pour
pour — verb
1. to send liquid or another substance out in a steady stream from a bottle, jug, o
to send liquid or another substance out in a steady stream from a bottle, jug, or similar holder, often into somewhere else
Nina poured milk into the pan before heating the soup.
pour something into something
At breakfast, Dad poured me a small glass of orange juice.
pour somebody a drink
Hot tea poured from the pot onto the wooden tray.
intransitive: pour from something
The cook poured thick batter slowly into six paper cups.
A little oil poured out when Leo tipped the bottle.
- pour milk
- pour water
- pour coffee
- pour into a glass
- pour somebody a drink
Grammar Patterns
pour something into something
pour something from something
pour somebody a drink
Usage Note
Often shows both the starting container and the destination with from and into. This is also the usual sense for serving drinks, including the two-object pattern pour someone a drink.
Common Mistakes
2. to come, send, or move in a strong continuous rush, or to fall very heavily, esp
to come, send, or move in a strong continuous rush, or to fall very heavily, especially with rain or crowds
Fans poured through the stadium gates after the concert ended.
crowds pour through somewhere
Rain poured down all night on the tin roof.
pour down = rain heavily
Donations poured in after the school fire damaged two classrooms.
pour in = arrive in large numbers
Dark smoke poured from the factory before dawn.
Tourists poured out of the train and filled the platform.
- pour down
- pour in
- pour out
- pour through the gates
- pour into the street
Grammar Patterns
pour in
pour out of somewhere
pour through somewhere
pour down
pour something into somewhere
Usage Note
Common with particles and prepositions such as in, out, down, and through. Rain is the usual subject in the weather use, while people, traffic, smoke, messages, or money often appear in the movement and supply uses.
Common Mistakes
pour into
phrasal verbThis means to give a lot of money, time, or effort to something.
The company poured millions into developing a new app.
Volunteers poured their energy into cleaning the park.
pour out
phrasal verbThis means to express your feelings or thoughts in a strong and uncontrolled way.
When she heard the news, she poured out her grief in tears.
He poured out his anger in a long letter to the editor.
This means that when one bad thing happens, many other bad things also happen at the same time.
First I lost my keys, then my phone died; it never rains but it pours.
After the car broke down, she got sick too; it never rains but it pours.
This means to criticize or discourage a plan or idea by giving reasons against it.
The manager poured cold water on our proposal to work from home.
Why do you always throw cold water on my creative ideas?
This means to try to calm down a difficult or angry situation.
The teacher poured oil on troubled waters by listening to both sides.
He tried to pour oil on troubled waters after the argument at dinner.
This means to tell someone all your private feelings and problems.
After the breakup, Maya poured out her heart to her best friend.
He opened his heart to the counselor about his fears.
This means to strongly criticize someone or something in a way that shows no respect.
Critics poured scorn on the artist's latest painting.
The senator heaped scorn on the new policy during the debate.
pour — noun
1. the act of letting liquid come out, or the stream of liquid as it comes out
the act of letting liquid come out, or the stream of liquid as it comes out
The pour from the teapot stayed smooth until the cup was full.
the pour from something
Lena watched the pour from the kettle and stopped at the red line.
the pour = the flowing stream
The thin pour of paint ran down the wall beside the window.
One long pour of tea reached each bowl without a single spill.
The cook slowed the pour from the jug near the rim of the bowl.
- a smooth pour
- a steady pour
- the pour from the bottle
- a long pour
Grammar Patterns
the pour from something
a smooth pour
Usage Note
Often appears with from or of when it names the flowing stream itself. Distinguish from sense 2, which counts one serving or amount rather than focusing on the movement of the liquid.
Common Mistakes
2. one amount of drink or other liquid put out at one time
one amount of drink or other liquid put out at one time
The waiter gave Ken a small pour of olive oil for the bread.
a pour of something
After dinner, Maya asked for one more pour of tea.
another pour
The bartender measured each pour of whisky before serving it.
The cook saved one last pour of gravy for the roast chicken.
A second pour of sauce was enough for the noodles.
- a generous pour
- another pour
- a quick pour
- a pour of whisky
Grammar Patterns
a pour of something
another pour
Usage Note
Common with of plus the liquid, and often with adjectives like small, generous, or quick. Unlike sense 1, this sense counts one serving or one measured amount, not the flowing action itself.
Common Mistakes
3. a period of rain that falls hard, often for a short time
a period of rain that falls hard, often for a short time
Another pour drove us under a fruit stand near the night market.
another pour
A sudden pour soaked scooter seats outside the station before sunrise.
a sudden pour
The campers waited out the pour beside a dim lantern in the tent.
The evening pour began just as parents reached the school gate.
the evening pour
After the pour, street vendors rolled their carts back into place.
- a sudden pour
- the evening pour
- another pour
- drizzle
means light rain falling in fine drops
Grammar Patterns
a sudden pour
another pour
Usage Note
Much less common than downpour in everyday speech. It usually appears in weather talk with words like sudden, evening, or another.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- pouringadjectiveB2
- downpournounB2
- outpouringnounC2
- pourernounC2
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
For sense 1, pour is the general verb for making liquid move out of a container in a steady line. Spill is usually accidental, so if coffee lands on the table by mistake, you spill it rather than pour it. Tip often draws attention to turning the container, and the word can be used even when nothing comes out. Drizzle is narrower: it means adding only a little liquid, often over food. Serve is common when the main point is giving someone a drink, while pour keeps the focus on the physical action. You pour tea into a cup, drizzle oil over salad, and spill juice on your shirt.
Common collocations
Etymology
Pour entered English in the Middle English period. It is probably related to an Old Northern French form purer, used for sifting grain and pouring off liquid, and that form may go back to Latin purare, meaning to make clean. The noun developed later from the verb for the act or stream of pouring.