rain down on
rain down on (someone or something)
1. To pour or fall down on someone or something in a shower from above. Dirt and debris rained down on us following the explosion. Bombs continue to rain down on the city from the enemy bombardment. Confetti and streamers rained down on the crowd of onlookers.
2. To cause some liquid, loose substance, or multitudinous small objects to fall down in a shower on someone or something. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used either before or after "down." The castle defenders rained boiling oil down on the attackers below the ramparts. The dark clouds began raining down hail on us halfway through the hike.
3. To lob, throw, or hurl multitudinous small objects upon someone or something. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used either before or after "down." The other kids started raining down snowballs on us from the other side of the yard. Someone up there is raining rocks down on our car.
4. To give or bestow something on someone in abundance. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used either before or after "down." The boss has been raining praise down on Janet all week for the work she did. People across the country are raining down condemnations on the prime minster for his handling of the crisis.
See also: down, on, rain
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
rain down on someone or something
to fall or drop down on someone or something like rain. The ashes from the incinerator rained down on us, getting our clothes dirty. The hail rained down on us—some of it quite large.
See also: down, on, rain
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
- come down in buckets
- come a gutser
- bucket down
- be down to (do something)
- be down to something
- bog
- bog down
- bogged down
- champ down on (someone or something)
- bear down