rain
EnglishEdit
Alternative formsEdit
- rayne (obsolete)
EtymologyEdit
From Middle English reyn, rein, from Old English rēn, reġn (“rain”), from Proto-Germanic *regną (“rain”) (compare West Frisian rein, Dutch regen, German Regen, Danish and Norwegian regn), of uncertain origin. Possibly from pre-Germanic *Hréǵ-no-, from Proto-Indo-European *Hreǵ- (“to flow”) (compare Latin rigō (“wet, soak”), Lithuanian rõki (“drizzling rain”), Albanian rrjedh (“to flow, drip”)), although the consonant reflexes don't match.
PronunciationEdit
- enPR: rān, IPA(key): /ɹeɪn/
Audio (US) (file) Audio (UK) (file) Audio (file) - Rhymes: -eɪn
- Homophones: reign, rein
NounEdit
rain (usually uncountable, plural rains)
- Condensed water falling from a cloud.
- We've been having a lot of rain lately.
- The rains came late that year.
- 2019, VOA Learning English (public domain)
- This process involves cloud seeding – when various substances are put into clouds in an attempt to cause rain.
Audio (US) (file)
- This process involves cloud seeding – when various substances are put into clouds in an attempt to cause rain.
- (figuratively) Any matter moving or falling, usually through air, and especially if liquid or otherwise figuratively identifiable with raindrops.
- (figuratively) An instance of particles or larger pieces of matter moving or falling through air.
- A rain of mortar fire fell on our trenches.
Usage notesEdit
Alternative formsEdit
- raygne (obsolete)
SynonymsEdit
- See also Thesaurus:hydrometeor
Derived termsEdit
- Also see terms derived from the verb
- rainband
- rain barrel
- rainbird
- rain bomb
- rainboot
- rainbow
- rain check, raincheck, rain cheque
- rain cloud
- raincoat
- rain collar
- rain crow
- rain dance
- rain day
- rain delay
- raindrop
- rainfall
- rainforest
- rain frog
- rain garden
- rain gauge
- rain hat
- rainish
- rainjacket
- rain lamp
- rainmaker
- rain man
- rain or shine
- rainproof
- rain shadow
- rain-slickened
- rainsoaked, rain-soaked
- rain tree
- rainwash
- rainwater
- rainwear
- rainy
DescendantsEdit
- Sranan Tongo: alen
TranslationsEdit
VerbEdit
rain (third-person singular simple present rains, present participle raining, simple past and past participle rained)
- (impersonal) To have rain fall from the sky.
- It will rain today.
- (intransitive) To fall as or like rain.
- It will rain fire and brimstone at the end of days.
- c. 1601–1602, William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or VVhat You VVill”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act V, scene i]:
- The rain it raineth every day.
- Tears rained from her eyes.
- Leaves rained from the tree.
- Bombs rained from the sky.
- (transitive) To issue (something) in large quantities.
- The boxer rained punches on his opponent's head.
- (obsolete) To reign.
- (Can we date this quote?), Edmund Spenser, Faerie Queene, Book I, canto V
- Such wondrous science in mans witt to rain.
- (Can we date this quote?), Edmund Spenser, Faerie Queene, Book I, canto V
Derived termsEdit
- Also see terms derived from the noun
TranslationsEdit
See alsoEdit
AnagramsEdit
JapaneseEdit
RomanizationEdit
rain
KavalanEdit
NounEdit
rain
SeraEdit
NounEdit
rain
ReferencesEdit
- Terry Crowley, Claire Bowern, An Introduction to Historical Linguistics (2010, →ISBN, page 333
- Stephen Adolphe Wurm, New Guinea Area Languages and Language Study (1976)
SissanoEdit
NounEdit
rain
ReferencesEdit
- Stephen Adolphe Wurm, New Guinea Area Languages and Language Study (1976)
- John Nystrom, Sissano Organised Phonology Data (1992) (as rayn several times in a story; compare ranrayn "wet")