drain

drain
1 verb
1 LIQUID
a) (T) to make the water or liquid flow away from something: Can you drain the spaghetti, please? | Deep ditches were dug to drain the fields. | drain sth from sth: Brad drained all the oil from the engine. | well/poorly etc drained: Carrots grow best in a well drained soil.
b) (I) if liquid drains, it flows away
 (+ away): I watched the bath water drain away.
c) (I) if something drains, the liquid that is in it or on it flows away and it becomes dry: Open ditches drain very efficiently.
2 drain a glass/cup etc to drink all the liquid in a glass, cup etc: Hannah drained her mug in one gulp.
3 USE TOO MUCH (T) to use too much of something so that there is not enough left: Huge imports were draining the country's currency reserves. | drain sb/sth of sth: Our country is being drained of many of its best scientists.
4 MAKE TIRED (T) to make someone feel very tired and without any energy: Working with sick children every day really drains you.
5 COLOUR (intransitive always + adv/prep) if the colour drains from your face, your skin becomes very pale usually because you are frightened or shocked
(+ from/away etc): All the colour had drained from Zelda's cheeks.
6 BE REDUCED (intransitive always + adv/prep) to gradually be reduced
(+ away/out of etc): The family's wealth has slowly drained away. drain sth off phrasal verb (T) to make water or a liquid flow off something, leaving it dry: Leave to simmer for 40 minutes then drain off the stock. 2 noun (C)
1 especially BrE a pipe that carries water or waste liquids away: blocked drains: The drains were blocked and the streets were full of water.
2 the frame of metal bars over a drain where water etc can flow into it: Clear the leaves out of the drain.
3 a drain on sth something that continuously uses time, money, strength etc: Not having anybody to rent my room is a serious drain on my financial resources.
4 down the drain informal wasted or having no result: The fire meant two years' hard work down the drain.
—see also: brain drain

Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую
Synonyms:
, / , , , , , , , / ,


Look at other dictionaries:

  • drain — drain …   Dictionnaire des rimes

  • drain — [ drɛ̃ ] n. m. • 1849; mot angl., de to drain « dessécher » 1 ♦ Agric. Conduit souterrain, servant à évacuer l eau des sols trop humides. Les drains se jettent dans des collecteurs (⇒ drainage) . ♢ Par ext. Fossé. 2 ♦ (1859) Tube destiné à… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Drain — 〈[drɛın] od. [ drɛ̃:] m. 6〉 1. 〈Med.〉 Gummiröhrchen mit seitl. Öffnungen zur Drainage (GummiDrain) 2. 〈österr., schweiz. Schreibung für〉 Drän [engl., „Abfluss, künstl. Abflusskanal“] * * * I Drain   [dt. »Abfluss«] das, eine der drei Elektroden… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Drain — 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. [1913 Webster] 2. That means of which anything is drained; a channel;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • drain — index consume, decrease, decrement, deplete, diminish, dissipate (expend foolishly), exhaust (deplete), expen …   Law dictionary

  • drain — drain·age; drain·er; drain·er·man; drain·less; sub·drain; un·drain·able; drain; …   English syllables

  • Drain — (dr[=a]n), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Drained} (dr[=a]nd); p. pr. & vb. n. {Draining}.] [AS. drehnigean to drain, strain; perh. akin to E. draw.] 1. To draw off by degrees; to cause to flow gradually out or off; hence, to cause the exhaustion of. [1913 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • drain — ► VERB 1) cause the liquid in (something) to run out. 2) (of liquid) run off or out. 3) become dry as liquid runs off. 4) deprive of strength or resources. 5) drink the entire contents of. ► NOUN 1) a channel or pipe carrying off …   English terms dictionary

  • Drain — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Drain País …   Wikipedia Español

  • Drain — [drɛ̃:] u. Drän der; s, s <über fr. drain aus gleichbed. engl. drain zu to drain »ableiten, abfließen lassen«, eigtl. »austrocknen«>: 1. Röhrchen aus Gummi od. anderem Material mit seitlichen Öffnungen (Med.); vgl. ↑Drainage. 2. svw. ↑Drän …   Das große Fremdwörterbuch

  • Drain — Drain, v. i. 1. To flow gradually; as, the water of low ground drains off. [1913 Webster] 2. To become emptied of liquor by flowing or dropping; as, let the vessel stand and drain. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”