drain

Noun · Verb
Synonyms: drainagedrainpipewaste piperun outenfeebledebilitate

WordNet 3.0

Noun (4)

  1. emptying something accomplished by allowing liquid to run out of itSynonyms: drainage
  2. tube inserted into a body cavity (as during surgery) to remove unwanted material
  3. a pipe through which liquid is carried awaySynonyms: drainpipewaste pipe
  4. a gradual depletion of energy or resources“a drain on resources”“a drain of young talent by emigration”

Verb (4)

  1. flow off gradually“The rain water drains into this big vat”Synonyms: run out
  2. deplete of resources“The exercise class drains me of energy”
  3. empty of liquid; drain the liquid from“We drained the oil tank”
  4. make weak“Life in the camp drained him”Synonyms: enfeebledebilitate
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Drain \Drain\ (dr[=a]n), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Drained (dr[=a]nd); p. pr. & vb. n. Draining.] [AS. drehnigean to drain, strain; perh. akin to E. draw.]

1.To draw off by degrees; to cause to flow gradually out or off; hence, to cause the exhaustion of. [1913 Webster]

Fountains drain the water from the ground adjacent.— Bacon.[1913 Webster]
But it was not alone that the he drained their treasure and hampered their industry.— Motley.[1913 Webster]

2.To exhaust of liquid contents by drawing them off; to make gradually dry or empty; to remove surface water, as from streets, by gutters, etc.; to deprive of moisture; hence, to exhaust; to empty of wealth, resources, or the like; as, to drain a country of its specie. [1913 Webster]

Sinking waters, the firm land to drain, Filled the capacious deep and formed the main.— Roscommon.[1913 Webster]

3.To filter. [1913 Webster]

Salt water, drained through twenty vessels of earth, hath become fresh.— Bacon.[1913 Webster]
Drain \Drain\, v. i.

1.To flow gradually; as, the water of low ground drains off. [1913 Webster]

2.To become emptied of liquor by flowing or dropping; as, let the vessel stand and drain. [1913 Webster]

Drain \Drain\, n.

1.The act of draining, or of drawing off; gradual and continuous outflow or withdrawal; as, the drain of specie from a country; the project is a drain on resources. [1913 Webster]

2.That means of which anything is drained; a channel; a trench; a water course; a sewer; a sink. [1913 Webster]

3.pl. The grain from the mashing tub; as, brewers' drains. [Eng.] --Halliwell. [1913 Webster]

Box drain, Counter drain. See under Box, Counter.

Right of drain (Law), an easement or servitude by which one man has a right to convey water in pipes through or over the estate of another. --Kent. [1913 Webster]

Free On-line Dictionary of Computing

drain

<jargon> (IBM) To allow a system to complete the processing of its current work before the system becomes unavailable. E.g. draining a device before taking it off-line or telling a web server in a server farm not to accept any new requests but to finish processing any requests it has already accepted. [Jargon File]

(2005-07-18)

The Jargon File

drain v.

[IBM] Syn. for flush (sense 2). Has a connotation of finality about it; one speaks of draining a device before taking it offline.

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