raining


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rain

 (rān)
n.
1.
a. Water condensed from atmospheric vapor and falling in drops.
b. A fall of such water; a rainstorm.
c. The descent of such water.
d. Rainy weather.
e. rains A rainy season.
2. A heavy or abundant fall: a rain of fluffy cottonwood seeds; a rain of insults.
v. rained, rain·ing, rains
v.intr.
1. To fall in drops of water from the clouds.
2. To fall like rain: Praise rained down on the composer.
3. To release rain.
v.tr.
1. To send or pour down.
2. To give abundantly; shower: rain gifts; rain curses upon their heads.
Phrasal Verb:
rain out
To force the cancellation or postponement of (an outdoor event) because of rain. Used in passive constructions: The ball game was rained out.
Idiom:
rain cats and dogs Informal
To rain very heavily.
[Middle English, from Old English regn, rēn.]
rain′less adj.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Adj.1.raining - falling in drops or as if falling like rain; "watched the raining apple blossoms"
descending - coming down or downward
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
Collins Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
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References in classic literature ?
This day also it continued raining, though with no wind at all.
It continued raining all that night and great part of the next day, so that I could not stir abroad; but my mind being more composed, I began to think of what I had best do; concluding that if the island was subject to these earthquakes, there would be no living for me in a cave, but I must consider of building a little hut in an open place which I might surround with a wall, as I had done here, and so make myself secure from wild beasts or men; for I concluded, if I stayed where I was, I should certainly one time or other be buried alive.
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If it keeps raining, the streets will be very wet."
Catherine went every five minutes to the clock, threatening on each return that, if it still kept on raining another five minutes, she would give up the matter as hopeless.
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Weller's statement relative to the accommodations of the establishment, and to back his entreaties with a variety of dismal conjectures regarding the state of the roads, the doubt of fresh horses being to be had at the next stage, the dead certainty of its raining all night, the equally mortal certainty of its clearing up in the morning, and other topics of inducement familiar to innkeepers.
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I believe it is raining, Miss Grey,' added he, more quietly, observing that I had put aside my work, and was preparing to depart.
I have to visit a place a mile beyond this; and you would not have me to return in the dark: besides, it has nearly done raining now--so good-evening, Nancy.
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It was still raining. And not only raining, but storming.
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