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J Lewis Posted 20 years ago
Vocabulary
Raining cats & dogs
As a Brit I recently said in my teachers' room that nobody nowadays uses the expression "It's raining cats and dogs" (and not even when I was a child). An American and a South African both protested, saying they do use it. What do others think? What do they say instead?
It's coming down in buckets?
It's bucketing down?
I'ts p---ing down?
It's coming down in buckets?
It's bucketing down?
I'ts p---ing down?
Top answer
J Lewis As a Brit I recently said in my teachers' room that nobody nowadays uses the expression "It's raining cats and dogs" (and not even when I was a child). An American and a South African both protested, saying they do use it. What do others think?
- J Lewis As a Brit I recently said in my teachers' room that nobody nowadays uses the expression "It's raining cats and dogs" (and not even when I was a child).
- An American and a South African both protested, saying they do use it.
- What do others think?
- What do they say instead?
- It's coming down in buckets?
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14 Answers
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J LewisAs a Brit I recently said in my teachers' room that nobody nowadays uses the expression "It's raining cats and dogs" (and not even when I was a child). An American and a South African both protested, saying they do use it. What do others think? What do they say instead?
It's coming down in buckets?
It's bucketing down?
I'ts p---ing down?
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Well,
I attempted a
"It's raining cats and dogs" bbc
search at Yahoo, and it gave me many BrE sites, such as:
"It's raining cats and dogs in Segovia this morning, but millions of pesetas are also raining down on the town," the local radio bragged.
http:
I attempted a
"It's raining cats and dogs" bbc
search at Yahoo, and it gave me many BrE sites, such as:
"It's raining cats and dogs in Segovia this morning, but millions of pesetas are also raining down on the town," the local radio bragged.
http:
00
Yes, seconding Philip, we do indeed use "Raining cats and dogs" as well as "coming down in buckets." More often, though, it's just "Wow, it's really pouring out there."
I have never said "bucketing down" and CERTAINLY have never said the one that starts with P.
I have never said "bucketing down" and CERTAINLY have never said the one that starts with P.
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Personally I agree with you J Lewis!
I've 'taught' it because it's in coursebooks, but I'd never say it!
Mind you that's the problem with coursebooks that like to put in quaint expressions that only someone out of a 1970s or 1980s mediocre BBC sitcom might say, rather than more contemporary idiomatic language...
Apart from the ones you mentioned, I'd add these:
I've 'taught' it because it's in coursebooks, but I'd never say it!
Mind you that's the problem with coursebooks that like to put in quaint expressions that only someone out of a 1970s or 1980s mediocre BBC sitcom might say, rather than more contemporary idiomatic language...
Apart from the ones you mentioned, I'd add these:
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I'm not sure if I have ever use the cats and dogs version but it is well known. I must have heard it a few times.
'Bucketing down', yes.
'It's pouring' is very common.
And the p-ing down version is fairly common in the UK. It's a bit nasty now I think about it. I guess we are not as polite as a lot of places
'Bucketing down', yes.
'It's pouring' is very common.
And the p-ing down version is fairly common in the UK. It's a bit nasty now I think about it. I guess we are not as polite as a lot of places
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ZeroxIs torrential rain common?
At 1,150,000 hits at Yahoo, I think so
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ZeroxIs torrential rain common?Mercifully, such RAIN is not common (where I live), but the expression is well accepted.
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