rain

noun

UK /reɪn/

Word Forms

singular	rain
plural	rains

1
uncountable Sound Effect ♬♬♬♬♬♬water that falls in drops from clouds in the sky
Drops of rain ran down the window pane.
Outside the rain continued to fall steadily.
heavy/torrential/pouring rain (=a lot of rain):
Heavy rain has been forecast for Scotland and Northern Ireland.
light rain (=a small amount of rain):
Visibility was good, with only occasional light rain.
in the rain:
People were queuing for buses in the rain.
Synonyms and related words
Rain, snow and sleet
acid rain
avalanche
band
1. 1a
  
  the rains
  plural the large amounts of rain that fall in tropical regions during a particular season
  the monsoon rains
  Synonyms and related words
  Rain, snow and sleet
  acid rain
  avalanche
  band

phrases

(come) rain or shine

rain

noun

US /reɪn/

Word Forms

singular	rain
plural	rains

1
uncountable Sound Effect ♬♬♬♬♬♬water that falls in drops from clouds in the sky
Drops of rain ran down the window pane.
Outside the rain continued to fall steadily.
heavy/torrential/pouring rain (=a lot of rain):
Heavy rain has been forecast for Saturday and Sunday.
light rain (=a small amount of rain):
Visibility was good, with only occasional light rain.
in the rain:
People were lining up for buses in the rain.
Synonyms and related words
Rain, snow and sleet
acid rain
avalanche
band
1. 1a
  
  the rains
  plural the large amounts of rain that fall in tropical regions during a particular season
  the monsoon rains
  Synonyms and related words
  Rain, snow and sleet
  acid rain
  avalanche
  band

phrases

(come) rain or shine

rain

verb

UK /reɪn/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	rain
he/she/it	rains
present participle	raining
past tense	rained
past participle	rained

1
intransitive Sound Effect ♬♬♬♬♬♬if it rains, water falls in drops from clouds in the sky
Just as we were leaving home it started to rain.
rain heavily/hard (=to rain a lot):
It had been raining heavily all day.
Synonyms and related words
To rain or snow
rain
snow
come down
2

rain
or
rain down
intransitive to fall from the air in large amounts
Bombs rained on the crowded streets.
Synonyms and related words
To rain or snow
rain
snow
come down
3

rain
or
rain down
intransitive/transitive to hit or hit against someone or something violently many times
He struggled to block the blows raining on him.
Synonyms and related words
To hit a person
hit
smack
bludgeon
Synonyms and related words
To hit an object
punch
thump
knock

phrases

it never rains but it pours

it’s raining cats and dogs

rain on someone’s parade

phrasal verbs

rain down

rain off

rain out

rain

verb

US /reɪn/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	rain
he/she/it	rains
present participle	raining
past tense	rained
past participle	rained

1
intransitive Sound Effect ♬♬♬♬♬♬if it rains, water falls in drops from clouds in the sky
Just as we were leaving home it started to rain.
rain heavily/hard (=to rain a lot):
It had been raining heavily all day.
Synonyms and related words
To rain or snow
rain
snow
come down
2

rain
or
rain down
intransitive to fall from the air in large amounts
Bombs rained on the crowded streets.
Synonyms and related words
To rain or snow
rain
snow
come down
3

rain
or
rain down
intransitive/transitive to hit or hit against someone or something violently many times
He struggled to block the blows raining on him.
Synonyms and related words
To hit a person
hit
beat
smack
Synonyms and related words
To hit an object
hit
punch
strike

phrases

it’s raining cats and dogs

rain on someone’s parade

when it rains it pours

phrasal verbs

rain down

rain off

rain out

rain ​‌‌‌

the rains

rain ​‌‌‌

the rains

rain ​‌‌

rain

rain down

rain

rain down

rain ​‌‌

rain

rain down

rain

rain down

rain

rain

rain

rain