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Webster 1913 Edition

Drain

Drain

(drān)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Drained
(drānd)
;
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.
Fountains
drain
the water from the ground adjacent.
Bacon.
But it was not alone that the he
drained
their treasure and hampered their industry.
Motley.
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
.
Sinking waters, the firm land to
drain
,
Filled the capacious deep and formed the main.
Roscommon.
3.
To filter.
Salt water,
drained
through twenty vessels of earth, hath become fresh.
Bacon.

Drain

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To flow gradually;
as, the water of low ground
drains
off
.
2.
To become emptied of liquor by flowing or dropping;
as, let the vessel stand and
drain
.

Drain

,
Noun.
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
.
2.
That means of which anything is drained; a channel; a trench; a water course; a sewer; a sink.
3.
pl.
The grain from the mashing tub;
as, brewers’
drains
.
[Eng.]
Halliwell.
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.

Webster 1828 Edition

Drain

DRAIN

,
Verb.
T.
1.
To filter; to cause to pass through some porous substance.
Salt water, drained through twenty vessels of earth, hath become fresh.
2.
To empty or clear of liquor, by causing the liquor to drop or run off slowly; as, to drain a vessel or its contents.
3.
To make dry; to exhaust of water or other liquor, by causing it to flow off in channels, or through porous substances; as, to drain land; to drain a swamp or marsh.
4.
To empty; to exhaust; to draw off gradually; as, a foreign war drains a country of specie.

DRAIN

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To flow off gradually; as, let the water of low ground drain off.
2.
To be emptied of liquor, by flowing or dropping; as, let the vessel stand and drain; let the cloth hand and drain.

DRAIN

,
Noun.
A channel through which water or other liquid flows off; particularly, a trench or ditch to convey water from wet land; a watercourse; a sewer; a sink.

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