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rain

/reɪn/
nounverb★Beginner
general

Precipitation in the form of liquid water droplets falling from the atmosphere.

It started to rain heavily during our picnic.

The rain poured down as we tried to set up the tent.

💡

Often used metaphorically to describe emotional outbursts (e.g., 'tears of rain').

general

To fall as rain; to descend in drops of water.

The clouds began to rain after the storm.

It rained all night, making the roads slippery.

💡

Can be used intransitively (e.g., 'It rains often here') or transitively (e.g., 'The sky rained down hail').

Collocations

heavy rainRain that falls with great intensity.acid rainRain polluted by industrial emissions, harmful to the environment.rain checkA postponement of an event, often due to weather.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

rain on someone's paradeidiom
To spoil someone's plans or happiness.
rain or shinephrase
Regardless of the weather or circumstances.

💡Pro Tip

Common Collocations

Remember that 'rain' often pairs with adjectives like 'heavy', 'light', or 'steady' (e.g., 'steady rain').

⚡Gold Rule

Noun vs. Verb

'Rain' can be both a noun (e.g., 'The rain is cold') and a verb (e.g., 'It rains a lot here').

📖Word Origin

Old English 'regn', from Proto-Germanic 'regnaz', related to Old Norse 'regn' and Dutch 'regen'.

📝Usage Notes

In British English, 'rain' is often used without an article (e.g., 'It's raining'), while in American English, 'rain' can sometimes be used with 'the' (e.g., 'The rain is coming down hard').

Word Breakdown

rain
Water falling from the sky.
root
English Dictionary

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