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Definition of pour verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

pour

verb
 
 
/pɔː(r)/
 
/pɔːr/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they pour
 
/pɔː(r)/
 
/pɔːr/
he / she / it pours
 
/pɔːz/
 
/pɔːrz/
past simple poured
 
/pɔːd/
 
/pɔːrd/
past participle poured
 
/pɔːd/
 
/pɔːrd/
-ing form pouring
 
/ˈpɔːrɪŋ/
 
/ˈpɔːrɪŋ/
Idioms Phrasal Verbs
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  1.  
     [transitive] to make a liquid or other substance flow from a container in a continuous stream, especially by holding the container at an angle
    • pour something + adv./prep. Pour the sauce over the pasta.
    • She poured boiling water down the sink.
    • Pour away as much fat as possible from the roasting pan.
    • pour something Although I poured it carefully, I still managed to spill some.
    • The crew mixed and poured the concrete.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • carefully
    • quickly
    • gradually
    • …
    preposition
    • from
    • into
    • on
    • …
    See full entry
  2.  
     [transitive, intransitive] to serve a drink by letting it flow from a container into a cup or glass
    • pour something Will you pour the coffee?
    • a freshly poured soda
    • pour somebody something I've poured you a cup of tea.
    • pour something for somebody I've poured a cup of tea for you.
    • pour something out I was in the kitchen, pouring out drinks.
    • Shall I pour?
    Topics Drinksb1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • carefully
    • quickly
    • gradually
    • …
    preposition
    • from
    • into
    • on
    • …
    See full entry
  3.  
     [intransitive, transitive] when rain pours down or when it’s pouring (with) rain, rain is falling heavily
    • It's pouring outside.
    • pour down The rain continued to pour down.
    • (British English) pour with rain It's pouring with rain.
    • (North American English) pour (down) rain It's pouring rain outside.
    Topics Weatherb1
  4.  
     [intransitive] + adv./prep. (of liquid, smoke, light, etc.) to flow quickly in a continuous stream
    • Tears poured down his cheeks.
    • Thick black smoke was pouring out of the roof.
    • Blood was pouring from the wound.
    • The sweat was pouring off her.
    • Light poured in.
    • (figurative) A torrent of words poured from her mouth.
  5.  
    [intransitive] + adv./prep. to come or go somewhere continuously in large numbers synonym flood
    • The crowd poured into the streets.
    • Commuters came pouring out of the station.
    • Congratulatory messages poured in on social media for the new parents.
    6. Word OriginMiddle English: of unknown origin.
Idioms
it never rains but it pours (British English)
(North American English when it rains, it pours)
  1. (saying) used to say that when one bad thing happens to you, other bad things happen soon after
pour/throw cold water on something
  1. to give reasons for not being in favour of something; to criticize something
    • She immediately poured cold water on his plans to expand the business.
pour oil on troubled water(s)
  1. to try to settle an argumentTopics Discussion and agreementc2
pour out/open your heart to somebody
  1. to tell somebody all your problems, feelings, etc.
    • Finally, he broke down in tears and poured out his heart to her.
pour/heap scorn on somebody/something
  1. to speak about somebody/something in a way that shows that you do not respect them or have a good opinion of them
    • Opposition politicians poured scorn on the proposals.
    Topics Opinion and argumentc2
See pour in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee pour in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: pour

Nearby words

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adjective
 
 
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