# drain

> English word · Noun · IPA /dɹeɪn/ · frequency rank #6,353

## Definitions
1. A conduit allowing liquid to flow out of an otherwise contained volume; a plughole (UK)
2. An access point or conduit for rainwater that drains directly downstream in a (drainage) basin without going through sewers or water treatment in order to prevent or belay floods.
3. A natural or artificial watercourse which drains a tract of land.
4. Something consuming resources and providing nothing in return.
5. An act of urination.
6. One terminal of a field effect transistor (FET).
7. An outhole.
8. A drink.

## Etymology
From Middle English dreinen, from Old English drēahnian (“to drain, strain, filter”), from Proto-Germanic *drauhnōną (“to strain, sieve”), from Proto-Germanic *draugiz (“dry, parched”). Akin to Old English drūgian (“to dry up”), Old English drūgaþ (“dryness, drought”), Old English drȳġe (“dry”). More at dry.

## Easily confused with
- **DRI** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/drain-vs-dri)
- **draw** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/drain-vs-draw)
- **drip** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/drain-vs-drip)
- **dram** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/drain-vs-dram)
- **drink** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/drain-vs-drink)
- **drama** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/drain-vs-drama)
- **drawn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/drain-vs-drawn)
- **draws** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/drain-vs-draws)
- **drake** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/drain-vs-drake)
- **drank** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/drain-vs-drank)
- **drown** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/drain-vs-drown)
- **droid** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/drain-vs-droid)
- **Duran** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/drain-vs-duran)
- **druid** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/drain-vs-druid)
- **drape** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/drain-vs-drape)
- **drying** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/drain-vs-drying)
- **drains** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/drain-vs-drains)
- **Durbin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/drain-vs-durbin)
- **drawing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/drain-vs-drawing)
- **drained** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/drain-vs-drained)

## Common misspellings (7)
`darin`, `ddrain`, `drainn`, `drani`, `drian`, `drrain`, `rdain`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/drain