rain

Everyday

1. Rain is water that falls from clouds in drops. tree →
2. When it rains, water falls from the sky and the ground gets wet. tree →
3. A rain of something is a lot of it falling: a rain of arrows. tree →
4. «Rain check» (USA) means doing something another time. tree →

In the lessons

In maths: weather in the story; amounts of rain in inches or millimeters, days with rain; added, compared or averaged. In science: the water cycle (evaporation, clouds, rain), rain gauges, floods and droughts. In everyday life: raincoats, umbrellas, rained-off games. In stories: «it never rains but it pours», «right as rain» (well again).

Examples

• It rained 3 inches on Monday and 2 inches on Tuesday. tree →
• It rained on 9 days in April. tree →
• The game was stopped by rain after 40 minutes. tree →
• How much rain fell in the week? tree →
• Rain falls when water drops in clouds get too heavy. tree →
• Take your umbrella, it's going to rain. tree →
• We measured the rain with a jar in the garden. tree →
• Plants need rain to grow. tree →
• After a good sleep she felt right as rain. tree →
• The rain was falling in torrents. tree →

Note

Amounts of rain on different days are usually added or compared. Trap: «it rained for 3 days» counts days, «3 inches of rain» is an amount. «Rain» the noun is uncountable: «a lot of rain», not «rains» (except «the rains», a rainy season). Homophones: reign (a king's rule) and rein (strap for a horse). Safety: stay away from flooded roads and rivers after heavy rain.

In Jewish tradition

In the Torah rain is a gift from God. It is also a tool of judgment, as in the Flood and the fire on Sodom.

Interpretation. Tradition teaches that God controls the rain and gives it as a reward for faithfulness. The Flood is read as a punishment for human violence.

Examples

• And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights. (Torah GEN.7.12, JPS 1917) tree →
• the fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained. (Torah GEN.8.2, JPS 1917) tree →
• Then the LORD caused to rain upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; (Torah GEN.19.24, JPS 1917) tree →
• Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields; (Writings JOB.5.10, JPS 1917) tree →
• He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land. (Writings PSA.105.32, JPS 1917) tree →
• For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; (Writings SNG.2.11, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Amounts of rain on different days are usually added or compared. Trap: «it rained for 3 days» counts days, «3 inches of rain» is an amount. «Rain» the noun is uncountable: «a lot of rain», not «rains» (except «the rains», a rainy season). Homophones: reign (a king's rule) and rein (strap for a horse). Safety: stay away from flooded roads and rivers after heavy rain.