Word Study
drain
OXFORD DICTIONARY
drain, v. & n.
--v.
1 tr. draw off liquid from, esp.: a make (land etc.) dry by providing an outflow for moisture. b (of a river) carry off the superfluous water of (a district). c remove purulent matter from (an abscess).
2 tr. (foll. by off, away) draw off (liquid) esp. by a pipe.
3 intr. (foll. by away, off, through) flow or trickle away.
4 intr. (of a wet cloth, a vessel, etc.) become dry as liquid flows away (put it there to drain).
5 tr. (often foll. by of) exhaust or deprive (a person or thing) of strength, resources, property, etc.
6 tr. a drink (liquid) to the dregs. b empty (a vessel) by drinking the contents.
--n.
1 a a channel, conduit, or pipe carrying off liquid, esp. an artificial conduit for water or sewage. b a tube for drawing off the discharge from an abscess etc.
2 a constant outflow, withdrawal, or expenditure (a great drain on my resources).
--v.
1 tr. draw off liquid from, esp.: a make (land etc.) dry by providing an outflow for moisture. b (of a river) carry off the superfluous water of (a district). c remove purulent matter from (an abscess).
2 tr. (foll. by off, away) draw off (liquid) esp. by a pipe.
3 intr. (foll. by away, off, through) flow or trickle away.
4 intr. (of a wet cloth, a vessel, etc.) become dry as liquid flows away (put it there to drain).
5 tr. (often foll. by of) exhaust or deprive (a person or thing) of strength, resources, property, etc.
6 tr. a drink (liquid) to the dregs. b empty (a vessel) by drinking the contents.
--n.
1 a a channel, conduit, or pipe carrying off liquid, esp. an artificial conduit for water or sewage. b a tube for drawing off the discharge from an abscess etc.
2 a constant outflow, withdrawal, or expenditure (a great drain on my resources).
Idiom
down the drain colloq. lost, wasted. laugh like a drain laugh copiously; guffaw.
Etymology
OE dre(a)hnian f. Gmc
THESAURUS
drain
abate, ablate, ablation, abrade, abridge, absorb, absorption, abstract, abuse, achromatize, acquire, air-dry, anhydrate, assimilate, assimilation, attrition, bake, bankrupt, bate, bereave, blackmail, blanch, bleach, bleed, bleed white, blot, blow, blow out, bog, broach, brush, bugger, burn, burn up, burning up, call, call for, catch up, cesspool, channel, claim, clap hands on, clasp, claw, clean out, clear, clear away, clear off, clear out, clear the decks, clench, clinch, cloaca, cloaca maxima, clutch, conduit, consume, consumption, contribution, cripple, culvert, cure, curtail, cut off, de-energize, debilitate, decant, decolor, decolorize, decrease, decrement, deduct, defecate, defluxion, dehumidify, dehydrate, demand, demand for, denude, deplete, depletion, deplume, depreciate, depreciation, depress, deprive, deprive of, derogate, desiccate, despoil, detract, digest, digestion, dim, diminish, disable, disbursement, discharge, discolor, disenable, disentitle, disparage, displume, dissipate, dissipation, ditch, divest, down the drain, draft, draft off, drag, drain of color, drain of resources, drain off, drain out, drainage, draw, draw down, draw from, draw off, drench, dribble away, drink up, drip, dry, dull, dump, duty, ease one of, eat, eat away, eat up, eating up, ebb, effluence, efflux, effluxion, effusion, eliminate, embrace, empty, empty out, enfeeble, ennui, erode, erosion, etiolate, evacuate, evaporate, evaporation, exaction, exhalation, exhaust, exhaustion, expend, expending, expenditure, exploit, exsiccate, extortion, extortionate demand, extract, fade, fatigue, file away, find vent, finish, finish off, finishing, fire, flay, fleece, flow, flow out, flowoff, fume, garbage dump, get, get hold of, glom on to, gobble, gobble up, gone, grab, grab hold of, grapple, grasp, grip, gripe, gush, gush out, gutter, hamstring, headchute, heavy demand, hors de combat, hug, ill-use, impair, impose upon, imposition, impost, impoverish, impoverishment, inactivate, incapacitate, indent, ingest, ingestion, insistent demand, insolate, jade, jet, kennel, kibosh, kiln, lame, lay hands on, lay hold of, leach, leakage, leave, lessen, let, let blood, let out, levy, lighten one of, loot, lost, maim, make use of, manipulate, marsh, milk, mine, mire, misuse, mummify, nail, nip, nip up, nonnegotiable demand, notice, ooze, oppress, order, outfall, outflow, outflowing, outgo, outlet, outpour, outpouring, pale, pall, palm, parch, partake, peroxide, phlebotomize, pick clean, pillage, pipe, pipette, piscina, play on, pluck, pocket, possess, pour, pour out, presume upon, pump, pump out, purge, purify, put, quaff, quagmire, queer, queer the