drain (redirected from drains)

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, 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 Then our funding was withdrawn and two years' work went down the drain.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.

See also: down

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. 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.

See also: down