From Middle English pouren (“to pour”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps from Old Northern French purer (“to sift (grain), pour out (water)”), from Latin pūrō (“to purify”), from pūrus (“pure”). Compare Middle Dutch afpuren (“to pour off, drain”).
To pour displaced several Middle English verbs:
* schenchen, schenken (“to pour”), from Old English sċenċan (“to pour out”) and Old Norse skenkja, from Proto-Germanic *skankijaną. Compare dialectal English shink, skink.
* yeten, from Old English ġēotan (“to pour”), from Proto-Germanic *geutaną.
* birlen (“to pour, serve drink to”), from Old English byrelian (“to pour, serve drink to”).
* hellen (“to pour, pour out”), from Old Norse hella (“to pour out, incline”).
* temen (“to pour out, empty”), from Old Norse tœma (“to pour out, empty”). Compare archaic English teem.
Meanings
The act of pouring.
The bartender's inexpert pour left me with a pint of beer that was half foam.
Something, or an amount, poured.
HS2 Ltd has completed the first base-slab concrete pour at the western end of Old Oak Common station. 2023 June 14, “Network News: Concrete for Old Oak Common - and consent for Curzon Street viaduct”, in RAIL, number 985, page 22:
Over this time period, the first concrete pour has not only lost workability but has started to set so that it is no longer affected by the action of a vibrator. 2003, John Brian Newman, B. S. Choo, Advanced concrete technology: Volume 2:
(colloquial) A downpour; a flood of precipitation.
Then, as if to give the lie to the offensive insinuation, he mounted his horse, and rode home ten miles in a pour of rain, without a great coat or umbrella. 1831, Susan Ferrier, Destiny; or, the Chief's Daughter, page 84:
But then one of Mr. Knott's men would have had to put on his coat and hat and turn out, as likely as not in the pitch dark, and in torrents of rain in all probability, and grope his way in the dark in the pours of rain, with the pot of food in his hand, a wretched and ridiculous figure, to where the dog lay. 1953, Samuel Beckett, Watt, [Paris]: Olympia Press, →OCLC:
bg изливане (a stream, or something like a stream; a flood) · nl geut (a stream, or something like a stream; a flood) · ota سیلان (a stream, or something like a stream; a flood) · ja 注入 (a flood of precipitation) · ja 流出 (a flood of precipitation) · nl stortvloed (a flood of precipitation) · nl stortbui (a flood of precipitation) · nl straal (a stream, or something like a stream; a flood) · nl stroom (a stream, or something like a stream; a flood) · bg порой (a flood of precipitation) · pt despejamento (a stream, or something like a stream; a flood)
From Middle English pouren (“to pour”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps from Old Northern French purer (“to sift (grain), pour out (water)”), from Latin pūrō (“to purify”), from pūrus (“pure”). Compare Middle Dutch afpuren (“to pour off, drain”).
To pour displaced several Middle English verbs:
* schenchen, schenken (“to pour”), from Old English sċenċan (“to pour out”) and Old Norse skenkja, from Proto-Germanic *skankijaną. Compare dialectal English shink, skink.
* yeten, from Old English ġēotan (“to pour”), from Proto-Germanic *geutaną.
* birlen (“to pour, serve drink to”), from Old English byrelian (“to pour, serve drink to”).
* hellen (“to pour, pour out”), from Old Norse hella (“to pour out, incline”).
* temen (“to pour out, empty”), from Old Norse tœma (“to pour out, empty”). Compare archaic English teem.
Meanings
(transitive) To cause (liquid, or liquid-like substance) to flow in a stream, either out of a container or into it.
to pour oil onto chips
pour wine into a decanter
pour water from a jug
to pour out sand or dust.
(figuratively, transitive) To send out as in a stream or a flood; to cause (an emotion) to come out; to cause to escape.
My teacher poured scorn on my attempts at writing.
