drain

[ dreyn ]

verb (used with object)

1. to withdraw or draw off (a liquid) gradually; remove slowly or by degrees, as by filtration:

   to drain oil from a crankcase.

2. to withdraw liquid gradually from; make empty or dry by drawing off liquid:

   to drain a crankcase.

3. to exhaust the resources of:

   to drain the treasury.

4. to deprive of strength; tire.

verb (used without object)

1. to flow off gradually.
2. to become empty or dry by the gradual flowing off of liquid or moisture:

   This land drains into the Mississippi.

noun

1. something, as a pipe or conduit, by which a liquid drains.
2. Surgery. a material or appliance for maintaining the opening of a wound to permit free exit of fluids.
3. gradual or continuous outflow, withdrawal, or expenditure.
4. something that causes a large or continuous outflow, expenditure, or depletion:

   Medical expenses were a major drain on his bank account.

5. an act of draining.
6. Physical Geography.
   1. an artificial watercourse, as a ditch or trench.
   2. a natural watercourse modified to increase its flow of water.

drain

/ dreɪn /

noun

1. a pipe or channel that carries off water, sewage, etc
2. an instance or cause of continuous diminution in resources or energy; depletion
3. surgery a device, such as a tube, for insertion into a wound, incision, or bodily cavity to drain off pus, etc
4. electronics the electrode region in a field-effect transistor into which majority carriers flow from the interelectrode conductivity channel
5. down the drain
   wasted

verb

1. troften foll byoff to draw off or remove (liquid) from

   to drain vegetables

   to drain water from vegetables

2. introften foll byaway to flow (away) or filter (off)
3. intr to dry or be emptied as a result of liquid running off or flowing away

   leave the dishes to drain

4. tr to drink the entire contents of (a glass, cup, etc)
5. tr to consume or make constant demands on (resources, energy, etc); exhaust; sap
6. intr to disappear or leave, esp gradually

   the colour drained from his face

7. tr (of a river, etc) to carry off the surface water from (an area)
8. intr (of an area) to discharge its surface water into rivers, streams, etc

Derived Forms

• ˈdrainable, adjective

Other Words From

• draina·ble adjective
• drainer noun
• over·drain verb
• un·draina·ble adjective
• un·drained adjective
• well-drained adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of drain¹

before 1000; Middle English dreynen, Old English drēhnian, drēahnian to strain, filter; akin to dry

Word History and Origins

Origin of drain¹

Old English drēahnian; related to Old Norse drangr dry wood; see dry

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. go down the drain,
   1. to become worthless or profitless.
   2. to go out of existence; disappear.

More idioms and phrases containing drain

see brain drain ; down the drain .

Example Sentences

Ronald Reagan was the first president who promised to “drain the swamp” in Washington, bringing federal bureaucrats to heel.

From Los Angeles Times

He has also repeatedly criticised the US government's continued support of Ukraine, casting the war as a drain on resources.

From BBC

Not only did the PA leave an abdominal drain - used to remove excess fluid from her body - in for 15 hours longer than permitted, but he also told colleagues to clamp it, increasing the risk of infection.

From BBC

During the election campaign, Trump characterised the Russia-Ukraine conflict as a drain on US resources and said he could end the war between Russia and Ukraine "in a day".

From BBC

But he added that Russia is spending more than 40% of its public expenditure on defence and security, which he said was "an enormous drain" on the country.

From BBC

Related Words

• bleed
• consume
• deplete
• diminish
• divert
• dry
• empty
• exhaust
• pump
• reduce
• sap
• siphon
• strain
• suck
• tap
• use up