Hypertext Webster Gateway: "rain"

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary (easton)

Rain
There are three Hebrew words used to denote the rains of
different seasons, (1.) Yoreh (Hos. 6:3), or moreh (Joel 2:23),
denoting the former or the early rain. (2.) Melqosh, the "latter
rain" (Prov. 16:15). (3.) Geshem, the winter rain, "the rains."
The heavy winter rain is mentioned in Gen. 7:12; Ezra 10:9;
Cant. 2:11. The "early" or "former" rains commence in autumn in
the latter part of October or beginning of November (Deut.
11:14; Joel 2:23; comp. Jer. 3:3), and continue to fall heavily
for two months. Then the heavy "winter rains" fall from the
middle of December to March. There is no prolonged fair weather
in Palestine between October and March. The "latter" or spring
rains fall in March and April, and serve to swell the grain then
coming to maturity (Deut. 11:14; Hos. 6:3). After this there is
ordinarily no rain, the sky being bright and cloudless till
October or November.

Rain is referred to symbolically in Deut. 32:2; Ps. 72:6; Isa.
44:3, 4; Hos. 10:12.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Rain \Rain\, n. & v.
Reign. [Obs.] --Spenser.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Rain \Rain\, n. [OF. rein, AS. regen; akin to OFries. rein, D. &
G. regen, OS. & OHG. regan, Icel., Dan., & Sw. regn, Goth.
rign, and prob. to L. rigare to water, to wet; cf. Gr. ? to
wet, to rain.]
Water falling in drops from the clouds; the descent of water
from the clouds in drops.

Rain is water by the heat of the sun divided into very
small parts ascending in the air, till, encountering
the cold, it be condensed into clouds, and descends in
drops. --Ray.

Fair days have oft contracted wind and rain. --Milton.

Note: Rain is distinguished from mist by the size of the
drops, which are distinctly visible. When water falls
in very small drops or particles, it is called mist;
and fog is composed of particles so fine as to be not
only individually indistinguishable, but to float or be
suspended in the air. See {Fog}, and {Mist}.

{Rain band} (Meteorol.), a dark band in the yellow portion of
the solar spectrum near the sodium line, caused by the
presence of watery vapor in the atmosphere, and hence
sometimes used in weather predictions.

{Rain bird} (Zo["o]l.), the yaffle, or green woodpecker.
[Prov. Eng.] The name is also applied to various other
birds, as to {Saurothera vetula} of the West Indies.

{Rain fowl} (Zo["o]l.), the channel-bill cuckoo ({Scythrops
Nov[ae]-Hollandi[ae]}) of Australia.

{Rain gauge}, an instrument of various forms measuring the
quantity of rain that falls at any given place in a given
time; a pluviometer; an ombrometer.

{Rain goose} (Zo["o]l.), the red-throated diver, or loon.
[Prov. Eng.]

{Rain prints} (Geol.), markings on the surfaces of stratified
rocks, presenting an appearance similar to those made by
rain on mud and sand, and believed to have been so
produced.

{Rain quail}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Quail}, n., 1.

{Rain water}, water that has fallen from the clouds in rain.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Rain \Rain\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Rained}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Raining}.] [AS. regnian, akin to G. regnen, Goth. rignjan.
See {Rain}, n.]
1. To fall in drops from the clouds, as water; used mostly
with it for a nominative; as, it rains.

The rain it raineth every day. --Shak.

2. To fall or drop like water from the clouds; as, tears
rained from their eyes.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Rain \Rain\, v. t.
1. To pour or shower down from above, like rain from the
clouds.

Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain
bread from heaven for you. --Ex. xvi. 4.

2. To bestow in a profuse or abundant manner; as, to rain
favors upon a person.

From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)

rain
n 1: water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the
atmosphere [syn: {rainfall}]
2: drops of fresh water that fall as precipitation from clouds
[syn: {rainwater}]
3: anything happening rapidly or in quick successive; "a rain
of bullets"; "a pelting of insults" [syn: {pelting}]
v : precipitate as rain; "If it rains much more, we can expect
some flooding." [syn: {rain down}]


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