ˈrain-water
[OE. (reᵹn-), rénwæter = Du. regenwater, MHG. regenwaȥȥer (G. -wasser), ON. regnvatn (Sw. -vatten, Da. -vand): see rain and water.]
a. Water that falls from the clouds as rain.
| c 1000 Sax. Leechd. II. 26 Ᵹefylle þonne mid ren wætere. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 151 Þe teares þe man wepeð for longenge to heuene ben cleped rein water, oðer deu water. c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. i. 770 Let make a stewe With rayn watir, thyn herbis to renewe. 1481 Caxton Godfrey clxxiv. 257 The Cysternes where as was rayn water. 1563 W. Fulke Meteors (1640) 49 The raine water doubtlesse doth more encrease and cherish things growing on the earth, than any other water. 1600 Surflet Countrie Farme i. iv. 12 The best and most wholesome water..is raine water falling in sommer. 1748 Anson's Voy. ii. vii. 214 To caulk the decks..of the Centurion, to prevent the rain⁓water from running into her. 1827 Faraday Chem. Manip. ii. 50 As pure or purer than rain-water. 1869 E. A. Parkes Pract. Hygiene (ed. 3) 6 Rain-water is collected from roofs. |
| pl. 1692 Ray Dissol. World v. (1693) 299 We daily see, that the Rain-waters wash away the Superficies of the Mountains. |
b. attrib. and
Comb., as
rain-water butt,
rain-water cistern,
rain-water pipe,
rain-water spout,
rain-water tank;
rain-water goods, exterior pipework, guttering, etc., designed to conduct rain-water from a building;
rain-water head, a collecting piece,
freq. ornamental in design, at the top of a drainpipe.
| 1836–9 Dickens Sk. Boz v. (1850) 18/1 An open rain-water butt on one side. 1842 Gwilt Archit. 1023 Rain-water pipe, one usually placed against the exterior of a house to carry off the rain-water from the roof. 1851 Stephens Bk. Farm (ed. 2) II. 540/2 The form of a rain-water cistern. Ibid. 533/1 Rain-water spouts, or rones as they are commonly termed. 1876 W. P. Buchan Plumbing xiii. 86 Fig. 149 shows conductor with rain-water head, carrying off water from gutter. 1884 Meteorology in rel. to Health 30 With regard to this rain-water tank. 1936 P. E. Thomas Mod. Building Pract. IV. 225 The lower end of a gutter..can be formed so as to discharge direct into a rain-water head. 1949 J. F. L. D'Esté in A. C. Martin Mod. Pract. Plumber (ed. 3) III. xiv. 321 (caption) Surveyor's dimensions for quantities of rainwater goods. 1955 Times 8 July 3/3 The Government would have to look at the restrictive practices and rings in the building industry, particularly in the rain⁓water goods section. 1963 Times 8 May 6/2 Mr. Lipton (Brixton, Lab.) asked if the Minister would give a list of the persons whose initials were inscribed on the rainwater heads in the new buildings in Downing Street. 1981 London (North) Telephone Directory: Yellow Pages Jan. 401/1 Bond & White Ltd. Suppliers—sanitary ware—plumbing—rainwater goods. |