rain

Formsrains, raining, rained

1. 1
   wet weathernoununcountable

   Condensed water that falls from clouds as drops.

   The rain fell steadily through the night, soaking the fields.

   Farmers welcomed the rain after weeks of dry weather.

   UsageUse much or a lot of: a lot of rain lately; the rains means a rainy season.

   Similarrainfall, precipitation, showers

   Oppositedrought, sunshine

2. 2
   come down (weather)verbintransitive

   For water to fall from the sky as drops, as part of the weather.

   The forecast says it will rain on and off all weekend, so we moved the picnic indoors.

   It rained for three days without stopping.

   UsageNeeds it as the subject: it's raining (not incorrect: is raining), it rained for days.

   Similarpour, pelt, teem, shower

3. 3
   fall thicklyverbfigurativelyintransitive

   To fall, or send something down, in large amounts like rain, as in 'sparks rained down' or 'rained blows on him.'

   Sparks rained down as the welder cut through the beam.

   Petals rain onto the path whenever the wind shakes the trees.

   UsageUsually with down or from: sparks rained down, bombs rained from the sky; also rain blows on someone.

   Similarshower, pour, cascade

   Note

   Here the falling thing, or whoever sends it down, becomes the subject: tears rained from her eyes, bombs rained from the sky. Unlike the weather verb, it needs a real subject rather than an empty it, and usually a from phrase for the source or down for the direction. Shakespeare's Twelfth Night ends with a song whose refrain, "For the rain it raineth every day," names the rain as the subject and then restates it with the pronoun it. Source

   Checked 3 Nov 2026 · 4 facts

   • William Shakespeare wrote Twelfth Night. en.wikipedia.org
   • Twelfth Night ends with a song. en.wikipedia.org
   • The closing song repeatedly includes the exact refrain quoted in the item. folger.edu
   • The quoted line names the rain and repeats it with the pronoun it. folger.edu
4. 4
   nounfigurativelyuncountable

   Falling matter that moves through the air, especially when it comes down thickly like drops of rain.

   A fine rain of ash drifted down over the village.

   The fireworks ended in a glittering rain of golden sparks.

   UsageUsually a rain of + noun: a rain of ash, a rain of sparks.

   Similarshower, cascade, fall, hail

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