DRAIN • DICCIONARIO INGLES.COM • Definition of Drain

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/dreɪn/ Listen

noun

Drain n.

1.

The act of draining, or of drawing off; gradual and continuous outflow or withdrawal; as, the drain of specie from a country; the project is a drain on resources.

2.

That means of which anything is drained; a channel; a trench; a water course; a sewer; a sink.

3.

pl. The grain from the mashing tub; as, brewers' drains. (Eng.)

Box drain, Counter drain. See under Box, Counter.

Right of drain (Law), an easement or servitude by which one man has a right to convey water in pipes through or over the estate of another.

verb

Drain v. t. (past & past part. drained; pres. part. draining)

1.

To draw off by degrees; to cause to flow gradually out or off; hence, to cause the exhaustion of. "Fountains drain the water from the ground adjacent." "But it was not alone that the he drained their treasure and hampered their industry."

2.

To exhaust of liquid contents by drawing them off; to make gradually dry or empty; to remove surface water, as from streets, by gutters, etc.; to deprive of moisture; hence, to exhaust; to empty of wealth, resources, or the like; as, to drain a country of its specie. "Sinking waters, the firm land to drain, Filled the capacious deep and formed the main."

3.

To filter. "Salt water, drained through twenty vessels of earth, hath become fresh."

Drain v. i.

1.

To flow gradually; as, the water of low ground drains off.

2.

To become emptied of liquor by flowing or dropping; as, let the vessel stand and drain.

See images of 'Drain'

Etymology of 'Drain'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Drain" Quotes from Famous Books

... of paper money, designed to be permanent, I said it should be remembered that theretofore no expedient had been devised, either in this or other countries, that in times of panic or adverse trade had prevented the drain and exhaustion of coin reserves, however large or carefully guarded. Every such system must provide for a suspension of specie payment. Laws might forbid or ignore such a contingency, but it would come; and ...

— Recollections of Forty Years in the House, Senate and Cabinet - An Autobiography. • John Sherman

... the tops of the celery about one-third of their length, and also trim the roots into rounding shape. Save the tops for making cream of celery and for garnishes, cook the celery in salted water until tender, drain, lay on toast, and pour a ...

— Good Things to Eat as Suggested by Rufus • Rufus Estes

... in mixed English, French, and Spanish. There had been many toasts, most courteously worded and delicately drunk, for I noticed these Frenchmen were not deep drinkers, and did not feel it necessary to drain their glasses at every toast, as is the manner in Kentucky. My captain's health had been drunk and he had responded with the governor's (nor did our polite hosts forget to honor me), and the gaiety began to grow somewhat ...

— The Rose of Old St. Louis • Mary Dillon

... next door, had not made a mistake and come to the wrong number; and if they, in the haste of flight, had not left an area door unfastened; and if this young plumbing apprentice, stumbling his way upstairs on the hunt for the misbehaving drain, had not opened the white enameled door and found inside there what he did find—if this small sequence of incidents had not occurred as it did and when it did, or if only it had been delayed another twenty-four hours, or even twelve, everything might have ...

— The Escape of Mr. Trimm - His Plight and other Plights • Irvin S. Cobb

... thoughts, My thoughts, that labour to persuade my soul Some violent hands were laid on Humphrey's life! If my suspect be false, forgive me, God, For judgment only doth belong to thee. Fain would I go to chafe his paly lips With twenty thousand kisses, and to drain Upon his face an ocean of salt tears To tell my love unto his dumb deaf trunk, And with my fingers feel his hand unfeeling; But all in vain are these mean obsequies; And to survey his dead and earthy image, What were it but to make ...

— King Henry VI, Second Part • William Shakespeare [Rolfe edition]

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