From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishrainrain1 /reɪn/ ●●● S2 W2 noun 1 [uncountable]DN water that falls in small drops from clouds in the sky a night of wind and rain There will be heavy rain in most parts of the country.in the rain I left my bicycle out in the rain. → acid rain, rain drop, rainy2 → the rains3 → rain of something4 → (come) rain or shine —rainless adjective → right as rain at right1(9)COLLOCATIONSADJECTIVES/NOUN + rainheavy (=with a lot of water coming down)The rain became more heavy.light (=with little water coming down)A light rain began to fall.torrential (=very heavy)I woke to the sound of torrential rain.pouring rain (=very heavy rain)He left us standing in the pouring rain.driving rain (=heavy rain that is falling fast or being blown along)They struggled to walk against driving rain.freezing rain (=extremely cold rain) the icy wind and freezing rainfine rain (=very gentle rain)A fine rain was coming down as the game started. acid rain (=rain which contains pollution from factories)forests which have been damaged by acid rainverbsthe rain fallsThe rain was still falling steadily.the rain comes down (=it falls)If the rain starts coming down, we can always go inside.The monsoon rain comes down in sheets.the rain stopsThey went into a cafe and waited for the rain to stop.the rain eases off (=it starts to rain less)The rain should ease off in a minute.the rain pours down (=a lot of rain comes down)The rain was pouring down and I was quickly soaked.the rain pelts down (=it comes down fast)The rain was now pelting down.the rain beats/lashes (=it falls or hits something with a lot of force)Isabel listened to the rain beating down.the rain patters on something (=drops of rain hit something and make a sound)Rain pattered on the roof.get caught in the rain (=be outside when it starts raining)Did you get caught in the rain?phrasesit is pouring with rain British English, it is pouring rain American English (=a lot of rain is falling)When we went outside it was pouring with rain.it looks like rain (=rain appears likely because there are dark clouds in the sky)We ate indoors because it looked like rain.a drop of rainRobert felt a drop of rain on his face.an inch/25mm etc of rainTwo inches of rain fell in twelve hours.outbreaks of rain (=short periods of rain – used in weather forecasts)Outbreaks of rain will spread across northern parts.a rain shower (also a shower of rain British English) (=a short period of rain)a heavy shower of rain accompanied by lightning sheets of rain (=large moving masses of heavy rain)He drove home slowly, through sheets of rain.a rain cloudThick black rain clouds massed in the sky. THESAURUSrain noun [uncountable] water that falls in small drops from clouds in the skyThe rain has stopped at last.There had been heavy rain during the night.drizzle noun [uncountable] light rain with very small drops of waterA light drizzle was falling as I left the house.shower noun [countable] a short period of rain that can be heavy or lightMore heavy showers are forecast for tonight.a light shower of raindownpour noun [countable usually singular] a short period of very heavy rain that starts suddenlyA sudden downpour sent us running for shelter.a torrential downpourhail noun [uncountable] frozen rain that falls in the form of hailstones (=small balls of ice)The hail and high winds have destroyed many of the county’s crops.sleet noun [uncountable] a mixture of snow and rainThe rain had turned to sleet.Sleet and snow fell.the rains noun [plural] heavy rain that falls during a particular period in the year in tropical countriesThe farmers are waiting for the rains to come.monsoon noun [countable] the heavy rain that falls between April and October in India and other southern Asian countriesThe monsoon is late this year.the monsoon season
Examples from the Corpus
rain• When acid rain falls, it affects the pH balance of the soil.• However, the weather may not be so good, and rain and gales are frequent.• The new wind brought rain, and not just showers, but a constant soaking deluge flying sometimes straight at us.• The roads are flooded after a period of exceptionally heavy rain.• The moist snowfall had changed into rain.• Some light rain is likely in the Boston area.• There's an 80% chance of rain.• Four inches of rain have fallen in four days.• Between the gusts, the sound of rain on the roof and water pouring off it was continuous.• The undisguised face gleamed in the rain.• I like walking in the rain• It was peaceful, under the rain.• The rain was beating against the window.• The coast has been battered by torrential rain all week.in the rain• The hideous blood smear on the window was a running crimson blur in the rain.• For the next several days it poured, but I continued to cut my firewood and build an outhouse in the rain.• Balvinder Singh dropped me outside during a brief pause in the rain.• Struggling, he pinched a finger, which bled pink in the rain.• And on Saturday, in the rain at Newmarket, Jeremy Glover savoured it to the full.• Do you remember waiting on the station in the rain?• Said she liked to walk in the rain and eat peanut butter-and-banana sandwiches.rainrain2 ●●● S3 verb 1 → it rains2 → rain (down) blows/blows rain down3 → it never rains but it poursCOLLOCATIONSadverbsit rains heavily/hard (=a lot of water comes down)It was raining heavily when we arrived in New York.it rains non-stop/solidly/steadily (=without stopping)It rained solidly every single day.it rains slightly/lightly (=a little water comes down)It’s raining slightly, but we can still go out.verbsit starts raining/it starts to rainIt had started to rain again.it stops rainingHas it stopped raining?phrasesit is raining cats and dogs informal (=it is raining very hard – this phrase sounds rather old-fashioned) THESAURUSit’s raining drops of water are falling from the skyIt’s raining – you’d better take an umbrella.it’s pouring (down) British English, it’s pouring (rain) American English it is raining very heavilyWe stayed at home because it was pouring down all day.it’s chucking it down British English informal it is raining very heavilyOutside it was chucking it down and the streets were deserted. it’s drizzling very gentle rain is fallingIt’s only drizzling – let’s go for a walk anyway.it’s hailing frozen rain in the form of small balls of ice are fallingIt had been hailing and the roads were still slippery. → rain down → be rained off→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
rain• It was quiet outside, and raining.• Take an umbrella in case it rains.• By the time John parked in Sloane Crescent the sun had vanished behind lowering cloud, and it was starting to rain.• It had started to rain again.• It rained all night, and half the day after.• It had been raining all week and the cleared paths were slick where the rain had frozen on top of the snow.• At 7,000 metres a shower of rocks rained down on me.• It was raining hard.• About 1.30 am we got home to Debenham, it was raining it was cold and completely desolate.• It was as though the mourning cloud that had stopped above Rehoboth had rained meanness and waiting.• Earlier in the day it had been raining, now there was a high wind blowing.• Think it'll rain this weekend?Origin rain1 Old English regn 