First Known Use: before 12th century
Dictionary
1rain
noun, often attributive \ˈrān\
: water that falls in drops from clouds in the sky
: weather in which there is a lot of rain : rainy weather
rains : large amounts of rain that fall at a particular time of year
Full Definition of RAIN
1
a : water falling in drops condensed from vapor in the atmosphere b : the descent of this water c : water that has fallen as rain : rainwater
3
: rainy weather
4
: a heavy fall <a rain of arrows>
See rain defined for English-language learners
See rain defined for kids
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Origin of RAIN
Middle English reyn, from Old English regn, rēn; akin to Old High German regan rain
Rhymes with RAIN
ain, Aisne, ane, Bain, bane, blain, brain, cane, chain, crane, deign, drain, fain, fane, feign, gain, grain, Kane, lane, Lane, main, mane, pain, Paine, pane, plain, plane, quean, reign, rein, sain, sane, seine, Seine, skein, Spain, sprain, stain, strain, swain, thane, thegn, train, twain, Twain, vain, vane, vein, wain, wane, Wayne
2rain
verb
—used with it to say that rain is falling
: to fall from above in large amounts
: to cause (something) to fall in large amounts
Full Definition of RAIN
intransitive verb
1
: to send down rain
2
: to fall as water in drops from the clouds
3
: to fall like rain <soot and ash rained down>
transitive verb
1
: to pour down
2
: to give or administer abundantly <rained blows on his head>
— rain cats and dogs
: to rain heavily
See rain defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of RAIN
before 12th century
Related to RAIN
- Synonyms
- pour, precipitate, storm, rain cats and dogs
RAIN Defined for Kids
1rain
noun \ˈrān\
Definition of RAIN for Kids
1
: water falling in drops from the clouds
2
: a fall of water in drops from the clouds
3
: rainy weather <“Are you going to sleep out in all this rain?” — E. B. White, Stuart Little>
4
: a heavy fall of objects
Headscratcher for RAIN
Rain, reign, and rein all sound alike but have different meanings. Rain is the water that falls from the sky. A reign is the rule of a king or queen. A rein is a strap used to control an animal, such as a horse.
2rain
verb
rainedrain·ing
Definition of RAIN for Kids
1
: to fall as water in drops from the clouds
2
: to send down rain <The clouds rained for days.>
3
: to fall in large amounts <Ashes rained from the volcano.>
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