drain

verb

• 1cause the water or other liquid in (something) to run out, leaving it empty or dry:we drained the swimming pool
• cause or allow (liquid) to run off or out of something:fry the pork and drain off any excess fat
• make (land) drier by providing channels for water to flow away in:the land was drained and the boggy ground reclaimed
• (of a river) carry off the superfluous water from (an area):the stream drains a wide moorland above the waterfall
• [no object, with adverbial of direction] (of water or another liquid) flow away from, out of, or into something:the river drains into the Pacific figurativePolly felt the blood drain from her face
• [no object] become dry or drier as liquid runs off or away:dishes left to drain
• drink the entire contents of (a glass or other container):the stranger drained his glass of beer

• 2deprive of strength or vitality:his limbs were drained of all energy Ruth slumped down in her seat, drained by all that had happened
• cause (a valuable resource) to be lost or used up:my mother’s hospital bills are draining my income
• [no object, with adverbial] (of a valuable resource) be lost or used up:votes and campaign funds drained away from the Republican candidate

• 3 Golf, informal (of a player) hole (a putt): whenever he did hit a green, he drained the putt

noun

• 1a channel or pipe carrying off surplus liquid, especially rainwater or liquid waste.
• British a frame of metal bars set in a road over the opening to a rainwater channel.
• a tube for drawing off accumulating fluid from a body cavity or an abscess.
• Electronics the part of a field-effect transistor to which the charge carriers flow after passing the gate.

• 2 [in singular] a thing that uses up a particular resource:nuclear power is a serious drain on the public purse
• the continuous loss or expenditure of a particular resource:the drain of talented staff to the United States