rain
/reΙͺn/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').
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').
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π‘Pro Tip
Common Collocations
Remember that 'rain' often pairs with adjectives like 'heavy', 'light', or 'steady' (e.g., 'steady rain').
β‘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').
πWord Origin
Old English 'regn', from Proto-Germanic 'regnaz', related to Old Norse 'regn' and Dutch 'regen'.
πUsage 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').