WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
rain /reɪn/USA pronunciation
n.
v.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Meteorology[uncountable] water that is condensed from the vapor in the atmosphere and falls to earth in drops.
- Meteorologya rainfall, rainstorm, or shower: [countable]a heavy rain.[uncountable]a fifty percent chance of rain.
- Meteorology rains, [plural* usually: the + ~] a rainy season;
seasonal rainfall. - a heavy and continuous fall of something usually unwelcome:[countable* usually singular]a rain of blows.
v.
- (of rain) to fall:[no object* it + ~]It rained all night.
- to (cause to) come down like rain: [no object]Bombs rained from above. Tears rained from their eyes.[~ + object]The jets rained bombs down on the enemy position.
- to offer or give in great quantity;
shower:[~ + object]to rain favors upon a person. - rain out, [~ + object* usually: be + ~-ed] to cancel or postpone because of rain:The last game was rained out.
- Idioms rain cats and dogs, to rain heavily.
rain
(rān),USA pronunciation n.
v.i.
v.t.
rain′less, adj.
rain′less•ness, n.
- Meteorologywater that is condensed from the aqueous vapor in the atmosphere and falls to earth in drops more than 1⁄50 in. (0.5 mm) in diameter. Cf. drizzle (def. 6).
- Meteorologya rainfall, rainstorm, or shower:We had a light rain this afternoon.
- Meteorology rains, the rainy season;
seasonal rainfall, as in India. - Meteorologyweather marked by steady or frequent rainfall:We had rain most of last summer.
- a heavy and continuous descent or inflicting of anything:a rain of blows; a rain of vituperation.
v.i.
- (of rain) to fall (usually used impersonally with it as subject):It rained all night.
- to fall like rain:Tears rained from their eyes.
- to send down rain:The lightning flashed and the sky rained on us in torrents.
v.t.
- to send down in great quantities, as small pieces or objects:People on rooftops rained confetti on the parade.
- to offer, bestow, or give in great quantity:to rain favors upon a person.
- to deal, hurl, fire, etc., repeatedly:to rain blows on someone's head.
- rain cats and dogs, [Informal.]to rain very heavily or steadily:We canceled our picnic because it rained cats and dogs.
- rain out, to cause, by raining, the cancellation or postponement of a sports event, performance, or the like:The double-header was rained out yesterday.
- bef. 900; (noun, nominal) Middle English rein; Old English regn, rēn, cognate with Dutch, German regen, Old Norse regn, Gothic rign; (verb, verbal) Middle English reinen, Old English regnian
rain′less•ness, n.
- 10.See corresponding entry in Unabridged lavish, shower, pour.