rain (redirected from it was raining)

*right as rain

Cliché perfectly fine; all right. (Based on the alliteration with r. *Also: as ~.) Lily has sprained her ankle, but after a few weeks of rest she should be as right as rain. All we need to do is tidy the house up; then it will be right as rain.

See also: right

Charge it to the dust and let the rain settle it.

Rur. Do not expect to be paid for this. (A humorous answer to a question like, "Who is going to pay for this?") Tom: Who's going to pay me all that money you owe? Mary: Charge it to the dust and let the rain settle it!

See also: and, charge, dust, let, settle

come in out of the rain 

1. Lit. to seek shelter from the rain. Come in out of the rain! You'll get wet.

2. Fig. to wake up to reality; to come down to earth. (See also doesn't have enough sense to come in out of the rain) Hey, man! Come in out of the rain! Don't you see that your boss is taking advantage of you!

See also: come, out

come rain or shine and come rain or (come) shine

no matter whether it rains or the sun shines; in any sort of weather. (See also rain or shine.) Don't worry. I'll be there come rain or shine. We'll hold the picnic—rain or shine.

See also: come, shine

It never rains but it pours.

Prov. Good (or bad) things do not just happen a few at a time, but in large numbers all at once. Fred: I can't believe this. This morning I had a flat tire. When I went to the garage to get the tire patched, I discovered I didn't have any money, and I couldn't even charge it because my credit card's expired. Jane: It never rains but it pours.

See also: but, never, pour

It's raining pitchforks (and hammer handles). and It's raining cats and dogs.

Rur. It is raining very hard. Take an umbrella. It's raining pitchforks and hammer handles out there! Charlie: Have you looked outside? How's the weather? Mary: It's raining cats and dogs.

not know enough to come in out of the rain

Fig. to be very stupid. Bob is so stupid he doesn't know enough to come in out of the rain. You can't expect very much from somebody who doesn't know enough to come in out of the rain.

See also: come, enough, know, out

pour with rain

to rain heavily. (Said of the sky, day, morning, night, the weather, etc.) The sky was pouring with rain and the sun never shone from dawn to dusk. It poured with rain the entire night.

See also: pour

pouring rain

very heavy rain. The children's clothes were soaked after they played out in the pouring rain. I waited in the pouring rain for the next bus.

See also: pour

rain (up)on someone or something

[for rain, or something similar] to fall on someone or something. (Upon is formal and less commonly used than on.) The ashes from the erupting volcano rained on all the people fleeing the village. It rained on the fields until they were flooded.

rain something down (on someone or something)

to pour something, such as criticism or praise, onto someone or something. (Based on rain down on someone or something.) The employees rained criticism down on the personnel manager for the new policy on sick leave. The audience rained down compliments on the performers.

rain something out

[for the weather] to spoil something by raining. Oh, the weather looks awful. I hope it doesn't rain the picnic out. It's starting to sprinkle now. Do you think it will rain out the ball game?

See also: out

rain cats and dogs

Fig. to rain very hard. It's raining cats and dogs. Look at it pour! I'm not going out in that storm. It's raining cats and dogs.

See also: and, cat, dog

rain check (on something) 

1. a piece of paper allowing one to see an event -- which has been canceled -- at a later time. (Originally said of sporting events that had to be canceled because of rain. *Typically: get ~; have ~; take ~; give someone ~.) The game was canceled because of the storm, but we all got rain checks on it. I can't use a rain check because I'm leaving town for a month.

2. a reissuance of an invitation at a later date. (Said to someone who has invited you to something that you cannot attend now, but would like to attend at a later time. *Typically: get ~; have ~; take ~; give someone ~.) We would love to come to your house, but we are busy next Saturday. Could we take a rain check on your kind invitation? Oh, yes. You have a rain check that's good anytime you can come by and visit.

3. a piece of paper that allows one to purchase an item on sale at a later date. (Stores issue these pieces of paper when they run out of specially priced sale merchandise. *Typically: get ~; have ~; take ~; give someone ~.) The store was all out of the shampoo they advertised, but I got a rain check. Yes, you should always take a rain check so you can get it at the sale price later when they have more.

See also: check

rain down on someone or something

to fall or drop down on someone or something like rain. The ashes from the incinerator rained down on us, getting our clothes dirty. The hail rained down on us—some of it quite large.

rain in on someone or something

[for rain] to enter a window or other opening and get someone or something wet. Carol left the window open, and it rained in on her in the night. The storm rained in on my carpet!

rain on someone's parade and rain on someone or something

Fig. to spoil something for someone. I hate to rain on your parade, but your plans are all wrong. She really rained on our plans.

See also: parade

rain or shine

no matter whether it rains or the sun shines. (See also come rain or shine.) Don't worry. I'll be there rain or shine. We'll hold the picnic—rain or shine.

See also: shine

risk of rain and risk of showers; risk of thunder(-storms)

a chance of precipitation. (Used only in weather forecasting. There is no "risk" of hazard or injury involved.) And for tomorrow, there is a slight risk of showers in the morning. There is a 50 percent risk of rain tonight.

See also: risk

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(come) rain or shine 

1. whatever the weather is He runs every morning, rain or shine.

2. if you say you will do something come rain or shine, you mean you will do it whatever happens Come rain or shine, I'll be there, I promise.

See also: shine

be as right as rain

to feel well I'll be as right as rain as soon as I take my pills.

See also: right

I'll take a rain check  (American, British & Australian informal) also I'll get a rain check (American informal)

something that you say when you cannot accept someone's invitation to do something but you would like to do it another time (often + on ) I'll take a rain check on that drink tonight, if that's all right. I won't play tennis this afternoon but can I get a rain check? (American informal)

See also: check, take

It never rains but it pours.

something that you say which means that when one bad thing happens, a lot of other bad things also happen, making the situation even worse First of all it was the car breaking down, then the fire in the kitchen and now Mike's accident. It never rains but it pours!

See also: but, never, pour

It's raining cats and dogs!  (old-fashioned)

something that you say when it is raining very heavily It's raining cats and dogs out there! It's a wonder any of the men can see what they're doing!

See also: and, cat

rain on somebody's parade

to do something that spoils someone's plans I'm sorry to rain on your parade, but you're not allowed to have alcohol on the premises.

See also: parade

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(as) right as rain

feeling well I took some aspirin, went to bed, and in the morning I was right as rain.

See also: right

rain on somebody's parade

to spoil someone's plans or pleasure I'm sorry to rain on your parade, but you're not allowed to have food or drinks in the theater.

See also: parade

raining cats and dogs

to be raining in great amounts It was raining cats and dogs by the time I got home.

See also: and, cat, dog