shower
1 Americannoun
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a brief fall of rain or, sometimes, of hail or snow.
An afternoon shower is forecast for tomorrow.
This weekend they’re predicting freezing weather with scattered snow showers.
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Also called shower bath.
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a bath in which water is sprayed on the body, usually from an overhead perforated nozzle showerhead.
I took a quick shower before dinner.
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the apparatus for this or the room or stall enclosing it.
The shower is leaking.
We have two bathrooms, but the downstairs one has only a shower and no tub.
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an abundant supply or quantity.
I wish you and your family a shower of wealth, joy, health, and other blessings!
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a party at which gifts of a specific kind are given, as for a bride, prospective parent, someone moving house, or any other purpose.
Excited by the prospect of a new campus infirmary, students and alumni held a linen shower to provide new sheets and towels.
When he moved into his own apartment, we held a housewarming shower for him, giving him more kitchenware than one person could ever use.
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a fall of many objects, such as tears, sparks, things that are thrown, etc..
The couple walked out of the church under a shower of confetti.
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Astronomy. air shower.
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showers, a room or area equipped with several overhead perforated nozzles, sometimes in separate stalls, for use by a number of people bathing at the same time.
verb (used with object)
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showers,
present (3rd person singular)
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showered,
past participle, past
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showering
present participle
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to bestow liberally or lavishly.
We showered good wishes and last-minute bits of advice on the departing hockey team.
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to deluge (a person) with gifts, favors, etc..
She was showered with gifts on her birthday.
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to bathe (oneself) with water sprayed on the body, usually from an overhead perforated nozzle.
In the past 30 days the patient has been able to exercise, shower himself, toilet himself, and play a board game.
verb (used without object)
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showers,
present (3rd person singular)
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showered,
past participle, past
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showering
present participle
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to bathe with water sprayed on the body, usually from an overhead perforated nozzle.
Do you prefer to shower in the morning or at bedtime?
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to rain briefly.
During the final game on Saturday it showered for a couple of minutes, and then the sun came out again.
idioms
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hit the showers,
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to go and take a shower (originally of a group bathing in a space with multiple overhead nozzles, as in a gym, school, locker room, etc.).
The coach made us run one more lap before we hit the showers.
After eight hours helping them move, I'm ready to hit the showers and go to bed.
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Baseball. (of a pitcher) to be replaced in a game, usually because of ineffectiveness.
He was throwing inconsistently and found himself hitting the showers before the fifth inning four times in two months.
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to stop giving one’s full effort, as if the game or task were over.
You don't hit the showers if you're up three touchdowns in the first quarter—you finish the game with the same intensity you started with.
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send to the showers,
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to replace (a pitcher) during a game, usually because they are ineffective.
The coach sent him to the showers after he walked three batters in a row.
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to cause (a pitcher) to be replaced in a game, as by getting many hits off them; knock out of the box.
Two home runs and a line-drive double sent her to the showers.
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noun
noun
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a brief period of rain, hail, sleet, or snow
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a sudden abundant fall or downpour, as of tears, sparks, or light
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a rush; outpouring
a shower of praise
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a kind of bath in which a person stands upright and is sprayed with water from a nozzle
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Full name: shower bath. the room, booth, etc, containing such a bath
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slang a derogatory term applied to a person or group, esp to a group considered as being slack, untidy, etc
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a party held to honour and present gifts to a person, as to a prospective bride
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a large number of particles formed by the collision of a cosmic-ray particle with a particle in the atmosphere
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a light fabric cover thrown over a tea table to protect the food from flies, dust, etc
verb
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(tr) to sprinkle or spray with or as if with a shower
shower the powder into the milk
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to fall or cause to fall in the form of a shower
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(tr) to give (gifts, etc) in abundance or present (a person) with (gifts, etc)
they showered gifts on him
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(intr) to take a shower
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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showerlessadjective
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showerlikeadjective
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showeryadjective
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unshoweredadjective
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well-showeredadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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showersimple
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showerssimple
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have showeredperfect
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has showeredperfect
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am showeringprogressive
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are showeringprogressive
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is showeringprogressive
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have been showeringperfect progressive
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has been showeringperfect progressive
Past
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showeredsimple
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had showeredperfect
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was showeringprogressive
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were showeringprogressive
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had been showeringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of shower1
First recorded before 950; Middle English noun shouer, shour, shour(r)e Old English scūr, scūra; cognate with German Schauer, Old Norse skūr, Gothic skūra; verb derivative of the noun
Origin of shower2
First recorded before 900; Middle English sheuer(e), shoure “watchman, overseer, teacher, guide” Old English scēawere, derivative of scēawian to show; see -er 1
Vocabulary lists containing shower
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But those who missed it still have the Northern Taurid shower in store, peaking overnight on Nov. 11, said Tim Thompson, the science director at Mt.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026
The en-suite bathroom is spa-inspired, with dual vanities, a peaceful walk-in shower, and a freestanding tub.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 4, 2026
The company and the freeholder said they were providing residents with temporary heating and alternative access to shower facilities, "with further arrangements also being explored".
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026
Because the session also included a brief cold shower, the findings reflect the combined sauna and cooling routine rather than the isolated effects of heat alone.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 28, 2026
“Give me the griffin. Go and shower, as hot and fast as you can, and come back down.”
From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell
Meteor showers aren't the only reason to get outside before dawn.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 6, 2026
Three meteor showers offer multiple opportunities to catch shooting stars, including occasional fireballs bright enough to stand out dramatically against the night sky.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 6, 2026
High pressure will be focused across Scotland on Tuesday allowing some showers to sneak into south-east England.
From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026
After a dark and stormy Halloween night with showers that continued into Sunday, Southern California can expect clear skies this week as well as hotter temperatures, particularly along the beleaguered coastline.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026
To line up for water and showers and burners and food rations.
From "Without Refuge" by Jane Mitchell
Specifically, green cabbage roasted in miso butter, then showered with crispy, lemony panko breadcrumbs.
From Salon ● Oct. 30, 2026
"The evidence before me clearly shows that the claimant, smitten by the defendant, had showered her with expensive gifts during their relationship," the judge said.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
I showered the whole thing with cotija and lemon zest and served it alongside one of those zesty slaw kits, also from Trader Joe’s.
From Salon ● Sep. 6, 2026
Then, from May through July 2025, as bitcoin’s price sailed past $100,000 again, investors showered another $15.7 billion on these funds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
“Geez. Look at it this way. If you add our ages together, we're not minors; we're one adult. Freebie isn't a pet. He’s a hotel guest and family member. And I showered after basketball.”
From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty
The crowd revolted, showering the court with cups, beer cans and garbage.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2026
It’s similar to how showering children with too much praise can screw them up.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
Its open crumb absorbs just enough sauce to become more flavorful as it sits, while the soft crust remains easy to eat on a towel without showering your lap in shards.
From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026
Use extractor fans when cooking or showering because they remove warm, moist air before it spreads through the home.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 29, 2026
After showering and wrapping her favorite scarf around her wet hair, Ella retrieved the braid-hands Mama had packed.
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
