Forms

• rainless adjective
• rainlessness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of rain¹

First recorded before 900; (noun) Middle English rein; Old English regn, rēn, cognate with Dutch, German regen, Old Norse regn, Gothic rign; (verb) Middle English reinen, Old English regnian

Word History and Origins

Origin of rain¹

Old English regn ; related to Old Frisian rein , Old High German regan , Gothic rign

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. rain cats and dogs, to rain very heavily or steadily.

   We canceled our picnic because it rained cats and dogs.

More idioms and phrases containing rain

• come in out of the rain
• it never rains but it pours
• right as rain

Example Sentences

Torrential winds, violent rain and flooding destroyed crops across the country's south.

Read more on BBC

Over the last couple of days, the winds have been drying out areas recently visited by rain.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The hurricane passed through eastern Cuba on Wednesday morning with 105 mile-an-hour winds and is expected to dump as much as 25 inches of rain in certain areas, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Authorities in Indian capital Delhi unsuccessfully carried out a cloud seeding trial, which is the science of altering clouds to make rains, to tackle the city's worsening air pollution on Tuesday.

Read more on BBC

Then, earlier last weekend, the Wistron Ladies Open was reduced to 36 holes because of rain and fog, and Tseng entered Sunday tied for the lead.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• deluge 
• drizzle 
• flood 
• hail 
• mist 
• monsoon 
• precipitation 
• rainfall 
• rainstorm 
• shower 
• showers www.thesaurus.com
• sleet 
• stream 
• torrent