rain

rain — noun

1. the small drops of water that come out of clouds and reach the ground

1.nounA1
Definition

the small drops of water that come out of clouds and reach the ground

Example

The rain fell hard on the roof of the wooden cabin all afternoon.

collocation: rain fell hard

Iker forgot his umbrella and got completely soaked in the rain yesterday.

collocation: soaked in the rain

Common collocations
  • heavy rain
  • light rain
  • rain falls
  • rain stops
  • in the rain
  • soaked by rain
Synonyms
  • rainwater

    focuses on water that has already fallen and been collected, not the falling process

  • precipitation

    a technical term covering rain, snow, sleet, and hail; register is formal or scientific

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

the + rain

rain + verb (falls/stops/comes)

Usage Note

Rain is an uncountable noun in this sense — you cannot say 'a rain' or 'two rains' to refer to falling water. Use 'a drop of rain' or 'some rain' instead.

Common Mistakes

There was a heavy rain last night.
There was heavy rain last night.
rain is uncountable; no article for general reference.
The rains are good for the garden.
The rain is good for the garden.
use the singular form when talking about water from the sky, not the season.

2. a long period in tropical parts of the world when it rains nearly every day

2.nounB1
Definition

a long period in tropical parts of the world when it rains nearly every day

Example

The rains in southern India arrive in June and last for about three months.

plural form 'rains' for the season

Yara's family stores extra food before the rains begin each year.

Common collocations
  • the rains arrive
  • the rains begin
  • during the rains
  • before the rains
  • after the rains
Synonyms
  • monsoon

    more specific — refers to a seasonal wind system that brings rain, especially in South and Southeast Asia

  • rainy season

    exact synonym, more transparent in meaning

Antonyms
  • dry season

    the period of the year with little or no rain in tropical climates

Grammar Patterns

the rains + verb

during the rains

Usage Note

In this sense, rain is usually plural ('the rains') and always takes the definite article. It refers specifically to the annual rainy season in tropical or monsoon climates, not to ordinary rainy weather.

Common Mistakes

The rain will start in June' (meaning the season).
The rains will start in June.
use the plural 'rains' to refer to the rainy season.

3. a sudden large number of objects that fall or arrive all at once

3.nounB2
Definition

a sudden large number of objects that fall or arrive all at once

Example

The winning team was cheered as a rain of confetti fell from above.

figurative pattern: a rain of [something]

After the speech, a rain of complaints arrived at the mayor's office within hours.

Common collocations
  • a rain of arrows
  • a rain of blows
  • a rain of questions
  • a rain of letters
Synonyms
  • shower

    similar figurative sense — 'a shower of compliments'; slightly less forceful than 'rain'

  • flood

    suggests an overwhelming amount; used for abstract things like information or emotions

  • barrage

    implies something forceful or aggressive, such as a barrage of questions or criticism

Grammar Patterns

a rain of + noun (plural)

rain of + noun

Usage Note

This is a figurative sense — the objects are not literally water. The phrase 'a rain of' is used to emphasize both the quantity and the sense of things coming down or arriving continuously.

Idioms

come rain, come shine | (come) rain or shine

idiom

This phrase means that something will happen no matter what the weather or circumstances are.

Maya walks to school every day, come rain or shine.

The market opens at 8 AM, rain or shine.

(as) right as rain

idiom

This phrase means to be in very good health or working perfectly.

After a good night's sleep, Diego felt as right as rain.

My car is old but it runs as right as rain.

rain — verb

Word family

  • rainy
    adjectiveA2
  • rained
    verb (past tense)A1
  • raining
    verb (present participle)A1
  • rainless
    adjectiveC1
  • rainbow
    nounA2
  • raincoat
    nounA2
  • raindrop
    nounB1
  • rainfall
    nounB1
  • rainstorm
    nounB2
  • rainwater
    nounB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe water falling from the sky, but they differ in intensity and duration. 'Drizzle' is light, fine rain with very small drops that falls gently — you might not even need an umbrella. 'Shower' is a short period of rain that starts and stops suddenly, often passing through an area in minutes. 'Rain' is the general term for continuous falling water, ranging from light to moderate. 'Downpour' is a very heavy, sudden rain where water falls fast and hard, often flooding streets within minutes. For example: 'I felt a light drizzle on my face as I stepped outside.' 'A quick shower passed over the park, then the sun came out again.' 'We got caught in a sudden downpour and were soaked completely through before we reached the door.'

drizzleshower ↗downpour

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • rain or shine
  • come rain or shine
  • take shelter from the rain

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishEnglish

The word 'rain' comes from Old English 'regn' (noun) and 'regnan' (verb), which go back to a Proto-Germanic root *regna-. This same ancient root produced Dutch 'regen', German 'Regen', and Swedish 'regn'. The word has stayed remarkably stable in form and meaning across more than a thousand years of English history.