ENGLISH
REFERENCE

rain down

idiom
Meaning

To appear suddenly or inexplicably in large numbers.


Examples
SIMPLE

Complaints began to rain down on the manager after the mistake.

CONTEXTUAL

After the team lost the final game, criticism started to rain down from the angry fans in the stands.

COMPLEX

As the news of the scandal broke, questions and accusations began to rain down upon the company from every major news outlet.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    make it rain

    To bring prosperity or work to an enterprise by selling, inventing or other productive or successful activity.

  2. 02

    pleasure and pain

    [Cockney slang]rain

  3. 03

    rain buckets

    To rain heavily

  4. 04

    rain cats and dogs

    To rain very heavily.

  5. 05

    rain death

    To cause severe harm or violence.

  6. 06

    rain fire and brimstone

    To send horror or destruction.

  7. 07

    rain off

    to cancel (an event) due to excessive rain

  8. 08

    rain on someone's parade

    To spoil someone's celebration.

© 2026 English Reference