From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpourpour /pɔː $ pɔːr/ ●●● S2 W3 verb 1 liquid [transitive]POUR to make a liquid or other substance flow out of or into a container by holding it at an angle She poured coffee for everyone.pour something into/out/down etc (something) Pour the oil into a frying pan and heat.pour something away (=get rid of something) The wine was so bad I just poured it away.pour somebody something Why don’t you pour yourself another drink?2 liquid/smoke [intransitive always + adverb/preposition]POUR if a lot of liquid or smoke pours out, it comes out from somewhere in very large amountspour from/down/out Smoke was pouring out of the upstairs windows. Blood was pouring from his nose.3 → it pours4 people or things [intransitive always + adverb/preposition]GO if a lot of people or things pour into or out of a place, a lot of them arrive or leave at the same timepour into/out of/from etc The crowds began pouring out of the stadium. Offers of help poured in from all over the country.5 light [intransitive always + adverb/preposition]GO if light is pouring into or out of a place, a lot of light is coming in or outpour into/out of Light was pouring into the courtyard.6 → pour cold water over/on something7 → pour scorn on somebody/something8 → pour oil on troubled waters9 → pour it on10 → pour on the charmTHESAURUSpour to make a liquid or other substance flow out of or into a container by holding it at an angleJessica was pouring more wine into her glass.He poured me a drink.Raj poured some water from the jug.drizzle to pour a liquid onto food in small drops or in a small stream – often used in cooking instructionsDrizzle a little olive oil onto the bread.Drizzle the lemon juice over the cake.tip to pour something out of a container by turning it upside downHe tipped the cup of milk into the pan.She weighed out the flour and tipped it into the bowl.spill to accidentally make a liquid or other substance come out of a containerSomeone had spilled coffee all over the carpet.The tanker was leaking, and spilled oil into the sea.splash to pour a liquid quickly in an irregular streamTony hurriedly splashed some cream in his coffee.Someone had splashed petrol over the steps and set light to them.She splashed some perfume onto her wrists.decant to pour liquid from one container into another container – a rather formal useRachel decanted the shampoo into small bottles for travelling.He often decanted cheap whisky into bottles of more expensive brands. → pour something into something → pour something ↔ out→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
pour• In recent years he had come to feel that he was pouring all his energies into a lost cause.• By the end of 1995 foreign money was pouring back into most of the countries it had hastily fled.• The rebels fought like demons, and under cover of the dense underbrush poured deadly volleys upon us.• Sweat poured down his face.• Lava from the volcano is pouring down the mountain towards the town.• Gradually pour in the sherry and the stock.• For months, she and Tom had written all those letters, poured out all that love.• Water was pouring out of the release gates on the dam.• Would you pour out the tea?• Stir this into the fromagefrais and pour over the still-hot potatoes in their serving dish.• She opened the wine and poured some into the glass.• She poured some milk into a glass.• Pour the garlic sauce over the hot chicken pieces.• You hold the cup and I'll pour the juice.• Dan picked up the bucket and poured the sand out of it.• To serve, pour the tomato sauce over the veal and sprinkle with parsley.• Rain poured through the open window, waking me again an hour later.pour ... drink• As he was waiting for the barmaid to pour the drinks, Dexter could not resist temptation.• Go and pour yourself a drink, love - you look whacked.• It was claimed that they poured their drinks over the counter and then smashed their beer glasses.• This reminds me of a problem that has been troubling Mycroft. Pour me a drink, Watson.pour from/down/out• Above him, wheat poured from a long pipe-on-wheels into the back of a grain truck.• It was absolutely pouring down as though some one up top was emptying buckets.• Carcinoma, methadone, diabetes, depression, miscarriage and angina have poured down as unremittingly as the weather.• And movement was beginning to pour from him more organically than it had in Los Angeles.• The sweat was pouring from him when the ultimate moment arrived.• There I was, falling through the air, blood pouring from my temple, coming to rest on the snow.• He was nearly deafened by the music that came pouring out of the telephone.• Smoke poured out of the upstairs windows.• Flames were pouring from the house.pour into/out of/from etc• Ferns poured out of a window; scurvy grass lay rotting by the wail.• The mirth poured out of him.• While mournful music poured out from loudspeakers, Jean-Claude hummed.• Half way up, the stream poured out from some hidden source and fell in a silver smoke down to a pool.• Aftershocks poured out of Sylmar and headed toward Northridge.• The blood poured out from the gash while he groaned and begged for water.• In the evening the flocks poured out of the ravines.• Contracts for rifles, wagons, uniforms, boots, corn, ammunition, artillery, and ships poured out of Washington.pour into/out of• Ferns poured out of a window; scurvy grass lay rotting by the wail.• The mirth poured out of him.• The sweat was still pouring out of me, and my shorts and singlet were soaked.• Aftershocks poured out of Sylmar and headed toward Northridge.• His blond hair pours out of the back of his helmet and cascades half way down his back.• In the evening the flocks poured out of the ravines.• He was nearly deafened by the music that came pouring out of the telephone.• Contracts for rifles, wagons, uniforms, boots, corn, ammunition, artillery, and ships poured out of Washington.Origin pour (1200-1300) Perhaps from French dialect purer, from Latin purus; → PURE