rain cats and dogs — to rain very heavily; to pour down rain
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: to rain very heavily; to pour down rain
Pronunciation (IPA): /reɪn kæts ənd dɔːɡz/
Example Sentences
- The weather forecast said it would rain cats and dogs during the outdoor wedding, so they rented a giant tent.
- My dog loves walks, but even he refuses to go out when it's raining cats and dogs.
- It was raining cats and dogs, so the baseball game was postponed until tomorrow.
rain cats and dogs
NOUN[/reɪn kæts ənd dɔːɡz/]
to rain very heavily; to pour down rain
It started to rain cats and dogs the moment she stepped outside without an umbrella.
When it rains cats and dogs, frogs leap over floating logs!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
This expression originated in 17th-century England, though its precise etymology remains uncertain. The most widely accepted theory suggests that cats and dogs living in poorly constructed buildings fell from roofs during heavy downpours. An alternative explanation traces the phrase to Norse mythology, where dogs symbolized wind and cats represented storms.
Breakdown
rain (precipitation) + cats and dogs (animals used idiomatically to express intensity and chaos). The phrase combines a literal weather term with animals traditionally associated with disorder, creating a figurative expression for extremely heavy rainfall.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The weather forecast said it would rain cats and dogs during the outdoor wedding, so they rented a giant tent.”
“My dog loves walks, but even he refuses to go out when it's raining cats and dogs.”
“It was raining cats and dogs, so the baseball game was postponed until tomorrow.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
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