- 1 [uncountable, singular] water that falls from the sky in separate drops There will be rain in all parts tomorrow. Rain is forecast for the weekend. Don't go out in the rain. It's pouring with rain (= raining very hard). heavy/torrential/driving rain The rain poured down. It looks like rain (= as if it is going to rain). A light rain began to fall. I think I felt a drop of rain. Vocabulary BuildingRain and stormsRain Drizzle is fine light rain. A shower is a short period of rain. A downpour or a cloudburst is a heavy fall of rain that often starts suddenly. When it is raining very hard you can say that it is pouring. In informal British English you can also say that it is bucketing down or chucking it down. You can also say: The heavens opened.Storms A cyclone and a typhoon are types of violent tropical storms with very strong winds. A hurricane has very strong winds and is usually at sea. A monsoon is a period of very heavy rain in particular countries, or the wind that brings this rain. A squall is a sudden strong, violent wind, usually in a rain or snow storm. A tornado (or informal twister) has very strong winds which move in a circle, often with a long narrow cloud. A whirlwind moves very fast in a spinning movement and causes a lot of damage. A blizzard is a snow storm with very strong winds. Tempest is used mainly in literary language to describe a violent storm. CollocationsThe weatherGood weather be bathed in/bask in/be blessed with/enjoy bright/brilliant/glorious sunshine the sun shines/warms something/beats down (on something) the sunshine breaks/streams through something fluffy/wispy clouds drift across the sky a gentle/light/stiff/cool/warm/sea breeze blows in/comes in off the sea the snow crunches beneath/under somebody’s feet/bootsBad weather thick/dark/storm clouds form/gather/roll in/cover the sky/block out the sun the sky darkens/turns black a fine mist hangs in the air a dense/heavy/thick fog rolls in the rain falls/comes down (in buckets/sheets)/pours down snow falls/comes down/covers something the wind blows/whistles/howls/picks up/whips through something/sweeps across something strong/gale-force winds blow/gust (up to 80 mph) a storm is approaching/is moving inland/hits/strikes/rages thunder rolls/rumbles/sounds (forked/sheet) lightning strikes/hits/flashes a (blinding/snow) blizzard hits/strikes/blows/rages a tornado touches down/hits/strikes/destroys something/rips through something forecast/expect/predict rain/snow/a category-four hurricane (North American English) pour (down)/ (British English) pour (down) with rain get caught in/seek shelter from/escape the rain be covered/shrouded in mist/a blanket of fog be in for/brave/shelter from a/the storm hear rolling/distant thunder be battered/buffeted by strong winds (British English) be blowing a gale battle against/brave the elementsThe weather improves the sun breaks through the clouds the sky clears/brightens (up)/lightens (up) the clouds part/clear the rain stops/lets up/holds off the wind dies down the storm passes the mist/fog lifts/clears see also acid rain, rainy Wordfinderraindownpour, drought, flash flood, monsoon, precipitation, puddle, rain, shelter, shower, squall Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivedriving, hard, lashing, … … of raindrop, inch, shower, … verb + rainforecast, look like, threaten, … rain + verbcome down, fall, pour down, … rain + nouncloud, drop, water, … prepositionin the rain, out of the rain, through the rain, … phrasescome rain or shine, rain or shine See full entry See related entries: Rain
- 2the rains [plural] the season of heavy continuous rain in tropical countries The rains come in September. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivedriving, hard, lashing, … … of raindrop, inch, shower, … verb + rainforecast, look like, threaten, … rain + verbcome down, fall, pour down, … rain + nouncloud, drop, water, … prepositionin the rain, out of the rain, through the rain, … phrasescome rain or shine, rain or shine See full entry
- 3[singular] rain of something a large number of things falling from the sky at the same time a rain of arrows/stones Word OriginOld English regn (noun), regnian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch regen and German Regen.Extra examples Black clouds threatened rain. Come in out of the rain. Heavy rain drenched us. It looks like rain. It poured with rain all afternoon. None of us had proper rain gear. Overnight rain had freshened up the garden. Rain beat against the roof all night. Rain dripped down his collar. Rain is forecast for tomorrow. She listened to the rain pattering against the window. The fine rain turned to mist in the early evening. The forecast is for wind and light rain. The monsoon rains started early this year. The rain came just as we set off. The rain continued for most of the day. The rain didn’t let up all day. The rain drove the players off the court. The rain had set in steadily by the time we got home. The rain pounded down on her. We could do with a spot of rain. We drove slowly through the driving rain. We found her sitting in the pouring rain. We got caught in the rain on the way home. We had three inches of rain last night. We work outside every day, rain or shine. With rain threatening, we headed home as fast as we could. Don’t go out in the rain. It’s pouring with rain. The archers poured a rain of arrows on the enemy.Idioms
whether there is rain or sun; whatever happens He goes jogging every morning, rain or shine.
(informal) in excellent health or condition
Check pronunciation: rain
