rains
A1Neutral to formal for noun; Neutral for verb.
Definition
Meaning
Plural of 'rain', referring to the falling water drops from clouds; also the third-person singular present tense of the verb 'to rain', meaning water falls from the sky.
The plural noun form refers to instances or periods of rainy weather; metaphorically, it can refer to an abundance of things falling, descending, or being sent in large quantities.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
As a plural noun, it often appears in the fixed plural phrase 'the rains', referring to the seasonal rainy period in tropical climates. The verb form 'it rains' is impersonal.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. The term 'the rains' for a monsoon season is more common in global English describing tropical regions than in everyday BrE/AmE.
Connotations
Identical.
Frequency
Equal frequency.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
It rains (heavily/constantly).The rains (come/fall) in June.The rains flooded the streets.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It never rains but it pours.”
- “Save for a rainy day.”
- “Come rain or shine.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used metaphorically: 'The company faced a rain of complaints.'
Academic
Used in climatology/geography: 'The summer rains replenish the aquifer.'
Everyday
Literal weather: 'Take an umbrella, it rains a lot here.'
Technical
In meteorology: 'Convective rains are common in the tropics.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- It typically rains throughout the afternoon in London.
- If it rains, the match will be postponed.
American English
- It rains a lot in Seattle during the fall.
- Look at those clouds—it's going to rain soon.
adverb
British English
- No common adverbial use.
American English
- No common adverbial use.
adjective
British English
- No common adjectival use.
American English
- No common adjectival use.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- It rains in spring.
- The rains make the grass green.
- If it rains tomorrow, we'll stay indoors.
- The heavy rains caused some flooding in the village.
- The annual monsoon rains are vital for agriculture in the region.
- It's been raining incessantly, and the constant rains are starting to affect morale.
- A rain of criticism followed the minister's announcement, but she weathered it stoically.
- The project was delayed by the unseasonable rains, which set back the construction schedule by weeks.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
RAINS: Really Abundant INcoming Showers.
Conceptual Metaphor
PROBLEMS/THINGS IN ABUNDANCE ARE RAIN (e.g., a rain of blows, a rain of gifts).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not use 'rains' (plural) for a single instance of rain. Use 'rain' (uncountable). 'Heavy rains' is correct for multiple periods. Beware of the impersonal verb structure 'It rains' (Идёт дождь), not 'He/she rains'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'a rain' (incorrect, uncountable noun). 'Many rains' is incorrect for frequent rainfall; use 'a lot of rain'.
- Using personal subject with verb: 'Sky rains' instead of 'It rains'.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'rains' correctly as a plural noun?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is the plural form of the noun 'rain' (e.g., the tropical rains) and the third-person singular present tense of the verb 'to rain' (e.g., it rains).
No. 'Rain' as a noun is usually uncountable. 'A rain' is only used in very specific, often literary or metaphorical contexts (e.g., a rain of arrows). 'Rains' as a plural refers to multiple instances or periods of rain.
'Rain' is the general, uncountable phenomenon. 'Rains' (plural) refers specifically to repeated or seasonal periods of rainfall, most commonly in 'the rains' meaning a rainy season.
Yes, for describing the weather phenomenon, the subject is always the impersonal 'it'. You cannot say 'The sky rains' in standard modern English.