English edit

Etymology edit

From rain +‎ burn, by analogy with sunburn.

Noun edit

rainburn (uncountable)

  1. (humorous) A notional burn on the skin caused by excess exposure to heavy rain.
    • 1991 June 13, Mark Grundy, “Plot Seeds/Story: Undead of Purditory”, in rec.games.frp[1] (Usenet):
      It started with neck and upper body sores that looked a bit like rainburn - but usually they had only two or three of them.
    • 2002 May 31, old dobbin, “wild garlic overdose? (long)”, in uk.rec.equestrian[2] (Usenet):
      I have seen sunburn/windburn and 'rainburn' affect horses over the years but this did not fit any of those causes []
    • 2005, Martin Sketchley, Affinity Trap:
      He peered out, glancing at the sky. 'We'd better get under cover before it starts raining,' he said, breathing heavily. 'We don't want to get rainburn.'

See also edit