rain
n
a precipitation from clouds in the form of drops of water, formed by the condensation of water vapour in the atmosphere
c (in combination)
a raindrop Related adjs →
hyetal →
pluvious
2 a large quantity of anything falling rapidly or in quick succession
a rain of abuse
a regardless of the weather
b regardless of circumstances
4 ♦
right as rain (Brit)
informal perfectly all right; perfectly fit
vb
5 intr; with it as subject to be the case that rain is falling
6 often with it as subject to fall or cause to fall like rain
the lid flew off and popcorn rained on everyone
7 tr to bestow in large measure
to rain abuse on someone
8 ♦
rain cats and dogs
Informal to rain heavily; pour
9 ♦
rained off cancelled or postponed on account of rain,
(U.S. and Canadian term)
rained out (See also)
→
rains (Old English regn; related to Old Frisian rein, Old High German regan, Gothic rign) ♦
rainless adj
acid rain
n rain that contains a high concentration of pollutants, chiefly sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, released into the atmosphere by the burning of fossil fuels such as coal or oil
rain check
n
1 (U.S. and Canadian) a ticket stub for a baseball or other game that allows readmission on a future date if the event is cancelled because of rain
2 the deferral of acceptance of an offer, esp., a voucher issued to a customer wishing to purchase a sale item that is temporarily out of stock, enabling him to buy it at the special price when next the item is available
3 ♦
take a rain check
Informal to accept the postponement of an offer
rain gauge
n an instrument for measuring rainfall or snowfall, consisting of a cylinder covered by a funnel-like lid, (Also called)
pluviometer
rain shadow
n the relatively dry area on the leeward side of high ground in the path of rain-bearing winds
rain tree
n a leguminous tree, Samanea saman, native to Central America and widely planted in the tropics for ornament. It has red-and-yellow feathery flowers and pinnate leaves whose leaflets close at the approach of rain
yellow rain
n a type of yellow precipitation described in parts of SE Asia and alleged by some to be evidence of chemical warfare using mycotoxins