rain

[ reyn ]

/ reɪn /

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See synonyms for: rain / raining / rains / rainlessness on Thesaurus.com

Definition of rain

noun

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.Compare drizzle (def. 6).

a rainfall, rainstorm, or shower: We had a light rain this afternoon.

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

weather marked by steady or frequent rainfall: We had rain most of last summer.

a heavy and continuous descent or inflicting of anything: a rain of blows; a rain of vituperation.

verb (used without object)

(of rain) to fall (usually used impersonally with it as subject): It rained all night.

to fall like rain: Tears rained from their eyes.

to send down rain: The lightning flashed and the sky rained on us in torrents.

verb (used with object)

to send down in great quantities, as small pieces or objects: People on rooftops rained confetti on the parade.

to offer, bestow, or give in great quantity: to rain favors upon a person.

to deal, hurl, fire, etc., repeatedly: to rain blows on someone's head.

Verb Phrases

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.

OTHER WORDS FOR rain

10 lavish, shower, pour.

See synonyms for rain on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

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IS and ARE are both forms of which verb?

have

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Idioms about rain

rain cats and dogs, Informal. to rain very heavily or steadily: We canceled our picnic because it rained cats and dogs.

Origin of rain

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

OTHER WORDS FROM rain

rainless, adjectiverain·less·ness, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH rain

rain , reign, rein

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

How to use rain in a sentence

The outer shell has water-repellent technology in case of rain or snow, and the faux-fur on the hood lining blocks wind in addition to looking adorable.
The hottest gifts to buy for the friend who’s always cold|Sandra Gutierrez G.|November 20, 2020|Popular-Science
When he was a teenager, he poked around old bookstores “like a botanist in a rain forest.”
Eighty years of memories that will stir readers’ own|Connie Schultz|November 20, 2020|Washington Post
Some clouds are in the forecast in the coming days, ahead of our next chance of rain Sunday night into Monday.
D.C.-area forecast: Mainly clear skies plus warmer temperatures today and tomorrow|A. Camden Walker|November 20, 2020|Washington Post
Without fail, heavy rains hitting the Mexico side wash way more water and sewage into the river than the South Bay plant was built to handle.
Two Companies See a Golden Opportunity in the Tijuana River’s Brown Waters|MacKenzie Elmer|November 20, 2020|Voice of San Diego

Fire Island gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 116 days per year, and averages 26 inches of snow and 46 inches of rain per year.
Fire Island Pines: One Of America’s First LGBTQ Coastal Towns|LGBTQ-Editor|November 18, 2020|No Straight News
Soon after we've begun working, Hitchcock announces he isn't coming to the office because it is raining.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Outside, in the heart of progressive Austin, it was raining cats and dogs.
In Texas, Cruz, Perry Crow Over GOP Rout|Tim Mak|November 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But then Marino checked the weather, and saw that it would be raining all afternoon.
‘Marry Me’ Proves Ken Marino Is More Than Just an Asshole|Kevin Fallon|October 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was sunny, it was cloudy, it was raining, it was completely covered in snow, and then by the end of the day it was gone.
‘Sharknado 2’ in Winter: Has the Franchise Jumped the Shark?|Jason Lynch|July 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Living with the threat of random death raining down leads to a strange way of life, a pathology of indirect fire.
Dodging Rockets in Afghanistan as the Taliban’s Fighting Season Begins|Nick Willard|May 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was a cheerless morning when they got into the street, blowing and raining hard, and the clouds looking dull and stormy.
Oliver Twist, Vol. II (of 3)|Charles Dickens
It was still raining—a gray day with fitful showers that never entirely ceased but only varied in intensity.
British Highways And Byways From A Motor Car|Thomas D. Murphy
It had been raining heavily the night before and the air was free from the dust that had previously annoyed us.
British Highways And Byways From A Motor Car|Thomas D. Murphy
Our fine weather was very transient, for it was raining again when we reached Worcester.
British Highways And Byways From A Motor Car|Thomas D. Murphy
Suddenly it ceased raining; and, looking about them, they saw that the lake was perfectly quiet—not a ripple could be seen.
The value of a praying mother|Isabel C. Byrum

British Dictionary definitions for rain

rain

/ (reɪn) /

noun

precipitation from clouds in the form of drops of water, formed by the condensation of water vapour in the atmosphere
a fall of rain; shower
(in combination)a raindrop Related adjectives: hyetal, pluvious

a large quantity of anything falling rapidly or in quick successiona rain of abuse

rain or shine or come rain or shine

regardless of the weather
regardless of circumstances

right as rain British informal perfectly all right; perfectly fit

verb

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

(often with it as subject) to fall or cause to fall like rainthe lid flew off and popcorn rained on everyone

(tr) to bestow in large measureto rain abuse on someone

rain cats and dogs informal to rain heavily; pour

rained off cancelled or postponed on account of rain

US and Canadian term: rained out

Derived forms of rain

rainless, adjective

Word Origin for rain

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

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

Scientific definitions for rain

rain

[ rān ]

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.

Other Idioms and Phrases with rain

rain

In addition to the idioms beginning with rain

rain cats and dogs
rain check
rain on one's parade
rain or shine
rain out
rainy day, a

also see:

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

rain

Definition of rain

OTHER WORDS FOR rain

Idioms about rain

Origin of rain

OTHER WORDS FROM rain

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH rain

Words related to rain

How to use rain in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for rain

Derived forms of rain

Word Origin for rain

Scientific definitions for rain

Other Idioms and Phrases with rain