rainwatern.
/ˈreɪnˌwɔːtə/, U.S. /ˈreɪnˌwɔdər/, /ˈreɪnˌwɑdər/ Water that falls from the clouds as rain; † occasionally as a count noun (obsolete).
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > liquid > water > [noun] > rain-water
rainwatereOE
the world > the earth > weather and the atmosphere > weather > precipitation or atmospheric moisture > rain > [noun] > rain-water
rainwatereOE
eOE Bald's Leechbk. (Royal) (1865) i. ii. 26 Gefylle [croccan] þonne mid renwætere.
a1200 (?OE) MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1873) 2nd Ser. 151 Þe teares þe man wepeð for longenge to heuene ben cleped rein water oðer deu water.
?a1200 (?OE) Peri Didaxeon (1896) 9 Eftsane nim renwæter oððer wullewæter, þa upwærd wylld and clæne byð.
tr. Palladius De re Rustica (Duke Humfrey) (1896) i. 770 Let make a stewe with rayn watir, thyn herbis to renewe.
1481 W. Caxton tr. Siege & Conqueste Jerusalem (1893) clxxiv. 257 The Cysternes where as was rayn water.
a1513 J. Irland Meroure of Wyssdome f. 235, in Dict. Older Sc. Tongue at Rain The wattir naturale and elementare as is the rane wattir of the sey.
1563 W. Fulke Goodle Gallerye Causes Meteors iv. f. 49v The rayn water doubtles, doth more encrease and cherishe thinges growyng on the earth, then any other water.
1600 R. Surflet tr. C. Estienne & J. Liébault Maison Rustique i. iv. 12 The best and most wholesome water..is raine water falling in sommer.
1666 Philos. Trans. 1665–6 (Royal Soc.) 1 305 He pretends that all Rivers proceed from a Colluvies or Rendevous of Rain-waters.
1674 in J. S. Moore Clifton & Westbury Probate Inventories (1981) 128 In the Brewhouse..a bucking stand and a Tubb for Rayne water.
1692 J. Ray Dissol. World (1693) v. 299 We daily see, that the Rain-waters wash away the Superficies of the Mountains.
a1706 J. Evelyn Direct. for Gardiner (1932) 69 The water of ponds..is excellent; but Raine water has no fellow.
1748 B. Robins & R. Walter Voy. round World by Anson ii. vii. 214 We found it necessary to caulk the decks and sides of the Centurion, to prevent the rain-water from running into her.
1779 Ann. Reg. 1778 Nat. Hist. 111/2 The rain waters, the subterraneous cavities, the absorptions, and sometimes more subitaneous agents, have made great ruins.
1827 M. Faraday Chem. Manip. ii. 50 As pure or purer than rain-water.
1869 E. A. Parkes Man. Pract. Hygiene (ed. 3) 6 Rain-water is collected from roofs.
1887 Sanitary Era (N.Y.) 15 Nov. Rainwater, after all, is nature's dishwater, from washing the great bowl of the atmosphere.
1922 J. Joyce Ulysses ii. xii. [Cyclops] 296 The learned prelate..knelt in a most christian spirit in a pool of rainwater, his cassock above his hoary head.
1950 tr. Mountaineering Handbk. (Assoc. Brit. Members Swiss Alpine Club) vi. 69 Verglas, which is the result of a frozen trickle of water or rainwater, and which covers the rocks like a sheet of glass, is no less dangerous.
1990 Log Home Living Feb.–Mar. 17/1 Rainwater can collect in cracks or splash on the lower logs.
Compounds
C1. General attributive, as rainwater butt, rainwater cistern, rainwater pipe, rainwater spout, rainwater tank, etc.
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1694 W. Burnaby tr. Petronius Satyr (new ed.) 127 We entred the Bath, which was somewhat narrow, and sunk into the Earth, not unlike a Rain-water Cistern.
1755 J. G. Cooper Lett. conc. Taste 64 A large Rain-water Cistern of ten Acres.
1821 Sat. Evening Post (Philadelphia) 18 Aug. 2/1 P. Gray's Tin and Sheet Iron Ware Manufactory,..where may be had, a general assortment of Tin, Iron and Japan'd Wares... Bath Tubs, Shower Baths, &c. &c.—Rain Water Spouts made and put up at the shortest notice.
1833 J. C. Loudon Encycl. Cottage Archit. §854 To put 3 inches lead rain~water stack pipes, with cistern heads to bring the water to the ground in the angle of the north front.
1836 C. Dickens Sketches by Boz 1st Ser. I. 58 An open rain-water butt on one side.
1842 J. Gwilt Encycl. Archit. Gloss. 1023 Rain-Water Pipe, one usually placed against the exterior of a house to carry off the rain-water from the roof.
1844 H. Stephens Bk. of Farm I. 199 Rain-water spouts, or runs as they are technically termed.
1851 H. Stephens Bk. of Farm (ed. 2) II. 540/2 The form of a rain-water cistern.
1884 Meteorology in rel. to Health 30 With regard to this rain-water tank.
1913 E. H. Blake Drainage & Sanitation vii. 239 We may next consider the kinds of waste pipe... They comprise rain-water pipes.., soil pipes, [etc.].
1925 A. S. M. Hutchinson One Increasing Purpose iii. xvi Under the blue tile..of the crazy-paving just by the rain-water butt.
1967 Gloss. Sanitation Terms (B.S.I.) 41 Roof outlet, a rainwater fitting, normally provided with a grating, for building into a flat roof.
1974 J. Aiken Midnight is Place (1977) iv. 117 The rain-water barrel by the stable.
2006 South Wales Evening Post (Nexis) 15 Nov. 16 I also have three rainwater butts.
C2.
rainwater goods n. pipework, guttering, etc., designed to carry rainwater off and away from a building.
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society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > roof > [noun] > downpipe(s)
roan1383
rone1750
fallpipe1846
downpipe1849
downspout1850
rainwater goods1897
1897 Bristol Times & Mirror 2 Apr. 3/1 (advt.) Ironmongery, rain-water goods, steam engine, [etc.].
1949 J. F. L. D'Esté in A. C. Martin Mod. Pract. Plumber (ed. 3) III. xiv. 321 (caption) Surveyor's dimensions for quantities of rainwater goods.
1955 Times 8 July 3/3 The Government would have to look at the restrictive practices and rings in the building industry, particularly in the rain~water goods section.
1981 London (North) Telephone Directory: Yellow Pages Jan. 401/1 Bond & White Ltd. Suppliers—sanitary ware—plumbing—rainwater goods.
rainwater head n. a section of pipe, frequently decorative as well as functional, designed to collect rainwater at the top of a drainpipe, or to funnel the outflow from several pipes into a single downpipe.
ΘΚΠ
society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > roof > [noun] > downpipe(s) > parts of
rose head1742
rainwater head1820
1820 Times 2 May 4/5 (advt.) Leaden pipes and rain water heads.
1876 W. P. Buchan Plumbing xiii. 86 Fig. 149 shows conductor with rain-water head, carrying off water from gutter.
1936 P. E. Thomas Mod. Building Pract. IV. 225 The lower end of a gutter..can be formed so as to discharge direct into a rain-water head.
1963 Times 8 May 6/2 Mr. Lipton (Brixton, Lab.) asked if the Minister would give a list of the persons whose initials were inscribed on the rainwater heads in the new buildings in Downing Street.
1996 Independent 19 Oct. (Weekend section) 20/3 A job lot of four downpipes, 20 metres of half round guttering and four rainwater heads will cost around £150 in plastic.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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