MetaChat - Another word thing

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07 October 2005

Another word thing How many out there use the expression "pouring down" as in "it was pouring down rain"? I have just been told that it's unusual, that most people would just say "it was pouring rain," but I'm not so sure.

post by: JanetLand at: 11:07 | 24 comments

Me. Also, 'chucking it down,' 'cats and dogs,' etc. I used to use 'It's potatoes' for when it was cold outside.

posted by carter 07 October | 11:30

"pouring rain" is common here. pouring down seems redundant. the only time i have ever seen pouring up was on dave letterman's premier back in the 1980's as an afternoon talk show host. he introduced himself and the show while pouring a cup of coffee. except the coffee poured up, away from the cup. the camera backed away to reveal dave, desk, and set background all suspended upside down on the stage.

posted by quonsar 07 October | 11:30

i use "pouring down", but mostly "pissing it down" if it's particularly heavy rain. "Brass monkey weather" for when its really cold.

posted by urbanwhaleshark 07 October | 11:35

Siling it down.
Which means that it's sieving it down.
Which means it's raining hard.

I'll use...
"It was pouring it down" and
"It was pouring down with rain."

posted by seanyboy 07 October | 11:44

Pouring down is fine. So is leaving out, as in, "I'm leaving out of work early to catch a train to Maryland."

posted by Hugh Janus 07 October | 11:46

Plain ole pouring. Just "It's pouring." Or, if I'm feeling particularly jocular "It's pouring out there."

posted by danostuporstar 07 October | 12:03

I use pouring down and pissing down, pretty much interchangeably.

posted by mygothlaundry 07 October | 12:04

It's pouring.
It's pouring down rain.

posted by Specklet 07 October | 12:32

It's supposed to pour down rain here for the next few days.

posted by jrossi4r 07 October | 12:36

It's pouring, or it's pissing down. But no down with pouring. That's very important.

posted by gaspode 07 October | 13:02

I don't say "pouring down." But I do say "downpour." Hmm.

"Pour" is one of those words that starts to look really weird when you keep looking at it, and then you start to think it's spelled wrong, even though you know it's not. Or maybe that's just me.

posted by amro 07 October | 13:04

A New Yorkerism for people my age is to say (when it's really cold) "It's brick outside". I don't know why.
I don't know why I say it. Why do I say it?

posted by Divine_Wino 07 October | 13:18

The word is brisk, not brick.

posted by Specklet 07 October | 13:28

i say pouring down rain...

or we're really getting hosed, eh?

note that i am not canadian

posted by Schyler523 07 October | 14:34

I use "pouring rain", the mister uses "pissing down rain".

posted by deborah 07 October | 14:35

Ahhhh, it might be a corruption of brisk, that is true. 'Owever I do know the difference, so the word is still brick.

posted by Divine_Wino 07 October | 14:39

It is at this very moment pouring down rain where I live, and that is how I say it.

posted by bunnyfire 07 October | 14:47

I've heard that, Divine_Wino. But more like, "When will this fucking winter end? I mean, it's fucking April and it's still fucking brick outside, jack! What the fuck?!"

I don't know why either.

posted by Hugh Janus 07 October | 15:11

"When will this fucking winter end? I mean, it's fucking April and it's still fucking brick outside, jack! What the fuck?!"

Yeah, that's much more accurate.

posted by Divine_Wino 07 October | 15:14

Using the word DOWN with any description of rain is from the Department of Redundancy Department. Unless it's a hurricane in which case the adverb SIDEWAYS should be added.

-languageasshat

posted by wendell 07 October | 15:32

Reminds me of a dirty joke punchline:

So the drunk says, "Stick a feather up your ass?"

And the girl is like, "What?"

And the drunk says, "I said, it's raining like a fuck outside!"

posted by Hugh Janus 07 October | 15:36

Pouring.

posted by puddinghead 07 October | 15:51

Pouring down OR pouring with rain.

Or just pouring.

Pouring down rain doesn't work for me.

posted by nomis 08 October | 00:44

you're normal. I say it too

posted by joelf 08 October | 18:40

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