Idioms for 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
before 900; (noun) Middle English
rein; Old English
regn, rēn, cognate with Dutch, German
regen, Old Norse
regn, Gothic
rign; (v.) Middle English
reinen, Old English
regnian
OTHER WORDS FROM rain
rain·less, adjective rain·less·ness, nounWords nearby rain
Example sentences from the Web for rain
British Dictionary definitions for rain
rain
/ (reɪn) /
noun
verb
US and Canadian term:
rained out
See also
rains
Derived forms of rain
rainless, adjectiveWord Origin for rain
Old English
regn; related to Old Frisian
rein, Old High German
regan, Gothic
rign
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.
Idioms and Phrases with rain
rain