How London doth pour out her citizens. 1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, prologue]:
[…] I haue drunke neither wine nor strong drinke, but haue powred out my soule before the Lord. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Samuel 1:15:
Now will I shortly powre out my furie vpon thee, and accomplish mine anger vpon thee[…] 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Ezekiel 7:8:
At the same time, it is pouring money into cleaning up the country. 2013 August 10, “Can China clean up fast enough?”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848:
Wherefore did Nature pour her bounties forth / With such a full and unwithdrawing hand? 1637, John Milton, A Mask presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634, lines 710-711:
(transitive) To send forth from, as in a stream; to discharge uninterruptedly.
Is it for thee the linnet pours his throat? 1733, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Man. […], (please specify |epistle=I to IV), London: […] J[ohn] Wilford, […], →OCLC:
(intransitive) To flow, pass, or issue in a stream; to fall continuously and abundantly.
The rain came pouring down
When I was drownin', that's when I could finally breathe 2014 October 27, Taylor Swift, Imogen Heap, “Clean (Taylor's Version)”, in 1989 (Taylor's Version), performed by Taylor Swift, published 27 October 2023:
the rain poured down.
(impersonal) To rain hard.
It's pouring outside.
(intransitive) Of a beverage, to be on tap or otherwise available for serving to customers.
(intransitive) To move in a throng, as a crowd.
In the rude throng pour on with furious pace. 1716, John Gay, Trivia: Or, The Art of Walking the Streets of London:
In a breathless finish Arsenal poured forward looking for a winner but Leeds held out for a deserved replay after Bendtner wastefully fired wide and Schmeichel acrobatically kept out Denilson's rasping effort 2011 January 8, Chris Bevan, “Arsenal 1-1 Leeds”, in BBC:
The people poured out of the theater.
The bluebloods of golf began pouring into the sweltering nation’s capital yesterday for the 64th U.S. Open championship, and the hottest topic was not Arnold Palmer or Jack Nicklaus, but Champagne Tony Lema. 1964 June 16, “All Eyes On Lema At U.S. Open This Week”, in The Indianapolis Star, volume 62, number 11, Indianapolis, Ind., page 22:
(transitive) To move (a drunk or unsteady person) into or out of a place or vehicle.
When Coop poured himself out of the cab and staggered towards the house, he already knew he'd hate himself in the morning. 1994, Nora Roberts, chapter 9, in The Best Mistake, →ISBN:
She poured him into a taxi and handed the driver the fare.
“Was he really drunk?” I asked. “He was stiff!” Bill Garrison told us from the steps. “We just poured him into the car and Mavis took him home.” 1954 October 14, Juanita Sheridan, “There Are No Snakes in Hawaii”, in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, page 51:
Did any of you order a furious posh man? […] Very cross, very drunk. Phil poured him into your departure hut. 2013 January 9, John Finnemore, “Timbuktu”, in Cabin Pressure, season 4, episode 1, via BBC Radio 4:
When Tony got in he listened to her going on incoherently about how Aiden had finally fucked up and, as always, he agreed with her and poured her into bed. 2016, Martina Cole, Betrayal, →ISBN, page 198:
txb ku- (to cause to flow in a stream) · es escanciar (to cause to flow in a stream) · cmn 倒 (to cause to flow in a stream) · sw mwaga (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · sl točiti (to cause to flow in a stream) · ga doirt (to cause to flow in a stream) · ja 注ぐ (to cause to flow in a stream) · bg тека (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · dsb lenuś (to cause to flow in a stream) · grc χέω (to cause to flow in a stream) · pt despejar (to send forth from, as in a stream; to discharge uninterruptedly) · az tökmək (to cause to flow in a stream) · lt pilti (to cause to flow in a stream) · bg ле́я (to cause to flow in a stream) · mk тури (to cause to flow in a stream) · es diluviar (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · gd cop (to cause to flow in a stream) · be ліць (to cause to flow in a stream) · zza rıznayen (to send forth as in a stream or a flood) · sh liti (to cause to flow in a stream) · el χύνω (to cause to flow in a stream) · th เท (to cause to flow in a stream) · sh сипати (to cause to flow in a stream) · hi बहना (to cause to flow in a stream) · vi