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.
To cause (liquid, or liquid-like substance) to flow in a stream, either out of a container or into it.
pour water from a jug
pour wine into a decanter
2 more examples
to pour oil onto chips
to pour out sand or dust.
2
Figuratively 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]:
4 more examples
[…] 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:
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:
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:
3
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:
4
To flow, pass, or issue in a stream; to fall continuously and abundantly.
the rain poured down.
The rain came pouring down When I was drownin', that's when I could finally breathe2014 October 27, Taylor Swift, Imogen Heap, “Clean (Taylor's Version)”, in 1989 (Taylor's Version), performed by Taylor Swift, published 27 October 2023:
5
To rain hard.
It's pouring outside.
6
Of a beverage, to be on tap or otherwise available for serving to customers.
7
To move in a throng, as a crowd.
The people poured out of the theater.
In the rude throng pour on with furious pace.1716, John Gay, Trivia: Or, The Art of Walking the Streets of London:
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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:
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 effort2011 January 8, Chris Bevan, “Arsenal 1-1 Leeds”, in BBC:
8
To move (a drunk or unsteady person) into or out of a place or vehicle.
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 23, Juanita Sheridan, “There Are No Snakes in Hawaii”, in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, page 51:
3 more examples
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:
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:
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.
1
The act of pouring.
The bartender's inexpert pour left me with a pint of beer that was half foam.
2
Something, or an amount, poured.
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:
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:
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: