English Reference
Idiom idiom

rain buckets


To rain heavily

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

It is raining buckets outside right now.

CONTEXTUAL

We had to cancel the outdoor picnic because it started raining buckets in the afternoon.

COMPLEX

Although the weather forecast promised clear skies, it began raining buckets just as the wedding ceremony commenced in the garden.


From the figurative sense of water pouring from buckets, as if the contents of several vessels were being emptied simultaneously.


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    bolt bucket

    A machine, especially an automobile. Implies that the machine is clunky or unreliable.

  2. 02

    brain bucket

    A protective helmet, as worn, for example, by a motorcyclist, bicyclist, or soldier in combat.

  3. 03

    bucket down

    To rain heavily.

  4. 04

    bucket list

    A list of tasks arising during a meeting that are put aside to be dealt with later.

  5. 05

    bucket of bolts

    A piece of machinery that is not worth more than its scrap value, often an old car.

  6. 06

    bucket of rust

    Synonym of rustbucket.

  7. 07

    bucket of syrup

    A sticky, difficult situation.

  8. 08

    can't carry a tune in a bucket

    Sings very badly.

Last updated August 10, 2026