Drain

Pronunciation

• IPA: /dɹeɪ̯n/
• Rhymes: -eɪn

Origin

From Middle English dreinen (verb) from Old English drēahnian ("to drain, strain, filter"), from Proto-Germanic *draug- ("dry"), akin to Old English drūgian ("to dry up"), drūgaþ ("dryness, drought"), Old English drȳge ("dry"). More at dry

Full definition of drain

Noun

1. A conduit allowing liquid to flow out of an otherwise contained volume.(chiefly US, Canada)

• 2013-03, Frank Fish, George Lauder, Not Just Going with the Flow, An extreme version of vorticity is a vortex. The vortex is a spinning, cyclonic mass of fluid, which can be observed in the rotation of water going down a drain, as well as in smoke rings, tornados and hurricanes.
1. (chiefly UK) An access point or conduit for rainwater that drains directly downstream in a (drainage) basin without going through sewers or water treatment in order to prevent or belay floods.
2. Something consuming resources and providing nothing in return.
   That rental property is a drain on our finances.
3. (vulgar) An act of urination.
4. (electronics) The name of one terminal of a field effect transistor (FET).

Derived terms

• circle the drain
• down the drain
• drain fly

Verb

1. (intransitive) To lose liquid.The clogged sink drained slowly.
2. (intransitive) To flow gradually.The water of low ground drains off.
3. (transitive, ergative) To cause liquid to flow out of.Please drain the sink. It's full of dirty water.
4. (transitive, ergative) To convert a perennially wet place into a dry one.They had to drain the swampy land before the parking lot could be built.
5. (transitive) To deplete of energy or resources.The stress of this job is really draining me.
6. (transitive) To draw off by degrees; to cause to flow gradually out or off; hence, to exhaust.
• Francis BaconFountains drain the water from the ground adjacent.
• MotleyBut it was not alone that he drained their treasure and hampered their industry.
7. (transitive, obsolete) To filter.
• Francis BaconSalt water, drained through twenty vessels of earth, hath become fresh.
8. (intransitive, pinball) To fall off the bottom of the playfield.
• 1990, Steven A. Schwartz, Compute's Nintendo SecretsWhen a ball finally drains, it's gulped down by a giant gator beneath the set of flippers.

Derived terms

• drainage
• drain the lizard vulgar

Anagrams

• Darin, dinar, Drina, Indra, Nadir, nadir, Ndari, ranid