drain
B1Neutral to slightly informal; widely used in everyday, technical, and business contexts.
Definition
Meaning
To remove liquid from something gradually, or to cause something to lose its resources or energy.
The process of gradually diminishing or depleting something non-liquid, such as finances, emotions, or energy.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a verb of change (causing something to become empty/dry/used up). Also a countable noun for a pipe or channel carrying away liquid waste.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical. Noun: 'drain' refers to the hole/sink fitting (UK/US) and the pipe system (UK/US). Minor differences in collocation frequency (e.g., 'brain drain' equally common).
Connotations
Equally negative when describing resource/energy depletion. In plumbing contexts, neutral.
Frequency
Slightly higher metaphorical use in US business media (e.g., 'draining reserves').
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[NP] drain [NP] (transitive)[NP] drain [PrepP] (e.g., drain from/into)[NP] drain away/out (intransitive)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “go down the drain (be wasted)”
- “laugh like a drain (UK: laugh loudly)”
- “drain the cup (experience something fully, often negative)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Referring to the loss of capital, talent, or productivity (e.g., 'The legal fees are draining our capital reserves').
Academic
Describing processes in hydrology, economics, or physiology (e.g., 'The wetland helps drain excess nutrients from the soil').
Everyday
Plumbing, cooking, or describing tiredness (e.g., 'Let the pasta drain before adding sauce').
Technical
Engineering, medicine, or computing (e.g., 'Insert a surgical drain to remove fluid from the wound').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- You'll need to drain the potatoes before mashing them.
- The dispute is draining morale within the department.
- The floodwater slowly drained away into the soil.
American English
- Drain the pasta in a colander for two minutes.
- Those compliance costs are draining our profits.
- All the excitement just drained out of the room.
adjective
British English
- The drain pipe was blocked with leaves.
- He felt completely drain-ed after the long meeting.
American English
- We need to call a plumber for the drain clog.
- The drain-ed battery needed a jump start.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The sink has a slow drain.
- Please drain the water from the pot.
- Draining the swimming pool takes several hours.
- The long commute drains my energy every day.
- The country is suffering from a severe brain drain of its skilled graduates.
- Investors fear the new tax will drain capital from the market.
- The geopolitical crisis has drained the nation's strategic oil reserves at an alarming rate.
- Her relentless criticism gradually drained him of all self-belief.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a RAIN drain – it takes the RAINwater away.
Conceptual Metaphor
RESOURCES ARE LIQUIDS / ENERGY IS A FLUID (e.g., 'The project drained my enthusiasm').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'дренаж' (drenazh) for everyday 'drain' – it's a technical term for land drainage. Use 'слив' or 'сток' for the pipe/hole. The verb 'сливать' is close for liquid, but for energy use 'истощать'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect preposition: 'drain out of' instead of 'drain from'. Confusing 'drain' with 'strain' (to filter). Using 'drain' as an uncountable noun (e.g., 'put it in the drain' is correct, not 'put it in drain').
Practice
Quiz
In a business context, 'to drain reserves' most closely means:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, its most common metaphorical use is for non-liquid resources like energy, money, or emotion (e.g., 'drain my patience').
'Drain' focuses on removing liquid completely. 'Strain' focuses on separating solids from liquids using a filter (e.g., strain tea leaves).
Rarely. It typically implies a loss or removal, often unwanted. A positive spin might be 'drain tension' or 'drain a swamp' (metaphorically cleaning up).
It's an idiom meaning 'wasted' or 'lost forever' (e.g., 'All our hard work went down the drain').