giội (to cause to flow in a stream) · no helle (to cause to flow in a stream) · de schütten (to send forth as in a stream or a flood) · pt escorrer (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · sw mwaga (to send forth as in a stream or a flood) · ru лить (to cause to flow in a stream) · da hælde (to cause to flow in a stream) · ru насы́пать (to cause to flow in a stream) · grc χέω (to send forth as in a stream or a flood) · pl lać (to cause to flow in a stream) · ca abocar (to cause to flow in a stream) · tr dökmek (to cause to flow in a stream) · nl gutsen (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · io pluvegar (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · eo ŝuti (to cause to flow in a stream) · es venenciar (to cause to flow in a stream) · sah кут (to cause to flow in a stream) · uk налива́ти (to cause to flow in a stream) · sk liať (to cause to flow in a stream) · fi valua (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · fy jitte (to cause to flow in a stream) · is hella (to cause to flow in a stream) · ar صَبَّ (to cause to flow in a stream) · uk ли́ти (to cause to flow in a stream) · qu ch'uychuy (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · ta ஊற்று (to cause to flow in a stream) · mi ruke (to send forth from, as in a stream; to discharge uninterruptedly) · vi rót (to cause to flow in a stream) · es abocar (to cause to flow in a stream) · zza rıznen (to cause to flow in a stream) · ja 注ぐ (to send forth as in a stream or a flood) · my လောင်း (to cause to flow in a stream) · ru налива́ть (to cause to flow in a stream) · zza roken (to cause to flow in a stream) · mi tāhoro (to cause to flow in a stream) · ru ли́ться (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · he מזג (to cause to flow in a stream) · az axıtmaq (to send forth as in a stream or a flood) · lv liet (to cause to flow in a stream) · nl uitbraken (to send forth as in a stream or a flood) · pl sypać (to cause to flow in a stream) · bg изливам (to cause to flow in a stream) · de schütten (to cause to flow in a stream) · ru сы́пать (to cause to flow in a stream) · sh лити (to cause to flow in a stream) · dsb kidaś (to send forth as in a stream or a flood) · sl naliti (to cause to flow in a stream) · ko 붓다 (to cause to flow in a stream) · oc abocar (to cause to flow in a stream) · be налі́ць (to cause to flow in a stream) · sw mwaga (to send forth from, as in a stream; to discharge uninterruptedly) · so shubid (to cause to flow in a stream) · sv hälla (to cause to flow in a stream) · hy լցնել (to cause to flow in a stream) · de einschenken (to cause to flow in a stream) · pt despejar (to send forth as in a stream or a flood) · es transvasar (to cause to flow in a stream) · mi whakarēwai (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · es infundir (to cause to flow in a stream) · mi whakarēwai (to send forth from, as in a stream; to discharge uninterruptedly) · sh sipati (to cause to flow in a stream) · sq dredhoj (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · es efundir (to cause to flow in a stream) · sv hälla (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · cs lít (to cause to flow in a stream) · no øse (to cause to flow in a stream) · uk нали́ти (to cause to flow in a stream) · eo verŝi (to cause to flow in a stream) · nrf vèrser (to cause to flow in a stream) · ru нали́ть (to cause to flow in a stream) · la fundō (to cause to flow in a stream) · fi vuodattaa (to send forth from, as in a stream; to discharge uninterruptedly) · es trasegar (to cause to flow in a stream) · as ঢলা (to cause to flow in a stream) · mn асрах (to cause to flow in a stream) · chn wax̣ (to cause to flow in a stream) · de eingießen (to cause to flow in a stream) · es echar (to cause to flow in a stream) · be наліва́ць (to cause to flow in a stream) · mi pātere (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · chr ᎠᏨᎥᏍᎦ (to cause to flow in a stream) · es chisguetear (to cause to flow in a stream) · bo བཤོས (to cause to flow in a stream) · ang ġēotan (to cause to flow in a stream) · gd sil (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · ms menuang (to cause to flow in a stream) · bg стичам се (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · mk тура (to cause to flow in a stream) · io varsar (to cause to flow in a stream) · cmn 注入 (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · ja 流れ出る (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · sw mwaga (to cause