Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Rain
Rain
(rān)
, Noun.
& Verb.
Reign.
[Obs.]
Spenser.
Rain
(rān)
, Noun.
[OE.
rein
, AS. regen
; akin to OFries. rein
, D. & G. regen
, OS. & OHG. regan
, Icel., Dan., & Sw. regn
, Goth. rign
, and prob. to L. rigare
to water, to wet; cf. Gr. βρέχειν
to wet, to rain.] Water falling in drops from the clouds; the descent of water from the clouds in drops.
Rain
is water by the heat of the sun divided into very small parts ascending in the air, till, encountering the cold, it be condensed into clouds, and descends in drops. Ray.
Fair days have oft contracted wind and
rain
. Milton.
☞ Rain is distinguished from mist by the size of the drops, which are distinctly visible. When water falls in very small drops or particles, it is called mist; and fog is composed of particles so fine as to be not only individually indistinguishable, but to float or be suspended in the air. See
Fog
, and Mist
. Rain band
(Meteorol.)
, a dark band in the yellow portion of the solar spectrum near the sodium line, caused by the presence of watery vapor in the atmosphere, and hence sometimes used in weather predictions.
– Rain bird
(Zool.)
, the yaffle, or green woodpecker.
– [Prov. Eng.]
The name is also applied to various other birds, as to Saurothera vetula
of the West Indies. Rain fowl
(Zool.)
, the channel-bill cuckoo (
– Scythrops Novae-Hollandiae
) of Australia. Rain gauge
, an instrument of various forms for measuring the quantity of rain that falls at any given place in a given time; a pluviometer; an ombrometer.
– Rain goose
(Zool.)
, the red-throated diver, or loon.
[Prov. Eng.]
– Rain prints
(Geol.)
, markings on the surfaces of stratified rocks, presenting an appearance similar to those made by rain on mud and sand, and believed to have been so produced.
– Rain quail
. (Zool.)
See , 1.
– Quail
, Noun.
Rain water
, water that has fallen from the clouds in rain.
Rain
,Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Rained
(rānd)
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Raining
.] 1.
To fall in drops from the clouds, as water; – used mostly with it for a nominative;
as, it
. rains
The rain it
raineth
every day. Shakespeare
2.
To fall or drop like water from the clouds;
as, tears
. rained
from their eyesRain
(rān)
, Verb.
T.
1.
To pour or shower down from above, like rain from the clouds.
Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will
rain
bread from heaven for you. Ex. xvi. 4.
2.
To bestow in a profuse or abundant manner;
as, to
. rain
favors upon a personWebster 1828 Edition
Rain
RAIN
,Verb.
I.
1.
To fall in drops from the clouds, as water; used mostly with it for a nominative; as, it rains; it will rain; it rained, or it has rained.2.
To fall or drop like rain; as, tears rained at their eyes.RAIN
,Verb.
T.
Then said the Lord to Moses, behold I will rain bread from heaven for you. Ex. 14.
God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating. Job. 20.
Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and horrible tempest. Ps. 11.
RAIN
,Noun.