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drain

noun, verb — 18 senses

drain

noun

US /dɹiːn/ · /dɹeɪn/

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.

8 senses
  1. 1A conduit allowing liquid to flow out of an otherwise…
  2. 2An access point or conduit for rainwater that drains…
  3. 3A natural or artificial watercourse which drains a tract of land.
  4. 4Something consuming resources and providing nothing in return.
  5. 5An act of urination.
  6. 6One terminal of a field effect transistor (FET).
  7. 7An outhole.
  8. 8A drink.
1

Canada, US A conduit allowing liquid to flow out of an otherwise contained volume; a plughole (UK)

  • The drain in the kitchen sink is clogged.
  • bathtub drain; floor drain; shower drain; sink drain
2 more examples
  • 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 23, Frank Fish, George Lauder, “Not Just Going with the Flow”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 2, page 114:
2

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.

3

A natural or artificial watercourse which drains a tract of land.

  • Saganing Drain, Vermuyden's Drain, the South Drain river, Najafgarh drain
  • […] 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
1 more example
  • 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:
4

Something consuming resources and providing nothing in return.

  • That rental property is a drain on our finances.
5

Vulgar An act of urination.

6

Business, Electrical engineering, Electricity, Electromagnetism, Electronics, Energy, Engineering, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Physics One terminal of a field effect transistor (FET).

7

An outhole.

8

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:
Derived terms
49 termsair drain, brain drain, catchdrain, circle the drain, counterdrain, down the drain, drainboard, Drainbow, drain cleaner, drain cock, draincock, Drainer, drain fever, drain field, drain fly, drainful, drainless, drainlike, drain-like, drainmaker, draino, drain pan, drainpipe, drain pipe, drainplug, drain plug, drain pump, draintile, draintrap, drainwork, French drain, go down the drain, Jackson-Pratt drain, JP drain, laugh like a drain, like a rat up a drain, Penrose drain, pour down the drain, reverse brain drain, rubble drain, spray drain, storm drain, subdrain, table drain, top-drain, underdrain, undrain, variance drain, well drain

drain

verb
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.

10 senses
  1. 1To lose liquid.
  2. 2To flow gradually.
  3. 3To cause liquid to flow out of.
  4. 4To convert a perennially wet place into a dry one.
  5. 5To deplete of energy or resources.
  6. 6To draw off by degrees; to cause to flow gradually out…
  7. 7To filter.
  8. 8To fall off the bottom of the playfield.
  9. 9To drink.
  10. 10To make a shot.
1

To lose liquid.

  • The clogged sink drained slowly.
  • Knock knock. / Who’s there? / Dwayne. / Dwayne who? / Drain the bathtub, I’m drowning.
2

To flow gradually.

  • The water of low ground drains off.
3

Ergative To cause liquid to flow out of.

  • Please drain the sink. It’s full of dirty water.
4

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

To deplete of energy or resources.

  • The stress of this job is really draining me.
6

To draw off by degrees; to cause to flow gradually out or off; hence, to exhaust.

  • Fountains drain the water from the ground adjacent.1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “(please specify the page, or |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC:
  • At leaſt, I'm ſure I can fiſh it out of her. She's the very Sluce to her Lady's Secrets;—'Tis but ſetting her Mill agoing, and I can drein her of 'em all.1693, Will[iam] Congreve, The Old Batchelour, a Comedy. […], London: […] Peter Buck, […], →OCLC, Act V, scene i, page 45:
1 more example
  • But it was not alone that he drained their treasure and hampered their industry.1856, John Lothrop Motley, The Rise of the Dutch Republic. A History. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC:
7

Obsolete To filter.

  • Salt water, drained through twenty vessels of earth, hath become fresh.1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “(please specify the page, or |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC:
8

To fall off the bottom of the playfield.

  • When a ball finally drains, it's gulped down by a giant gator beneath the set of flippers.1990, Steven A. Schwartz, Compute's Nintendo Secrets:
9

Archaic, Slang To drink.

  • But when I strove my flame to tell, / Says she, 'Come, stow that patter, / If you're a cove wot likes a gal, / Vy don't you stand some gatter?' / In course I instantly complied— / Two brimming quarts of porter, / With sev'ral goes of gin beside, / Drain'd Bet the Coaley's daughter.Bet the Coaley's Daughter (traditional song)
10

Ball games, Basketball, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports Slang To make a shot.

Derived terms
drainable, drainage, drain away, drainback, drainee, draining, drain out, drain the dragon, drain the lizard, drain the main vein, drain the python, drain the snake, drain the swamp, overdrain, redrain, subdrain, underdrain, undrain

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.

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