to flow in a stream) · de einschütten (to cause to flow in a stream) · fi kaataa (to cause to flow in a stream) · hu tölt (to cause to flow in a stream) · he שפך (to cause to flow in a stream) · alt куйар (to cause to flow in a stream) · km ចាក់ (to cause to flow in a stream) · sq derdh (to cause to flow in a stream) · fr se déverser (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · ru излива́ть (to send forth as in a stream or a flood) · egy F29-X1-M17-M17-N35A (to cause to flow in a stream) · mi ruke (to send forth as in a stream or a flood) · nl gieten (to cause to flow in a stream) · ro turna (to cause to flow in a stream) · fi virrata (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · ps اچول (to cause to flow in a stream) · nl schenken (to cause to flow in a stream) · ps تويول (to cause to flow in a stream) · nl uitstorten (to cause to flow in a stream) · it diluviare (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · sl zliti (to cause to flow in a stream) · nds geiten (to cause to flow in a stream) · sv forsa (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · de gießen (to cause to flow in a stream) · cy arllwys (to cause to flow in a stream) · hy թափվել (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · pt despejar (to cause to flow in a stream) · pt entornar (to cause to flow in a stream) · de gießen (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · it versare (to cause to flow in a stream) · az axmaq (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · ja 吐露する (to send forth as in a stream or a flood) · nv yayiizííd (to cause to flow in a stream) · az süzmək (to cause to flow in a stream) · lt li̇́eti (to cause to flow in a stream) · tyz bá (to cause to flow in a stream) · bg изтичам (to send forth from, as in a stream; to discharge uninterruptedly) · gd dòirt (to cause to flow in a stream) · et valama (to cause to flow in a stream) · ja 注ぐ (to cause to flow in a stream) · mi riringi (to cause to flow in a stream) · nds geten (to cause to flow in a stream) · ru насыпа́ть (to cause to flow in a stream) · rup tornu (roa-rup) (to cause to flow in a stream) · ja 溢れ出る (to send forth from, as in a stream; to discharge uninterruptedly) · hy թափել (to send forth as in a stream or a flood) · yi גיסן (to cause to flow in a stream) · bg изливам (to send forth as in a stream or a flood) · sq gumoj (to cause to flow in a stream) · hu önt (to cause to flow in a stream) · egy V25-V28-W24:D36 (to cause to flow in a stream) · fi vuodattaa (to send forth as in a stream or a flood) · alt тӧгӧр (to cause to flow in a stream) · hu ömlik (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · sco poor (to cause to flow in a stream) · fwe sìntà (to cause to flow in a stream) · gd taom (to cause to flow in a stream) · nl uitstorten (to send forth from, as in a stream; to discharge uninterruptedly) · eo verŝiĝi (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · bo བླུགས (to cause to flow in a stream) · ja 殺到する (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · cs sypat (to cause to flow in a stream) · mi tāhoro (to send forth from, as in a stream; to discharge uninterruptedly) · vi đổ (to cause to flow in a stream) · ar سَكَبَ (to cause to flow in a stream) · got 𐌲𐌹𐌿𐍄𐌰𐌽 (to cause to flow in a stream) · nl stromen (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · pdt jeeten (to cause to flow in a stream) · izh vallaa (to cause to flow in a stream) · vi trút (to cause to flow in a stream) · as ঢালা (to cause to flow in a stream) · cy tywallt (to cause to flow in a stream) · cmn 流出 (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · dsb laś (to cause to flow in a stream) · om dhangala'uu (to cause to flow in a stream) · fa ریختن (to cause to flow in a stream) · nl pouren (to cause to flow in a stream) · az tökmək (to send forth as in a stream or a flood) · fi valaa (to cause to flow in a stream) · hy թափել (to cause to flow in a stream) · hu zuhog (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · pt afluir (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · ru изли́ть (to send forth as in a stream or a flood) · mr ओतणे (to cause to flow in a stream) · ky куйуу (to cause to flow in a stream) · nl uitstorten (to send forth as in a stream or a flood) · nds geten (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream) · fr verser (to cause to flow in a stream) · es trasvasar (to cause to flow in a stream) · nds geiten (to flow, pass or issue in or as a stream)