drain

DRAYN/dɹeɪn/

18 meanings of drain

1
nounCanadaUScountable
A pipe or opening that lets water flow out of a sink, tub, or other container.
Like the hole at the bottom of a bathtub that lets the water escape.
My ring fell down the bathroom drain, and we had to call a plumber.
Water swirled down the drain after she pulled the stopper.
Similaroutlet, pipe, plughole, conduit
Oppositeinlet
Note
2
verbtransitive
To make the liquid inside something flow out.
Like tipping a cup to pour out all the water inside.
Drain the pasta before you add the sauce.
She drained the bathtub after the kids finished.
Similarbleed
Oppositefill, refill
Note
3
verbintransitive
To lose the liquid inside as it flows away.
Like a wet sponge slowly losing water until it is dry.
The tub drains slowly because of the old pipes.
Let the wet dishes drain on the rack.
Similarempty, dry
Oppositefill, flood
4
verbtransitive
To slowly use up someone's energy, money, or strength.
Like a phone battery that slowly runs down until it dies.
The long shift drained her of all her energy.
Worry can drain your strength day after day.
Similarexhaust, sap, deplete, tire, weary
Oppositeenergize, refresh, invigorate, replenish
5
nouncountable
Something that uses up money, time, or energy and gives nothing back.
Like a hole in your pocket that money keeps falling through.
The empty office building was a drain on the city's budget.
That old car is a constant drain on my savings.
Similarstrain, burden, drag, liability
Oppositeboost
6
nouncountable
A ditch or channel that carries water away from land.
Like a small stream people dig to move water off wet ground.
Farmers dug a drain to move water off the flooded field.
The drain runs along the edge of the marsh.
Similarditch, channel, watercourse
Note
7
verbtransitive
To take the water out of wet land so it becomes dry.
Like soaking up a big puddle until the ground is dry.
Workers drain the wetlands before any building begins.
Engineers drained the swamp to build the new road.
Similarreclaim, dry
Oppositeflood, irrigate
8
verbintransitive
To move or flow away slowly, bit by bit.
Like syrup slowly sliding off a tilted plate.
Watch the water drain through the small crack.
Rainwater drained steadily off the sloping roof.
Similarflow, trickle, seep, ebb, run
9
verbtransitive
To slowly remove the liquid from something, or to use up its energy or resources.
Like letting all the water out of a bathtub until it is empty.
Workers drain the pool every winter to clean it.
Long meetings always drain my energy by the afternoon.
Similarempty, deplete, exhaust, sap
Oppositefill, replenish
Note
10
nounUKcountable
A pipe or opening that carries rainwater straight to a river to help stop flooding.
Like a slide that takes rainwater quickly down to a river.
After the storm, the drain by the lane carried floodwater straight to the river.
The council cleared the blocked drains before the rainy season.
Similargully, culvert, channel

Practice

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Origin

It comes from an old English word meaning to drain or strain, which is related to the word 'dry'.