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Glite Dictionary
to shower down

to shower down

1 3.5
To fall from above in large amounts, like rain or ash
  • phrasal verb
  • /ˈʃaʊər daʊn/
translation icon : caer en cascada
  • Barney puts out his hand as chunks of Fibrerock shower down like rain from the feeding frenzy.
  • debris showers down
  • shower down like rain

Examples

  • By night, an overcrowded streetcar clicked and rumbled up a nearby hill, sparks showering down from its overhead power line like the Frankenstein monster of mass.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • Leaves showered down on her, the carpet, and the rocking chair.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • Bricks go flying as debris showers down on our team as they make their way to the other side.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • In a room full of metal toys, a hideously painted clown gives me a shiny grin, and flecks of paint shower down.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • 132F on the floor, Dyson flinches as chunks of wood and shattered computer components shower down on him.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • It was July, and the cries of giant cicadas showered down on the sweltering summer days.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • In the pose completing all their stunts—ramp jump, ring of fire, aerial spin—he stands frozen as debris showers down.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • The blind man cried out, arched his body, and the cave walls moaned as rubble shook loose and crumbled away, showering down on Tarrant and the blind man.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • A light mist of rain continued to shower down from the night sky.

  • Then a branch snapped above her, like a warning, and leaves showered down.

Synonyms

to rain
vsto shower down
541 1.0

To fall from clouds as small drops of water

is broader, covering many substances falling in large amounts
to come down
vsto shower down
129 1.3

To fall from the sky, as rain, snow, or ash

emphasizes large amounts or pouring rather than ordinary precipitation
to rain down
vsto shower down
36 3.4

Fall from above in large amounts, like ash or confetti

is wider, applying to many materials not only water
to shower
vsto shower down
18 1.3

To spray or throw many small things over an area

describes natural falling or pouring from above rather than spraying
to cascade down
vsto shower down
4 4.2

To fall or flow quickly in large amounts like a waterfall

focuses on sudden pouring or many separate items falling from above
to bucket down
vsto shower down
  • UK
1 6.5

To rain very hard

means many fall but not only intense downpours
to come down heavily
vsto shower down
3.4

Rain that falls very hard

describes large quantity falling not necessarily with great force
to come down in stair rods
vsto shower down
  • Archaic
9.9

To rain very heavily

is for large amounts generally rather than only intense downpours
to raining pitchforks
vsto shower down
  • Informal
8.9

To rain very heavily with water falling fast and hard

covers heavy falling but also nonviolent pouring of many small things

Antonyms

to dry up
19 2.7

To lose all water or moisture so it has none left

How Heavy

deluge
8 6.8
to shower down
1 3.5
fall
191 1.0

Surface Forms

shower down infinitive
showered down past
showered down past participle
showering down present participle
showers down third person singular

Morphology

shower + down

The meaning is directly compositional: 'shower' (a fall in large amounts or a brief rain) combined with 'down' (from above to a lower position) yields 'to fall or pour down in large amounts', so a B1 learner who knows the constituents can infer the sense. This follows a common motion/particle pattern and is cross-linguistically transparent, so prior exposure is not required for basic understanding.

Etymology

Shower down paints the picture of many small things falling from above: the word shower suggests a quick, steady fall and down shows the direction. So, when ash, confetti, or sparks shower down, they 'fall in large amounts' over a place.