Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 3rd Edition

Cambridge University Press 2008

acid rain noun [U ]
rain which contains large amounts of harmful chemicals as a result of burning substances such as coal and oil
cloud-burst noun [C ]
a sudden heavy fall of rain
deluge noun [C ]
1. a very large amount of rain or water
This little stream can become a deluge when it rains heavily.
downpour noun [C usually singular ]
a lot of rain in a short time
drizzle noun RAIN
1. [U] rain in very small light drops
Tomorrow will be cloudy with outbreaks of rain and drizzle.
drizzle verb RAIN
2. [I] to rain in small light drops
It's been drizzling all day.
mizzle noun [U ] MAINLY US
rain made of many very small drops
mizzle verb [I ]
It's been mizzling most of the morning.
precipitation noun [U ] RAIN
1. SPECIALIZED water which falls from the clouds towards the ground, especially as rain or snow
Hail and sleet are types of precipitation.
The forecast is for dry, cloudy weather with no precipitation expected.
puddle noun [C ]
a small pool of liquid on the ground, especially from rain
rain noun [U ]
1. drops of water from clouds
Rain is forecast for tomorrow.
Come inside out of the rain.
We had heavy/light rain all day.
We got caught in pouring/torrential (= a lot of) rain without either raincoats or umbrellas.
There will be showers of rain/rain showers (= short periods of rain) in the east.
It looks like rain (= as if rain is going to fall).
rain verb [I ]
If it rains, water falls from the sky in small drops
I think it's starting to rain.
It's raining hard/heavily (= a large amount of rain is falling).
rainbow noun [C ]
an arch (= curved shape) of different colours seen in the sky when rain is falling and the sun is shining
The tropical butterfly's wings were shimmering with all the colours of the rainbow.
raindrop noun [C ]
a single drop of rain
rainfall noun [U ]
rain, or the amount of rain that falls
Heavy rainfall ruined the match.
The average annual rainfall in this region: 750 mm.
rain gauge noun [C ]
a device for measuring how much rain falls
rainstorm noun [C ]
a weather condition with strong wind and heavy rain
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 3rd Edition
Cambridge University Press 2008
rain water noun [U ]
water that has fallen as rain, rather than water which has come from a tap
I collect rain water to water my plants.
Scotch mist noun [U ]
a mixture of thin fog and light rain
shower noun RAIN
4. [C] a short period of rain or snow
showers of rain, hail and sleet
You're soaked! Did you get caught in the shower?
There will be thundery/wintry showers over many parts of the country.
Snow showers are expected at the end of the week.
spatter noun [C ]
spit verb (spitting, spat or US ALSO spit, spat or US ALSO spit) RAIN
4. [I] INFORMAL to rain very slightly
If it's only spitting (with rain), perhaps we don't need waterproofs.
spot verb (-tt-) RAIN
3. [I] UK If someone says it's spotting (with rain), they mean that a few drops of rain are falling.
sprinkle noun [C usually singular ] (US ALSO sprinkling)
a very light fall of rain or snow which lasts only a short time
teem verb [I ] (ALSO teem down) UK
to rain heavily
It's been teeming down all day.
It's teeming with rain.
torrential adjective
used to refer to very heavy rain
torrential rain
a torrential downpour/storm
washout , ALSO wash out noun CANCELLED EVENT
2. [C] an event or sports competition that is prevented from happening or stopped early because of heavy
rain
sprinkle noun [C usually singular ] (US ALSO sprinkling)
a very light fall of rain or snow which lasts only a short time
teem verb [I ] (ALSO teem down) UK
to rain heavily
It's been teeming down all day.
It's teeming with rain.
washout , ALSO wash out noun CANCELLED EVENT
2. [C] an event or sports competition that is prevented from happening or stopped early because of heavy
rain
bucket down phrasal verb UK INFORMAL
to rain heavily
It's absolutely bucketing down.
piss down phrasal verb [I ] UK OFFENSIVE
to rain heavily
It's really pissing (it) down here at the moment.
wash sth out phrasal verb [usually passive ]
If an event or sports competition is washed out, it is prevented from happening or stopped early because of
heavy rain
The men's semi-finals in the tennis were washed out this morning.
driving rain/snow
rain or snow that is falling fast and being blown by the wind
Driving snow brought more problems on the roads last night.
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 3rd Edition
Cambridge University Press 2008
the rains
the season of the year in tropical countries when there is a lot of rain
Villagers are now waiting for the rains to come so that the rice will grow.
This is the third year in a row that the rains have failed.
be sheeting
to be raining very hard
We can't go out yet, it's sheeting down outside.
The rain was sheeting against the windows.
be tipping (it) down UK INFORMAL
When it is tipping it down, a lot of rain is falling
We won't be able to go to the beach today - it's tipping it down.
the wet
MAINLY UK wet weather
Don't leave it out there in the wet.
the heavens open
If the heavens open, it suddenly starts to rain a lot
Just as we got to the park, the heavens opened.
pelt (down)
to rain heavily
It's pelting down (with rain).
It's raining cats and dogs! OLD-FASHIONED
something that you say when it is raining heavily