drain (redirected from draining)

drain someone or something of something

Fig. to exhaust someone or something of something, such as energy, motivation, etc. This day has drained me of all my motivation. The first performance drained the cast of all its energy.

drain something away

(from something ) to channel some liquid away from something. Drain all of the standing water away from the foundation of the house. Drain away the water from the foundation.

See also: away

drain something from someone or something

to cause something to flow out of someone or something. The farmers drained the water from the flooded fields. The doctor drained the fluids from Roger after his operation.

drain something of something

to empty something out of something. He drained the glass of the remaining beer.

drain something off something and drain something off to cause or permit something

to flow from the surface or contents of something. Drain some of the broth off the chicken. Drain off the fat at the bottom of the pan.

drain something out of something and drain something out

to cause something to flow from something; to empty all of some liquid out of something. She drained the last drop out of the bottle. She drained out all the water in the pot.

See also: out

drain away

[for something] to flow away. All the water drained away and exposed the mud and rocks on the bottom of the pond. When the water drained away, we found three snapping turtles in the bottom of the pond.

See also: away

drain from something

to flow out of something. All the dirty oil drained from the engine. The milk drained from the leaky container and covered the bottom of the refrigerator.

drain out

to flow out or empty. All the milk drained out of the container onto the bottom of the refrigerator. All the oil drained out of the crankcase.

See also: out

go down the chute and go down the drain; go down the tube(s)

Sl. to fail; to be thrown away or wasted. Everything we have accomplished has gone down the chute. The whole project went down the drain.

pour money down the drain

Fig. to waste money; to throw money away. What a waste! Buying that old car is just pouring money down the drain. Don't buy any more of that low-quality merchandise. That's just throwing money down the drain.

See also: money, pour

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a brain drain

the movement of people with education and skills from their own country to another country where they are paid more for their work There is a brain drain of British mathematicians to the United States.

See also: brain

down the drain  (British, American & Australian informal) also down the gurgler (Australian informal)

if work or money goes down the drain, it is wasted Then our funding was withdrawn and two years' work went down the drain. Say he gives up his training, that's four thousand pounds down the gurgler.

laugh like a drain  (British & Australian)

to laugh very loudly I told her what had happened and she laughed like a drain.

See also: laugh, like

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down the drain

wasted or lost down the toilet I'm scared I'm going to be out of a job, and my 12 years of experience will be down the drain.

Usage notes: often used with go: We cannot afford to let our train system go down the drain.