If you live in Britain, you need a lot of words for rain. It can rain at any time of year, and the weather often changes several times in one afternoon. No wonder Brits love talking about it! Here are the words Brits actually use, from a light drizzle to a proper downpour, so you’re ready the next time someone says, “Ooh, looks like rain.”
Words in the Photo
Three words you can see in the photo at the top of this page (one of them is a noun and a verb), in alphabetical order.
drizzle (noun): very light rain made of tiny drops. · In the photo
“There’s a bit of drizzle, but it’s not worth getting the umbrella out.”
drizzle (verb): to rain very lightly. · In the photo
“It drizzled all morning, then the sun came out just as we went home.”
dull (adjective): grey and cloudy, without much light. · In the photo
“It’s another dull day. We haven’t seen the sun for a week!”
umbrella (noun): a folding frame covered in material that you hold over your head to keep the rain off. · In the photo
“I’ve left my umbrella on the bus again.”
12 More Rain Words
The words you’ll hear at bus stops, in the office and on the weather forecast.
brolly (noun, informal): a British slang word for an umbrella.
“Take a brolly, it’s supposed to rain later.”
damp (adjective): slightly wet, often in an unpleasant way.
“My socks are still damp from this morning.”
downpour (noun): a sudden, very heavy fall of rain.
“We got caught in a downpour on the way to the station.”
drenched (adjective): completely wet.
“I was only outside for two minutes and I got drenched.”
forecast (noun): what the weather is expected to be like.
“The forecast says showers this afternoon.”
mac (noun): a raincoat (short for mackintosh).
“Grab your mac, it’s spitting.”
overcast (adjective): covered with grey cloud.
“It’s overcast, but I don’t think it’ll rain.”
puddle (noun): a small pool of rainwater on the ground.
“The kids jumped in every puddle on the way home.”
shower (noun): a short period of rain.
“There might be a few showers, but it should be dry by lunchtime.”
spitting (verb (-ing form)): raining very lightly, just a few drops.
“It’s only spitting. Come on, let’s go.”
torrential (adjective): (of rain) extremely heavy.
“Torrential rain closed the road for the whole afternoon.”
wellies (noun, plural): rubber boots that keep your feet dry (short for wellington boots).
“You’ll need your wellies, the field is all mud.”
From Spitting to Chucking It Down
Brits grade rain very carefully. Here’s the scale, from “don’t bother with a coat” to “don’t go out at all”:
- It’s spitting. A few drops. Probably nothing.
- It’s drizzling. Light but steady. Your hair will go frizzy.
- It’s raining. Normal rain. Umbrella time.
- It’s pouring. Heavy rain. Run!
- It’s chucking it down / bucketing down / tipping it down. Very heavy rain, said with feeling.
- It’s raining cats and dogs. The same idea, but a bit old-fashioned now.
UK or US? In Britain you wear wellies and a mac, and carry a brolly. In America you’re more likely to hear rain boots, raincoat and umbrella.
Rainy Idioms
Rain has given English some useful idioms. If you’re feeling better after being ill, you’re right as rain. If you can’t accept an invitation now but would like to another time, you take a rain check. And when a big event is spoiled (often by the weather), it’s a damp squib. For brighter skies, see our rainbow vocabulary.
In the News
Spotted in the newsRain – Met Officeweather.metoffice.gov.ukFrequently Asked Questions
Drizzle is very light rain made of tiny drops. It falls gently and often goes on for hours. Rain has bigger drops and falls harder.
“Brolly” is informal British English for an umbrella. “Don’t forget your brolly!”
Brits often say “it’s chucking it down”, “it’s bucketing down”, “it’s tipping it down” or “it’s pouring”. The idiom “it’s raining cats and dogs” means the same, but it sounds a bit old-fashioned now.
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