Subscriber login


Forgot your password?

Library card login

Other

pour

Pronunciation: /pɔː/
Translate pour | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of pour

verb

[no object, with adverbial of direction]
  • 1flow rapidly in a steady stream:water poured off the roof figurativewords poured from his mouth
  • [with object and adverbial of direction] cause (a liquid) to flow from a container in a steady stream:she poured a little whisky into a glass the remaining liquid is poured out
  • [with object] prepare and serve (a drink):he poured a cup of coffee [with two objects]:Harry poured her a drink
  • [with object] (pour something into) contribute money to (an enterprise or project) in copious amounts:Belgium has been pouring money into the company
  • [with object] (pour something out) express one’s feelings in an unrestrained way:in his letters, Edward poured out his hopes
  • [with object] (pour oneself into) humorous (of a woman) put on (a tight-fitting garment):I poured myself into a short Lycra skirt
  • 2 [no object] (of rain) fall heavily:the storm clouds gathered and the rain poured down it’s pouring with rain
  • 3come or go in a steady stream and in large numbers:people poured out of the train

Phrases

it never rains but it pours

proverb misfortunes or difficult situations tend to follow each other in rapid succession or to arrive all at the same time.

pour cold water on

see cold.

pour it on

North American informal progress or work quickly or with all one’s energy: we really poured it on as the season progressed

pour oil on troubled waters

try to settle a disagreement or dispute with words intended to placate or pacify those involved.

pour scorn on

see scorn.

Derivatives

pourable

adjective

pourer

noun

Origin:

Middle English: of unknown origin

On the confusion of pour and pore, see pore2 (usage).

pour in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of pour in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

  |  Cite

Word of the day

epithalamium

/ ˌɛpɪθəˈleɪmɪəm /
noun
a song or poem celebrating a marriage …