drain en · NOUN
Pronunciation
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dʰer-der. Proto-Indo-European *dʰrewgʰ-der. Proto-Germanic *draugiz Proto-Germanic *drauhnōną Proto-West Germanic *drauhnōn Old English drēahnian Middle English *dreinen English drain Inherited from Middle English *dreinen, from Old English drēahnian, from Proto-West Germanic *drauhnōn, from Proto-Germanic *drauhnōną, from *draugiz, from Proto-Indo-European *dʰrewgʰ-, from *dʰer-. Akin to Old English drūgian (“to dry up”), Old English drūgaþ (“dryness, drought”), Old English drȳġe (“dry”). More at dry.
Meanings
-
(Canada, US) A conduit allowing liquid to flow out of an otherwise contained volume; a plughole (UK)
drain hole
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.
2013 March 14, Frank Fish, George Lauder, “Not Just Going with the Flow”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 2, page 114:The drain in the kitchen sink is clogged.
bathtub drain; floor drain; shower drain; sink drain
- (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.
-
A natural or artificial watercourse which drains a tract of land.
;;Saganing Drain, Vermuyden's Drain, the South Drain river, Najafgarh drain
The main drain of the country is the Walé nullah, which afterwards joins the Southern Ngombé and forms part of the system of the Malagarazi.
1877, Verney Lovett Cameron, Across Africa, page 299:[…] the little runs and drains, that come through the hills, and to the sources of the creeks and their branches.
1770 (printed in 1834), George Washington, The Writings of George Washington: pt. I. Official letters ..., page 531
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Something consuming resources and providing nothing in return.
That rental property is a drain on our finances.
- (vulgar) An act of urination.
- One terminal of a field effect transistor (FET).
- (qualifier:pinball) An outhole.
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(UK, dated, slang) A drink.
When the play was over, we came out together, and I said, "We've been very companionable and agreeable, and perhaps you wouldn't object to a drain?"
1850 September 14, [Charles Dickens], “Three “Detective” Anecdotes”, in Charles Dickens, editor, Household Words. A Weekly Journal., volume I, number 25, London: Office, […], →OCLC:What did she want with money, except now and then for a drain of white satin.
1966, Henry Mayhew, Peter Quennell, London's Underworld, page 48:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| dreen | Appalachia, alternative | lexicographic | |
| drains | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| drein | alternative, obsolete | lexicographic |
Deriveds
go down the drain · draintrap · brain drain · laugh like a drain · reverse brain drain · undrain · drain sponge · circle the drain · French drain · Penrose drain · Drainer · underdrain · drain pipe · drain pump · down the drain · Drainbow · table drain · drainmaker · counterdrain · drain fly · drain cock · drainpipe · draino · drainlike · JP drain · drain field · drain-like · subdrain · rubble drain · well drain · drain pan · draintile · drainboard · Jackson-Pratt drain · top-drain · variance drain · like a rat up a drain · storm drain · draincock · drainplug · pour down the drain · spray drain · catchdrain · drain fever · air drain · drainwork · drain plug · drainless · drainful · drain cleaner
Descendants
Translations (114)
