ENGLISH
REFERENCE

pours

v.
A2 Elementary US //ˈpɔɹz// UK //pˈɔːz// pours

v. to flow quickly and in large amounts. You use this when talking about liquids like water or coffee, or when it is raining very hard.

v. to flow rapidly and steadily in a continuous stream. Often used metaphorically for people or objects moving in large numbers.


SIMPLE

She pours a glass of cold water for her guest.

CONTEXTUAL

The rain pours down so heavily that the streets start to flood within minutes.

COMPLEX

As the stadium gates open, the crowd pours into the arena, filling the empty seats with a sudden wave of noise and color.

Synonyms
Usage

Can be used transitively with an object or intransitively to describe the flow itself.

Pitfall

It is pouring with rainIt is pouring rainWhile 'pouring with rain' is common in British English, 'pouring rain' is the standard transitive structure in most global contexts; avoid adding 'with' if using 'rain' as the direct object.

© 2026 English Reference