drain
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to withdraw or draw off (a liquid) gradually; remove slowly or by degrees, as by filtration.
to drain oil from a crankcase.
-
to withdraw liquid gradually from; make empty or dry by drawing off liquid.
to drain a crankcase.
-
to exhaust the resources of.
to drain the treasury.
-
to deprive of strength; tire.
verb (used without object)
-
to flow off gradually.
-
to become empty or dry by the gradual flowing off of liquid or moisture.
This land drains into the Mississippi.
noun
-
something, as a pipe or conduit, by which a liquid drains.
-
Surgery. a material or appliance for maintaining the opening of a wound to permit free exit of fluids.
-
gradual or continuous outflow, withdrawal, or expenditure.
-
something that causes a large or continuous outflow, expenditure, or depletion.
Medical expenses were a major drain on his bank account.
-
an act of draining.
-
Physical Geography.
-
an artificial watercourse, as a ditch or trench.
-
a natural watercourse modified to increase its flow of water.
-
idioms
noun
-
a pipe or channel that carries off water, sewage, etc
-
an instance or cause of continuous diminution in resources or energy; depletion
-
surgery a device, such as a tube, for insertion into a wound, incision, or bodily cavity to drain off pus, etc
-
electronics the electrode region in a field-effect transistor into which majority carriers flow from the interelectrode conductivity channel
-
wasted
verb
-
to draw off or remove (liquid) from
to drain water from vegetables
to drain vegetables
-
to flow (away) or filter (off)
-
(intr) to dry or be emptied as a result of liquid running off or flowing away
leave the dishes to drain
-
(tr) to drink the entire contents of (a glass, cup, etc)
-
(tr) to consume or make constant demands on (resources, energy, etc); exhaust; sap
-
(intr) to disappear or leave, esp gradually
the colour drained from his face
-
(tr) (of a river, etc) to carry off the surface water from (an area)
-
(intr) (of an area) to discharge its surface water into rivers, streams, etc
Other Word Forms
- drainable adjective
- drainer noun
- overdrain verb
- undrainable adjective
- undrained adjective
- well-drained adjective
Etymology
Origin of drain
before 1000; Middle English dreynen, Old English drēhnian, drēahnian to strain, filter; akin to dry
Explanation
Most commonly found at the bottom of sinks and bathtubs across the globe, a drain is the hole through which water is carried away. If it rains on the day you decided to go to the beach, you could say your plans went right "down the drain." When used as a verb, to drain means "to gradually empty," whether it's a man-made lake that's got to go or some financial obligations putting a strain on your wallet. And that obnoxious guy who's sucking the life out of the party? He's a real drain too.
Vocabulary lists containing drain
Common Five-letter Words for Wordle, List 5
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"On Turning Ten" by Billy Collins
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Wolves have been circling the drain and have now been pulled under as they prepare to play in the Championship for the first time since 2018.
From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026
Once rinsed down the drain, these fibers can enter wastewater systems.
From Science Daily • Apr. 18, 2026
The blockade is set to drain more oil from a tight market, prolong the squeeze on other key commodities flowing through the strait and inject significant uncertainty into the global economy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026
But it could also act as a drain on shares of Tesla, the electric-vehicle giant that it shares a CEO with.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026
Then she poured it all into a cloth and let the thin, yellowish whey drain out.
From "Little House in the Big Woods" by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