fr hémorragie (something consuming resources with no gains) · ru кана́л (conduit for liquids) · nn avløp (conduit for liquids) · bg канал (conduit for liquids) · mi awakari (conduit for liquids) · bg утечка (conduit for liquids) · ka მილი (something consuming resources with no gains) · vi cống (conduit for liquids) · hi नाली (conduit for liquids) · as লোৰ (conduit for liquids) · he נִקּוּז (conduit for rainwater) · bg разход (conduit for liquids) · mi awakeri (conduit for liquids) · ru сса́чка (vulgar: act of urination) · mi wāra (conduit for liquids) · zza şayış (conduit for liquids) · ga draein (conduit for rainwater) · fr drain ((electronics) name of one terminal of a transistor) · fi kuseminen (vulgar: act of urination) · hi परनाला (conduit for rainwater) · es sumidero (conduit for rainwater) · zza çıranık (conduit for rainwater) · ckb ئاوەڕۆ (conduit for liquids) · it scolo (conduit for liquids) · mi waikari (conduit for liquids) · hi नाला (conduit for liquids) · nb sluk (conduit for liquids) · ru водосто́к (conduit for liquids) · he אגן נקוז (conduit for liquids) · ro canal de scurgere (conduit for liquids) · sdh گوِنج (conduit for liquids) · hi नाला (conduit for rainwater) · es desaguador (conduit for liquids) · ru ссаньё (vulgar: act of urination) · lb Offloss (conduit for liquids) · ang seohtre (conduit for liquids) · lb Oflaf (conduit for liquids) · fi viemäri (conduit for liquids) · fi nielu ((electronics) name of one terminal of a transistor) · as নলা (conduit for liquids) · ota لغم (conduit for liquids) · la ēmissārium (conduit for liquids) · mi tereina (conduit for liquids) · ru моче́ние (vulgar: act of urination) · ar بَالُوعَة (conduit for liquids) · ru слив (conduit for liquids) · sl odtok (conduit for liquids) · ru водоотво́д (conduit for liquids) · da rende (conduit for liquids) · fi dreeni (conduit for liquids) · he נִקּוּז (conduit for liquids) · he מרזב (conduit for rainwater) · da spild (something consuming resources with no gains) · ru сток (conduit for liquids) · es aliviadero (conduit for rainwater) · pl dren ((electronics) name of one terminal of a transistor) · hi पनारा (conduit for rainwater) · mi kōrere (conduit for liquids) · mi waikeri (conduit for liquids) · fr drain (conduit for liquids) · nl afvoer (conduit for liquids) · es desaguadero (something consuming resources with no gains) · mi manga (conduit for liquids) · cs výlevka (conduit for liquids) · nn avlaup (conduit for liquids) · bg водосток (conduit for liquids) · hi परनाला (conduit for liquids) · fr bonde (conduit for liquids) · sv avlopp (conduit for liquids) · fr gouffre (something consuming resources with no gains) · tl bambang (conduit for liquids) · es absorbedero (conduit for rainwater) · ro conductă (conduit for liquids) · ota گریز (conduit for liquids) · da dræn (conduit for liquids) · tr gider (conduit for liquids) · ko 배수구 (conduit for liquids) · ru уте́чка (something consuming resources with no gains) · grc εὐδιαῖον (conduit for liquids) · tr yağmur gideri (conduit for rainwater) · lt drenažas (conduit for liquids) · pt ralo (conduit for liquids) · is ræsi (conduit for liquids) · de Abfluss (conduit for liquids) · ka მილი (conduit for liquids) · es dren (conduit for liquids) · nb kum (conduit for rainwater) · hi पनारा (conduit for liquids) · es tubo abierto (something consuming resources with no gains) · nl drain ((electronics) name of one terminal of a transistor) · pl odpływ (conduit for liquids) · pt dreno (conduit for liquids) · hu lefolyó (conduit for liquids) · fi rasite (something consuming resources with no gains) · as ওটা (conduit for liquids) · la ēmissārium (conduit for rainwater) · ru дрена́ж (conduit for liquids) · ga draein (conduit for liquids) · es desagüe (conduit for liquids) · ru у́быль (something consuming resources with no gains) · da afløb (conduit for liquids) · nb avløp (conduit for liquids) · pt ralo (something consuming resources with no gains) · ru расхо́д (something consuming resources with no gains) · ms longkang (conduit for liquids) · es sobradero (conduit for rainwater) · es desaguadero (conduit for liquids) · tl bangbang (conduit for liquids) · mi wāra (conduit for rainwater) · es sangría (something consuming resources with no gains) · as খাল (conduit for liquids) · es drenaje (conduit for liquids) · es husillo (conduit for liquids) · ota ناو (conduit for rainwater)