works, receive, reduce, reduction, refine, remove, requirement, requisition, retrench, rub, rub away, run out, runoff, rush, rush order, sabotage, sap, sapping, scorch, scour out, scupper, sear, seep, seize, septic tank, sewer, shear, shorten, shrink, shrinkage, shrivel, sink, siphon, siphon off, skin, sluice, sluice out, smoke, snap up, snatch, soak up, sough, spend, spending, spew out, spike, sponge, spout, spout out, spurt, squander, squandering, steal, strain, strip, strip bare, stroke, subduct, subtract, suck, suck dry, suck out, sump, sun, sun-dry, surge, swab, swallow, swallow up, swamp, sweep out, swill, take, take advantage of, take away, take away from, take by assault, take by storm, take from, take hold of, take possession, tap, tarnish, tax, taxing, thin, thin out, thrown away, tire, tone down, torrefy, towel, trench, tribute, trickle, ultimatum, unclog, unfit, unfoul, up the spout, use, use ill, use up, using, using up, venesect, vent, void, vomit forth, warning, wash out, wastage, waste, waste away, wasted, wastefulness, wasting away, watercourse, weaken, wear, wear away, wear down, wearing, wearing away, wearing down, weary, weazen, weed, weigh, well, well out, whip up, whiten, wing, wipe, withdraw, withdrawal, wither, wizen, work on, work upon, wreckROGET THESAURUS
drain
Waste
VB spend, expend, use, consume, swallow up, exhaust, impoverish, spill, drain, empty, disperse, cast away, fool away, muddle away, throw away, fling away, fritter away, burn the candle at both ends, waste, squander, waste its sweetness on the desert air, cast one's bread upon the waters, cast pearls before swine, employ a steam engine to crack a nut, waste powder and shot, break a butterfly on a wheel, labor in vain, cut blocks with a razor, pour water into a sieve, leak, run to waste, ebb, melt away, run dry, dry up.Cleanness
VB be clean, render clean, clean, cleanse, mundify, rinse, wring, flush, full, wipe, mop, sponge, scour, swab, scrub, brush up, wash, lave, launder, buck, absterge, deterge, decrassify, clear, purify, depurate, despumate, defecate, purge, expurgate, elutriate, lixiviate, edulcorate, clarify, refine, rack, filter, filtrate, drain, strain, disinfect, fumigate, ventilate, deodorize, whitewash, castrate, emasculate, sift, winnow, pick, weed, comb, rake, brush, sweep, rout out, clear out, sweep out, make a clean sweep of.Uncleanness
N uncleanness, impurity, immundity, immundicity, impurity, defilement, contamination, defoedation, soilure, soiliness, abomination, leaven, taint, tainture, fetor, decay, putrescence, putrefaction, corruption, mold, must, mildew, dry rot, mucor, rubigo, slovenry, slovenliness, squalor, dowdy, drab, slut, malkin, slattern, sloven, slammerkin, slammock, slummock, scrub, draggle-tail, mudlark, dust-man, sweep, beast, dirt, filth, soil, slop, dust, cobweb, flue, smoke, soot, smudge, smut, grit, grime, raff, sossle, sozzle, sordes, dregs, grounds, lees, argol, sediment, settlement heeltap, dross, drossiness, mother, precipitate, scoriae, ashes, cinders, recrement, slag, scum, froth, hogwash, ditchwater, dishwater, bilgewater, rinsings, cheeseparings, sweepings, offscourings, outscourings, off scum, caput mortuum, residuum, sprue, fecula, clinker, draff, scurf, scurfiness, exuviae, morphea, fur, furfur, dandruff, tartar, riffraff, vermin, louse, flea, bug, chinch, mud, mire, quagmire, alluvium, silt, sludge, slime, slush, slosh, sposh, spawn, offal, gurry, lientery, garbage, carrion, excreta, slough, peccant humor, pus, matter, suppuration, lienteria, faeces, feces, excrement, ordure, dung, crap, shit, sewage, sewerage, muck, coprolite, guano, manure, compost, dunghill, colluvies, mixen, midden, bog, laystall, sink, privy, jakes, toilet, john, head, cess, cesspool, sump, sough, cloaca, latrines, drain, sewer, common sewer, Cloacina, dust hole, sty, pigsty, lair, den, Augean stable, sink of corruption, slum, rookery, dirty, filthy, grimy, unclean, impure, soiled, not to be handled with kid gloves, dusty, snuffy, smutty, sooty, smoky, thick, turbid, dreggy, slimy, mussy, slovenly, untidy, messy, uncleanly, unkempt, sluttish, dowdy, draggle-tailed, uncombed, unscoured, unswept, unwiped, unwashed, unstrained, unpurified, squalid, lutose, slammocky, slummocky, sozzly, nasty, coarse, foul, offensive, abominable, beastly, reeky, reechy, fetid, decayed, moldy, musty, mildewed, rusty, moth-eaten, mucid, rancid, weak, bad, gone bad, etercoral, lentiginous, touched, fusty, effete, reasty, rotten, corrupt, tainted, high, flyblown, maggoty, putrid, putrefactive, putrescent, putrefied, saprogenic, saprogenous, purulent, carious, peccant, fecal, feculent, stercoraceous, excrementitious, scurfy, scurvy, impetiginous, gory, bloody, rotting, rotten as a pear, rotten as cheese, crapulous, gross, fimetarious, fimicolous, they that touch pitch will be defiled.Remedy
VB apply a remedy, doctor, dose, physic, nurse, minister to, attend, dress the wounds, plaster, drain, prevent, relieve, palliate, restore, drench with physic, bleed, cup, let blood, manicure, operate, excise, cut out, incise.Taking
VB take, catch, hook, nab, bag, sack, pocket, put into one's pocket, receive, accept, reap, crop, cull, pluck, gather, draw, appropriate, expropriate, impropriate, assume, possess oneself of, take possession of, commandeer, lay one's hands on, clap one's hands on, help oneself to, make free with, dip one's hands into, lay under contribution, intercept, scramble for, deprive of, take away, carry away, bear away, take off, carry off, bear off, adeem, abstract, hurry off with, run away with, abduct, steal, ravish, seize, pounce upon, spring upon, swoop to, swoop down upon, take by storm, take by assault, snatch, reave, snap up, nip up, whip up, catch up, kidnap, crimp, capture, lay violent hands on, get hold of, lay hold of, take hold of, catch hold of, lay fast hold of, take firm hold of, lay by the heels, take prisoner, fasten upon, grip, grapple, embrace, gripe, clasp, grab, clutch, collar, throttle, take by the throat, claw, clinch, clench, make sure of, catch at, jump at, make a grab at, snap at, snatch at, reach, make a long arm, stretch forth one's hand, take from, take away from, disseize, deduct, retrench, dispossess, ease one of, snatch from one's grasp, tear from, tear away from, wrench from, wrest from, wring from, extort, deprive of, bereave, disinherit, cut off with a shilling, oust, divest, levy, distrain, confiscate, sequester, sequestrate, accroach, usurp, despoil, strip, fleece, shear, displume, impoverish, eat out of house and home, drain, drain to the dregs, gut, dry, exhaust, swallow up, absorb, draw off, suck the blood of, suck like a leech, retake, resume, recover.Prodigality
VB be prodigal, squander, lavish, sow broadcast, pour forth like water, blow, blow in, pay through the nose, spill, waste, dissipate, exhaust, drain, eat out of house and home, overdraw, outrun the constable, run out, run through, misspend, throw good money after bad, throw the helve after the hatchet, burn the candle at both ends, make ducks and drakes of one's money, fool away one's money, potter away one's money, muddle away one's money, fritter away one's money, throw away one's money, run through one's money, pour water into a sieve, kill the goose that lays the golden eggs, manger son ble en herbe.Egress
N egress, exit, issue, emersion, emergence, outbreak, outburst, eruption, proruption, emanation, egression, evacuation, exudation, transudation, extravasation, perspiration, sweating, leakage, percolation, distillation, oozing, gush, outpour, outpouring, effluence, effusion, effluxion, drain, dribbling, defluxion, drainage, outcome, output, discharge, export, expatriation, emigration, remigration, debouch, debouche, emunctory, exodus, emigrant, outlet, vent, spout, tap, sluice, floodgate, pore, vomitory, outgate, sally port, way out, mouth, door, path, conduit, airpipe, effused, outgoing.VB emerge, emanate, issue, egress, go out of, come out of, move out of, pass out of, pour out of, flow out of, pass out of, evacuate, exude, transude, leak, run through, out through, percolate, transcolate, egurgitate, strain, distill, perspire, sweat, drain, ooze, filter, filtrate, dribble, gush, spout, flow out, well, well out, pour, trickle, effuse, extravasate, disembogue, discharge itself, debouch, come forth, break forth, burst out, burst through, find vent, escape.
Dryness
VB be dry, render dry, dry, dry up, soak up, sponge, swab, wipe, drain, desiccate, dehydrate, exsiccate, parch, kiln dry, vacuum dry, blow dry, oven dry, hang out to dry, mummify, be fine, hold up.Conduit
N conduit, channel, duct, watercourse, race, head race, tail race, abito, aboideau, aboiteau, bito, acequia, acequiador, acequiamadre, arroyo, adit, aqueduct, canal, trough, gutter, pantile, flume, ingate, runner, lock-weir, tedge, vena, dike, main, gully, moat, ditch, drain, sewer, culvert, cloaca, sough, kennel, siphon, piscina, pipe, funnel, tunnel, water pipe, waste pipe, emunctory, gully hole, artery, aorta, pore, spout, scupper, adjutage, ajutage, hose, gargoyle, gurgoyle, penstock, weir, flood gate, water gate, sluice, lock, valve, rose, waterworks, pipeline, vascular.For further exploring for "drain" in Webster Dictionary Online